Tag Archives: Alem Dechasa

2012 in Pictures: Politics, London Olympics and Alem Dechasa

December 28, 2012 Tadias Magazine 3 Comments

Tadias Magazine
By Tadias Staff

Updated: Saturday, December 29, 2012

New York (TADIAS) – From the death of former Prime Minister Meles Zenawi to the apparent suicide of Alem Dechasa, and from the surprise results at the London Olympic games to the decisive re-election of President Barack Obama, 2012 has been a year of many lessons and historic transformations.

The televised abuse of Alem Dechasa, the Ethiopian woman that was violently mistreated outside the Ethiopian embassy in Lebanon last March, and her suspicious suicide a few days later, was one of the most watched and heartbreaking stories we covered this year: (In Memory of Alem Dechassa: Reporting & Mapping Domestic Migrant Worker Abuse)

The mysterious absence, illness and death of PM Meles Zenawi was by far the biggest political news of the year in our community. On July 15th the 57-year-old prime minister failed to show up for an African Union meeting that he had religiously attended without absence since the early 90’s. What followed next was several weeks of bizarre secrecy by the Ethiopian government and repeated pronouncements of vague assurances by officials about the status of the PM’s health. Prime Minister Meles Zenawi was eventually declared dead on August 20th and was given a state funeral on September 2nd, 2012 at the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Addis Ababa. The confusing summer frenzy also exposed the weakness of the flummoxed political opposition in the Diaspora as disorganized and fractured, neither inspiring confidence nor prepared for public leadership and responsibility.

What was inspiring in 2012, however, was the spectacular performance of our women athletes at the London Olympics. Ethiopia earned seven medals this year, three of them gold, courtesy of Tirunesh Dibaba, Meseret Defar and Tiki Gelana — making the country the leader in Africa on the athletics medal count and globally trailing only the United States, Russia, Jamaica and England.

Here are images from some of the biggest stories of 2012.

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Related:
2012 in Review: Ten Arts & Culture Stories (TADIAS)
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In Pictures: Weeks Later, Alem’s Death Reverberates in the Ethiopian Community

April 20, 2012 Tadias Magazine 1 Comment

Tadias Magazine
By Tadias Staff

Published: Friday, April 20, 2012

New York (TADIAS) – Five weeks later, the reverberations from the death of 33-year old Ethiopian domestic worker Alem Dechasa in Lebanon are still being felt in the Ethiopian community. Last month we reported that the videotaped beating and death of the mother of two children has shaken the Ethiopian Diaspora and spurred action. A few days after the tragic news broke in March, a crowdmapping website was launched to track and report – in real time – incidents of domestic help abuse throughout the Middle East. The portal, the first of its kind for this purpose, was conceived by a Washington D.C.-based Ethiopian designer with experience in data visualization techniques. Now another network of professionals and students have announced the launch of Justice4Alem, an organization made up of volunteers from various backgrounds including law, public health, information technology, business, and health care, to raise awareness about the issue and to demand accountability from public officials.

“Justice4Alem was formed with the objective of urging the governments of the involved countries to implement systemic reforms to prevent such abuses in the future,” the group said in a statement emailed to Tadias Magazine.

“We are urging non-governmental and governmental organizations including U.S. Department of State, Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, International Labor Organization (ILO) and others to work with the involved governments to amend labor laws focusing on domestic workers and to ensure that it guarantees protections equal to those afforded to other workers.”

“In Lebanon alone, there are approximately 50,000 Ethiopian migrants and Saudi Arabia has also recently requested 45,000 Ethiopian domestic migrant workers per month,” the statement noted. “Yet gaps in labor laws and the consequences of the kafala system in many countries create conditions that facilitate abuse of Ethiopian migrant workers. Many organizations such as Human Rights Watch have documented abuses including nonpayment of wages, forced confinement in the workplace, confiscation of passports, excessive work hours with little rest, and physical and sexual abuse.”

The group added: “Human Rights Watch estimates that on average, one worker per week is dying most often by committing suicide or trying to escape from their employer. For this reason, we have created this project to raise awareness and to demand the rights of our fellow human beings.”

Justice4Alem is holding a candlelight vigil in Boston on Saturday, April 21st and in Paris on April 28th. The organization held its first gathering in Washington, D.C. in front of the White House on April 7th.

Below are photos from the D.C. vigil courtesy of Justice4Alem.

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Video: An Impossible Decision and a Lonely Death (The Guardian)

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Related:
Ethiopian & Lebanese Reactions to the Death of Alem (The Huffington Post)
UN urges Lebanon to investigate Ethiopian maid’s death (BBC)
Ethiopians in Lebanon Protest their Consulate’s Apathy, Callousness (The Daily Star)
Ethiopia’s consul general in Lebanon says I have learned a ‘big lesson’ (The Daily Star)
Ethiopia Seeks Full Investigation Into Alem Dechassa’s Death (The Guardian)
In Memory of Alem Dechassa: Reporting & Mapping Domestic Migrant Worker Abuse (TADIAS)
Lebanon cannot be ‘civilised’ while domestic workers are abused (The Guardian)
Photos: Vigil for Alem Dechassa Outside Lebanon Embassy in D.C. (TADIAS)
Ethiopia Sues Lebanese Man Over Beating of Domestic Worker (The Daily Star)
Ethiopian Abused in Lebanon Said to Have Committed Suicide (The New York Times)
In Lebanon Abuse Video of Ethiopian Domestic Worker Surfaces (TADIAS)
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More Photos:
Vigil for Alem Dechassa Outside Lebanon Embassy in D.C. – March 15, 2012 (TADIAS)

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

March 16, 2012 Tadias Magazine 35 Comments

Tadias Magazine
By Martha Z. Tegegn

Published: Friday, March 16, 2012

Washington, D.C (TADIAS) – 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.

“I admire her resilience in resisting her abusers,” said Ephrem Amsalu, who drove with his friends from northern Virginia. “She is a true hero who put a spotlight on this enormous crisis.” He added: “I am here to show my deepest gratitude to her heroism and to express my concern about her sudden death a few days after the attack.”

Ms. Meseret Hassen of Silver Spring, Maryland also attended the event. “I am confident the Lebanese government will do the right thing,” she said. “I hope this uproar will continue until we come up with solid solution and I would also hope that the Ethiopian government would strengthen its relationship with its citizens abroad, particularly domestic workers in Arab countries.”

Ato Teklemichael Abebe spoke on behalf of the crowd. “Thank you for giving us this opportunity to listen to our issues,” he said. Addressing Lebanese Embassy staff he added: “We would like to thank you for primarily arresting the man who is behind this. However the Daily Star just announced that the man who is responsible for this action has been released. We would like you to explain to us the details surrounding the news.”

“We strongly condemn the tragedy that has happened to your fellow citizen Ms. Alem Dechassa,” Mr. Toni Frangie, Lebanese Embassy’s first secretary told the crowd. “What happened is unacceptable by all human rights standards and we can assure you that the Lebanese government is fully and strongly committed to take all the necessary steps and measures to hold accountable the offenders and to prevent any kind of human rights abuse.” He added: “I will convey your demands and your concerns to our government.”

Below is a slideshow from the vigil for Alem Dechassa in Washington D.C. on March 15, 2012.

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Ethiopia Sues Lebanese Man Over Beating of Domestic Worker

March 14, 2012 Tadias Magazine 65 Comments

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.

Read more at The Daily Star.

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)

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