Nothing is new under the sun: Ethiopian maid found hanged in Jbeil

The Daily Star

BEIRUT: An 23-year-old Ethiopian maid was found hanged in an apparent suicide Monday at her employer’s house in Jbeil, the National News Agency reported.

Dizzy Jerma Bifkado was found hanged at the apartment located in the Jbeil suburb of Blat Monday, NNA added.

Accompanied by forensic experts, detectives arrived to the appartment to investigate the incident.

The body was moved to Sayyidat al-Maounat University Hospital in Byblos.

Ethiopian domestic worker commits suicide in Tyre

An Ethiopian domestic worker died over the weekend in an apparent suicide in the southern city of Tyre, security sources told The Daily Star Sunday.

The woman allegedly threw herself off a balcony of the apartment building where she worked, the sources said.

Media reports said the woman had fled last week from her employer’s home. Security forces later detained the Ethiopian and returned her to her employer.

A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Daily Star on April 07, 2014.

Employee, Secretary Held after Ethiopian Maid Raped, Beaten

Naharnet Newsdesk, 23 March 2014.  An employee and a secretary of an agency for the recruitment of migrant domestic workers were arrested after an Ethiopian maid filed a report alleging that she was raped, the Internal Security Forces announced on Sunday.

“On March 17, 2014, the Tripoli judicial police department received a report filed by the Ethiopian domestic worker B. E., 33, regarding a rape offense,” the ISF's public relations department said in a statement.

“Following intensive investigations, it turned out that the aforementioned worker had headed along with her employer to an agency for the recruitment of migrant domestic workers in the Koura town of Kousba after a dispute erupted between them,” the statement added.

Further investigations showed that the agency's female secretary L. S., 24, had called agency employee A. Z., 40, and asked him to come to office to resolve the dispute between the domestic worker and her employer, according to the statement.

“Upon his arrival, he beat up the worker with the aim of 'disciplining her' before forcing her to take off her clothes under the excuse of searching her. He then raped her after assaulting her with his belt, within earshot of the secretary who was in the adjacent room,” the ISF said.

It added that the man threatened the maid not to tell her employer about what happened inside the office and that following medical examinations, a forensic doctor confirmed the presence of bruises on “sensitive spots” of the domestic worker's body.

Police also verified that distinguishing marks mentioned by the maid were found on the assaulter's body.

“A. Z. and the secretary L. S. have been arrested following authorization from the relevant judicial authorities,” the ISF added.

An Ethiopian Presumably Hangs Herself in South Lebanon

News agencies reported today that an Ethiopian migrant worker died in an apparent suicide. She was found hanging from a an electrical wire in the village of Rmeich, Bint Jbeil department, South Lebanon.

 اثيوبية تشنق نفسها
المركزية- قضت الخادمة الاثيوبية دي مي كاش - كالاشو كاتا شنقا امام المنزل الذي تعمل فيه في بلدة رميش قضاء بنت جبيل، حيث وجدت جثة معلقة وفي عنقها سلك كهربائي مربوط في اعلى العريشة. وحضرت الى المكان قوة من الأمن الداخلي في مخفر البلدة وباشرت التحقيق لمعرفة الاسباب، وتبين ان الخادمة اقدمت على شنق نفسها.

Domestic worker commits suicide in Mount Lebanon انتحرت وهي حامل بالشهر السادس

BEIRUT: An Ethiopian domestic worker committed suicide in the home of her employer in the Mount Lebanon town of Choueifat Wednesday, a security source said.
The 23-year-old died by hanging using a rope in one of the rooms of her employer, the source said.
According to one report, the worker was pregnant in her sixth month.
Police were immediately dispatched to the scene.

انتحرت وهي حامل بالشهر السادس
أقدمت العاملة الاثيوبية نيفا نيسكا دلالتي مواليد 1989 على الانتحار شنقا  في منزل مخدومِها ح.ج في مدينة الشويفات.  وكانت الجثة وجدت معلقة بحبل للغسيل في أحد حمامات المنزل. وعلى الفور تم ابلاغ الجهات الأمنية المختصة التي حضرت وأجرت كشفا على الجثة وبدأت بالتحقيقات بحضور الطبيب الشرعي الذي كشف أن "نيفا" كانت حاملاً في الشهر السادس.

Ethiopian domestic worker jumps from 11th floor in Zalka

An Ethiopian domestic worker jumped from her employer's balcony in the Zalka district of Metn in an apparent suicide, security sources told The Daily Star Monday.Twenty-five-year-old Janis Ra Joseph jumped off the 11th floor and died immediately. Her body was transferred to a nearby hospital. Police launched an investigation into the incident.

 وطنية - افاد المندوب الامني للوكالة الوطنية للاعلام الياس شاهين انه في الزلقا محلة عمارة شلهوب اقدمت الخادمة الاثيوبية - جانيش سريانت راجوزف - من مواليد 1987، على رمي نفسها من منزل مخدومها الكائن في الطابق الحادي عشر (11) ما ادى الى مصرعها على الفور بعد تحطم كامل اقسام جسمها وقد نقلت جثتها الى براد مستشفى ابو جودة والتحقيقات جارية لمعرفة الملابسات.

السياحة تضبط مخالفة تمييز ضد مواطنة أثيوبية وتحيل مدير مسبح الى المحاكمة

17 تشرين الأول 2012 - المفكرة القانونية - الحادثة هي الأولى من نوعها. شرطة وزارة السياحة تضبط مخالفة "تمييز" ضد مواطنة أثيوبية منعت من الدخول الى مسبح كائن في بيروت، تنظم محضرا بها وترسله الى القاضي المنفرد الجزائي في بيروت. وكانت وزارة السياحة أصدرت بتاريخ سابق (45 نيسان 2012) تعميما تنظيميا يفرض على مجمل المؤسسات السياحية احترام المساواة في استقبال الزبائن. القاضي عين جلسة أولى للنظر فيها في 12-10-2012 وتم ارجاؤها لابلاغ "المخالف" الى 11-1-2013. المفكرة تترقب هذا الموعد. 

Earlier this month, Domestic worker dies in a presumed suicide

12 September 2012 - An Ethiopian domestic worker was found dead in the area of Bsaleem in the Metn district after she had fallen off the roof of a building, the National News Agency reported.
The report said preliminary results revealed that the deceased 22-year-old worker, identified as Lomina Arina, committed suicide, adding that her body was transferred to the Asharq al-Awsat Hospital.
A number of domestic workers have been taking their own lives in Lebanon mainly due to acts of abuse committed by their employers.

12 أيلول 2012 - نقلت الى مستشفى "الشرق الاوسط" الخادمة الاثيوبية لومينا ارينا 22 عاما جثة، اثر سقوطها من على سطح بناية اديب حنا في بصاليم - شارع النجاة، والمعلومات تشير الى اقدامها على الانتحار .

An Ethiopian domestic worker dies while trying to flee her employer’s house: What investigation?

On August 9, 2012, a few media reported the death of Alani Silvo, an Ethiopian domestic worker aged 24 who fell to her death while trying to escape with a rope from her employers’ apartment in Beirut.

CLDH team - Centre Libanais des Droits de l'Homme - went to the scene and noted that in spite of the circumstances, no measure had been taken to consider the incident as a potential crime: the place had not been secured and the employers of

Deadly escape: falling from 12th floor to first floor

LBCI News reported two days ago that Alani Silvo, born in 1988, attempted to escape from 12th floor of her employer's house, after arguing with the employer. But she fell on the balcony of the first floor and died instantly. Investigations are ongoing. Original Arabic text:

فرّت الاثيوبية الاني سيلفو - من  مواليد1988بعدما رمت بنفسها ولخلافات سابقة، من الطابق الثاني عشر من منزل مخدومتها  (ل.ص. ر) في شارع ماغي الحاج في سد البوشرية لكنها سقطت على شرفة الطابق الاول، ما أدى الى مقتلها على الفور والتحقيقات مستمرة.

Ethiopians in Lebanon protest their consulate's apathy, callousness

Ethiopian demonstrators wave their country's flag as they chant slogans outside their consulate in Badaro bemoaning its neglect of Ethiopians in Lebanon, April 1, 2012. (Justin Salhani/The Daily Star)

April 01, 2012, by Justin Salhani, The Daily Star

BEIRUT: A crowd of Ethiopians gathered outside the Ethiopian Consulate in Badaro Sunday afternoon to protest its neglect of their community in Lebanon.

Following a Sunday church service nearby, a few dozen women and one man walked to the consulate and demonstrated outside.

The assembled expressed their frustration with consular officials' perceived callousness, saying that when Ethiopians contact their consulate

EU Lebanon delegation statement on the situation of migrant workers

The EU Delegation deeply regrets the tragic death of Ms Alem Dechassa, a domestic worker of Ethiopian origin, and extends its condolences to the relatives of the deceased. We call on the Lebanese authorities to fully investigate the circumstances of the

Ethiopia seeks full investigation into suicide of maid beaten in Beirut

Housemaid Alem Dechasa killed herself after street attack that sparked outrage over treatment of migrant workers in Lebanon

Rachel Stevenson in Beirut, guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 20 March 2012

Alem Dechasa was found dead in hospital, apparently hanged using strips from her bed sheets. Warning: video contains violence Link to this video

Ethiopia is lobbying Lebanon to investigate fully the death of an Ethiopian housemaid who killed herself after being beaten on the

المجتمع المدني يستذكر عاليم الأثيوبية «المنتحرة»: شُبِّه لنا أنها انتحرت، إنما نحن قتلناها

جريدة السفير، جهينة خالدية، 23 آذار 2012

بكت العاملات الأثيوبيات في القداس الذي أقامه «مركز كاريتاس للأجانب» لراحة نفس عاليم (فادي أبوغليوم)

قتلت السيدة الأثيوبية عاليم ديسيسا نفسها في 14 الجاري، إنما يبدو الجزم بالانتحار الذي جاء في تقرير الطبيب الشرعي غير مقنع للمجتمع اللبناني والجمعيات الأهلية والجالية الأثيوبية في لبنان. هؤلاء لا يشككون في التقرير الطبي بقدر ما يشيرون إلى عنف وعنصرية مورسا على عاليم وساهما في دفعها إلى إنهاء حياتها. علما أنه حتى اللحظة لم تظهر أي نتائج للتحقيق وفق مديرة مركز الأجانب في «كاريتاس لبنان» نجلا شهدا لـ«السفير»، موضحة أن «كاريتاس» موكلة من القنصلية متابعة قضية عاليم واتخاذ الخطوات القانونية والقضائية اللازمة بعد صدور نتائج التحقيق».

فيديو لفرانس 24: لماذا تنتحر العاملات الأجنبيات في لبنان؟

Photos: Vigil for Alem Dechassa Outside Lebanon Embassy in D.C.

Photo by Martha Z. Tegegn for Tadias Magazine

A crowd of Ethiopians gathered in front of the Embassy of Lebanon here on Thursday morning for an hour vigil to mourn and protest the death of 33-year old Alem Dechassa, the Ethiopian woman that was violently mistreated outside the Ethiopian embassy in Beirut as shown in a viral video last weekend. Alem died on Wednesday.

Continue reading here: http://www.tadias.com/03/16/2012/photos-vigil-for-alem-dechassa-outside-lebanon-embassy-in-d-c/

In Memory of Alem Dechassa: Reporting & Mapping Domestic Migrant Worker Abuse: http://www.tadias.com/03/17/2012/in-memory-of-alem-dechassa-reporting-mapping-domestic-migrant-worker-abuse-in-the-middle-east/

Online Outrage Over Death of Domestic Worker Turns Into Activism  http://globalvoicesonline.org/2012/03/17/ethiopialebanon-online-outrage-over-death-of-domestic-worker-turns-into-activism/

The Daily Star Editorial: Real racism

The Daily Star, March 16, 2012

LBC’s broadcast shows the Ethiopian woman being pushed into a car by Mahfouz and another accomplice.

The tragic case of Ethiopian migrant worker Alem Dechasa, who committed suicide this week, has once again shone light on the shameful neglect of basic human rights in Lebanon. Dechasa was seen being beaten and forced into a car by a Lebanese man, in footage released last week. She killed herself Wednesday morning

An Open letter to the Ethiopian Consul in Lebanon

Letter by Tadeos Anteneh, published on nazret.com, an Ethiopian Blog

Dear Asaminew Debele,

The tragic and untimely death of fellow Ethiopian and mother of two Alem Dechasa has once again blown the cover masking the utter and complete lack of concern your government continues to show to the plight of Ethiopian women across the Arab world.

Alem did not have to die at this point in time

السيدة الإثيوبية عاليم ديسيسا انتحرت

جريدة السفير، مادونا سمعان

يمكنكم أيضا قراءة: كان اسمها آلِم آشِسا، جريدة الأخبار

إسمها باللغة الإنجليزية: Alem Dechasa

يقول تقرير الطبيب الشرعي الذي كشف على جثتها، ان «السيدة الإثيوبية عاليم ديسيسا قد انتحرت»، وفق المعلومات الأمنية. ماتت عاليم، تاركةً طفلين ينتظران رجوعها من البلد الذي قصدته لتؤمن لهما حياة كريمة. نُقل عنها حلمها قبل يومين بطفلها البكر يحمل صحناً فارغاً ويلومها لأنها تأكل من صحن ممتلئ. رحلت عاليم، لكنها تركت للبنانيين شريط فيديو يظهر تعنيفها خلال إرغامها على الصعود إلى سيارة قريب لصاحب

Ethiopian migrant worker publically beaten takes own life

By Wassim Mroueh, Annie Slemrod | March 15, 2012 | The Daily Star Also: Maid in Lebanon abuse video kills herself Aljazeera.com BEIRUT: The Ethiopian domestic worker whose beating outside her country’s consulate was caught on tape and widely publicized committed suicide Wednesday, Ethiopia’s consul general in Lebanon confirmed to The Daily Star. Alem Dechasa, 33, hanged herself using her bed sheets between 5 a.m. and 6 a.m., Ethiopian Consul General Asaminew Debelie Bonssa said doctors had