In just 12 days during October, there have four reported cases of Ethiopian maids who ended their lives in Lebanon: Tezeta Yalmiya (26) jumped from a third-floor balcony in Abra on October 28; 30-year-old Saneet Miriam fell to her death from a balcony in Mestita on October 24; Matente Kebede Zeditu (26) hung herself from a tree in Haris on October 20; and Kassaye Atsegenet (24), fell to her death from the seventh floor in Gemayze, Beirut on October 16.
NOW Lebanon carried a story yesterday about this string of suicides. They interviewed an Ethiopian maid in her 20s, who described how the severe physical and verbal abuse she suffered from her employer and his children drove her to attempt suicide by drinking cleaning liquid. She was kept locked in the house, and when she was able to escape, she turned to the Ethiopian consulate in Lebanon. She was then turned over to her employment agency, which returned her back to the house of the abusive family. After her abuse resumed, she attempted the suicide, but failed. She spent over a year with the family until she was able to flee for good. Nadim Houry of HRW and a former local community organizer of Ethiopians in Lebanon said that what drives these maids to suicide are their poor living conditions, abuse from employers, “treatment as second-class-citizen”, and isolation.
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November 2, 2009
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Elizabeth Tsurkov, Migrant Rights. Migrant Rights said: Lebanon: Four Ethiopian Maids Commit Suicide in 12 Days http://is.gd/4L1rD #MigrantRights [...]
November 8, 2009
It’s mind boggling to heard a such tragic story happening in 21st century. I am sure
these women were all seeking an opportunity to earn money and send remittances back to their families and they ended up living with monsters people. my only solutuion to my fellow Ethiopians is STOP going to the Middle East its place they still practice modern slavery.
November 16, 2009
I forwarded this story to my Lebanese friend in Lebanon. He forwrded the story to 120 people and to one news paper; so the story can be told again. My friend told me that a lot of his friends were shocked to read the story and were very upset. We need to spread this news, even if its a sad new to let people know whats going on.
November 17, 2009
Faisal,
I totally agree with you. This sounds like a story that happened at least 200 years ago. The problem in stopping these maids from coming to Lebanon just means that other maids will be abused. Something will change only if all countries ban their women from working in Lebanon. Another problem is that people who are desperate for jobs, will find ways around the ban and continue coming to Lebanon. You see this in Nepal, which banned its women from working as maids in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. But poor Nepali women who need the money turn to smugglers in India and Bangladesh to bring them into those countries. Illegal immigrant are even more vulnerable and dependent than regular migrant workers are, so I’m not sure if this is the solution.
Makda,
I totally agree. I hope more people pay attention to what’s happening around them.
November 22, 2009
[...] previous coverage of the string of housemaids’ suicides in Lebanon see this report and commentary on [...]
November 25, 2009
Gosh! how i wish those maids who suffer this violence from their employer will find justice!
December 3, 2009
i wish will stop caming fore evere to lebanone .
December 3, 2009
I WISH WILL STOP GONIG TO MIDELE ESTE AS AHAUSE MADE /I HAPP MORE PEPLE WILL AGREE&WILL ATTENTION WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH THE GIRLS IN MIDELE ESTE.