JEDDAH: About 300 Sri Lankan nationals squatted outside their consulate on Wednesday, pleading for their immediate repatriation. They were mostly visa overstayers and those who have run away from their sponsors, consulate sources said.

The sources added that Sri Lankan workers and housemaids have been visiting the consulate in the last few days seeking its help for their deportation as they were all without travel documents.

“In fact, we have been appealing to all of our nationals holding valid return tickets to visit the consulate and get themselves registered so that we can prepare a list and forward it to the local immigration authorities for their deportation,” an official said. “We called all those holding tickets to visit the consulate, but in reality many others accompanied them,” he added.

He said that 80 percent of those squatting outside the consulate on Wednesday had come from outside the Western Region, meaning they had come from Riyadh and Eastern regions as well. “From 2008 until today 6,239 — 4,360 men and 1,879 women — have been deported,” he added. Only about 100 Sri Lankans, including 89 women, directly reported to the consulate after running away from their sponsors for alleged harassment, abuse or nonpayment of salaries.