The Reverse Exodus
The Arab Spring spells the end of a dream for Malayalees in Saudi Arabia as thousands book one-way tickets home. Jeemon Jacob reports
JEEMON JACOB
2013-04-20 , Issue 16 Volume 10
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The Arrival gate at the Kozhikode International Airport was packed as usual. The only thing different this time was the muted reception. As passengers and their luggage trolleys from Riyadh rolled out, there were no shrieks of joy from excited kith and kin. There were only sighs of despair.
Blessed with one-fifth of the earth's total petroleum reserves, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia rode the oil boom to become one of the fastest growing economies in the world. An estimated 6.5 million expatriates work in Saudi Arabia and Malayalees constitute around 10 percent of that number.
In August 2011, Saudi Arabia announced the adoption of the Nitaqat (naturalisation) law in a bid to create more jobs for local youth, who were demanding better opportunities.
Read More>
'I Returned With Whatever I Had Because The Nitaqat Deadline Was Nearing'
Muraleedharan Cherat, 49 | Entrepreneur Thenjippalam | Kozhikode
Read More>
'If I Had Remained In Jeddah, I Would Have Ended Up In Jail Where 300 People Are Put In One Cell'
Shaji Babu, 41 | Taxi Driver | Kuriyedam, Malappuram
Read More>
'Rearing Buffalos Is Better Than Working In Saudi Arabia'
Sakkeer Hussain, 43 | Cashier | Valluvambrum, Malappuram
Read More>
'My Sponsor's Henchmen Snatched 1,500 Riyals Before Returning My Residency Permit'
Abdul Jaleel, 35 | Helper at a bakery | Thalekkara, Malappuram
Syed Abdul Qadeer Jaffery
Cost Control Dept.
P O Box 9887 Jeddah 21423
Saudi Arabia
Phone: +966 2 6400 004 Extn 5440
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