This is a script taken from Ethio View which was written to IOM, it needs everybody's attention In the wake of the indiscriminate bombing of civilian locations currently taking place in Lebanon, I am writing to ask that your organization address the urgent condition of the thousands of Ethiopian migrant workers residing in Beirut, Lebanon. An unprecedented majority of Ethiopian workers in Lebanon are victims of human trafficking. The U.S. State Dept Trafficking in Persons Report of June 2006 states that Ethiopian women are trafficked to the Middle East, particularly Lebanon, for domestic servitude. Protection Project, a program based at Johns Hopkins University, also cites Ethiopia as a major country of origin for trafficking in persons. The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has listed Ethiopia as one of the top 10 countries of origin for children trafficked from Africa. Although the constitution of Ethiopia prohibits trafficking in human beings, the International Organization of Migration (IOM) estimates that there are approximately 20,000 Ethiopian nationals who work as domestic workers in Lebanon, who are mostly victims of trafficking, and are living without documentation. Their undocumented status precludes them from receiving the required safety, assistance, and access to government initiated evacuation plans as is currently the case for other foreign nationals in Lebanon. IOM has also reported that at least 2,000 Ethiopian migrants are in dire need of assistance at this moment. I sincerely urge that you look into and address this matter at the earliest possible time. Sincerely, [img]http://media3.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/photo/2006/07/12/PH2006071201241.jpg[/img]