ADDIS ABABA, May 29 (Xinhua) -- The Ethiopian government announced Thursday that it has repatriated more than 700 nationals who were stranded in Myanmar.
Addressing a press briefing, Nebiat Getachew, spokesperson for the Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said the repatriated Ethiopian nationals "were in dire conditions in Myanmar" after they were deceived by smugglers over false employment opportunities.
Highlighting that an additional number of nationals still remain stranded in Myanmar, the spokesperson said that the ministry has tasked its diplomatic mission in New Delhi, India, to assist with the ongoing repatriation efforts.
The Ethiopian nationals were misled by illegal brokers promising employment opportunities in Southeast Asia. Upon arrival, they were taken to unauthorized camps in areas bordering Myanmar and Thailand, where conditions were reportedly severe.
Getachew urged the public to remain vigilant against the "deceptive propaganda" of human traffickers and to avoid pursuing illegal employment opportunities abroad, especially in countries that lack overseas employment agreements with Ethiopia.
According to Getachew, the ongoing large-scale repatriation effort is part of the Ethiopian government's "citizen-centered" diplomatic commitment to bringing home its nationals stranded in difficult situations abroad.
