UPDATE: Ali Mahfouz Charged in Contributing to Death of Alem Dechassa
The Daily Star
By Annie Slemrod
Updated: March 15, 2012
BEIRUT: The Ethiopian consulate in Lebanon has filed suit against Ali Mahfouz, the man who was caught on tape beating domestic worker Alem Dechasa outside her consulate. Dechasa, 33, committed suicide Wednesday.
Asaminew Debelie Bonssa, Ethiopia’s consul general in Lebanon, told The Daily Star Thursday that “we have already sued him [Ali Mahfouz].” He declined to give the details of the lawsuit, saying it was “a legal issue that cannot be made public,” adding that the suit was in process before the consulate was aware of Dechasa’s death but that with this development “everyone is expecting something out of this.”
In a video released by LBCI last week, Dechasa was seen moaning as a man, later identified as Mahfouz, beat and tried to force her into a car outside the Ethiopian consulate, aided by another man.
Ethiopian Woman Beaten on Camera Kills Herself: Vigil for Alem Dechassa
TV broadcast shows 33-year-old Alem Dechassa being forced into a car outside the Ethiopian consulate in Lebanon. (LBCI)
Tadias Magazine
By Tadias Staff
Updated: Thursday, March 15, 2012
New York (TADIAS) – The Ethiopian domestic worker that was violently mistreated outside the Ethiopian embassy in Beirut, as shown in a viral video last weekend, has committed suicide, Ethiopia’s Consul General confirmed to local media in Lebanon.
Alem Dechasa, 33, hanged herself using her bed sheets Wednesday morning, the Daily Star newspaper reported.
“My body is shaking and my heart is broken” said Ms. Zewditu Fessehaa, Chairwoman of the Ethiopian Social Assistance Committee in New York City, whose organization has been mobilizing efforts to assist the victim. “It’s depressing, it’s very sad and it’s unfair. She added: “As a mother I want to appeal to the Prime Minister of Ethiopia to do something. Our daughters are being treated like dogs and there is nothing we can do about it.”
Ethiopian General Consul Asaminew Debelie Bonssa spoke to the Daily Star following a visit to the hospital where she was found dead. According to the newspaper, the Ethiopian consulate official said he saw Alem Dechasa Saturday and she appeared fine. The diplomat also said doctors told him they checked on her at 5 a.m. this morning and when they returned at 6 a.m. she was dead. Bonssa said he was “deeply shocked by the news.”
In New York, the ESAC chairwoman called for a collective response. “I want to appeal to everyone. We need to pull together to stop this madness,” Ms. Fessehaa said. “The cruelty directed against domestic workers is a human rights issue.” She added: “It needs an in-depth understanding, and an innovative solution within and beyond the Ethiopian community. We need people from every profession to assist us to make sure that our sister did not die in vain.”
Meanwhile, a vigil to mourn Alem Dechasa’s death is scheduled in front of the Lebanon embassy on Thursday, at 11 AM in Washington D.C.
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Related:
Photos: Vigil for Alem Dechassa Outside Lebanon Embassy in D.C. (TADIAS)
Maltreated maid in video aired on Lebanon TV kills herself (MSNBC)
Maid Commits Suicide After Attack Video (Reuters via The Root)
Maid hangs herself after scandal (Independent Online)
Lebanon: Abused Ethiopian maid kills herself – VIDEO (Global Post)
In Lebanon Abuse Video of Ethiopian Domestic Worker Surfaces (TADIAS)
Video: Woman seen in Lebanon abuse video kills herself days after this footage emerged
Video: Ethiopian Domestic Worker Beaten Outside the Ethiopian Consulate in Lebanon (LBC)
Let me add that there are they are kidney thieves in Lebanon, we dont know where her kidney is we dont know whether she killed herself we need independent investigator the ethiopian gov also should do everything possible to bring this to justice responsiblity she is a citizen of ethiopia not first time when ethiopians are killed if we are not represented and protected what is the embassy presence wake up wake up this is injustice she is our sister it doesnt she is this tribe short black or whoite rich or poor we ask the international community to help us i this tragic situation
This is absolutely disgusting, inhumane, and disrespectful for any one to be dragged on the street and beaten up in front of their country’s embassy. This innocent hard working sister and daughter of ours did not go there to have fun, but she went there to earn a living and help her relatives back home in Ethiopia.
Alem Dechasa is not the only victim, many of them before her faced the same fate in the hands of the brutal Arab women and men as well. The only thing that makes this one different is that the mistreatment she went through is captured on the video and aired for the world to watch and witness the cruelty of the Lebanese society towards foreign domestic workers.
I am also appalled by the behavior of the Ethiopian consulate. Ambassador Asaminew could have done better job, and stood his ground in defending and protecting that innocent woman rather than letting them snatch her away by force. So why is the Ethiopian Embassy there in the first place if it does not provide sanctuary when the life of an Ethiopian is at a stake. Could Ambassador Asaminew have done differently if Alem was the daughter of one the Ethiopian ruling elites. Yes, I bet you he could have.
Last year Ethiopian Air plane carrying many of our citizens blew up over the Mediterranean Sea, few minutes after taking off from Beirut Air port. The Lebanese government then blamed the incident on the Ethiopian pilot, as lacking experience. How in the world can they say things like that to a pilot who had 20 plus years of experience under his belt. They show no respect for the Ethiopian people. They even refused to allow the Ethiopian inspectors to have access to the Black Box to find out the truth about the Airplane’s mid air explosion. Why does all this has to happen on a daily basis without any retaliation from the Ethiopian government?
I am sure if the Ethiopian government had taken firm stand against any nation who mistreats its citizens and destroys its property ( the air plane ), the repetition of this latest incident would have been averted.
May be the Lebanese government from past incident came to the conclusion that the Ethiopian government doesn’t care that much about its citizens who are engaged in a menial job.
Regardless of the kind of job they are doing Ethiopian citizens need to be defended and protected from any type of assault any where in the world. We all know if a Lebanese citizen is chased, beaten and dragged in front of any Arab Embassies here in Ethiopia, the whole Arab world would go to war with Ethiopia for humiliating and mistreating its citizens .
The Ethiopian Embassies in the Middle Eastern countries should wake up and start defending and protecting its citizens regardless of their socioeconomic background, and the sophistication of their job skills. When any Ethiopian national is dragged in the street and beaten up in front of Ambassador Asaminew’s nose ( Ethiopian Embassy compound), that shows disrespect to the Ambassador and to the 80 plus million Ethiopian population.
Ambassador Asaminew could have given Alem a sanctuary inside the embassy compound and protected her from her assailants. Had he done that Alem would have been alive today. Asaminew failed not only Alem , but he failed all Ethiopians who looked up to him for his protection and his continuous involvement until the situation becomes under control.
This being a very unfortunate lesson to learn , I hope Ethiopian Ambassadors in the future have to work hard in full capacity to defend and protect equally all its nationals any where in the world, regardless of their ethnicity, and their socioeconomic background.
It gets even better!
Here you go – they want 45,000 Ethiopian housemaids every month. And the reason they want Ethiopian girls is, well, apparently , Ethiopian maids don’t seem to have a government that requests basic rights at work.
Read and Judge!
http://www.arabianbusiness.com/saudi-seeks-45k-new-ethiopian-maids-per-month-450089.html
First and foremost…My deepest condolences to Alem’s family. Next, I want to express my sadness and ANGER! Just looking at the man’s face…and he has this typical face belonging to a voyeur and a rapist… makes me desperately reach out and then…crash it! I am feeling so madly angery yet i feel impotent becuase i can’t do nothing except write these words which are nothing more than a muted silence…may the good Lord look after the other sisters…i know that there are lots and lots of good people who have hired the service of our siters…may the good Lord bless you for that…
RIP my dear Sister. Word can not describe how sorry I am. We as a human, but not just Ethiopians failed to protect you. This inhumanity and disgrace behaviour of the so called Arabs must be broadcasted internationally and the mistreatment of an individual/human in this part of the world is globally recognised.
Yes Ethiopia Sued, but will the Lebanese Court fairly treat this case and serves justice? I hope an extradition of the bastard to Ethiopia is granted and only then justice will be served.
God bless your soul my darling Alem.
You will be missed forever…
@Tsega
Africa should be reminded of one of its greatest son’s – Bob Marley’s – advice:
AFRICA SHOULD UNITE! Then its people will have a formidable force!
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[The news regarding Alem] is shocking. May she rest in peace