By Elias Kifle
Within the past few months alone, I have heard about 4 Ethiopian women who have killed themselves — one in Virginia, another one in Dallas, then two weeks ago a girl I know very well in Atlanta (I am still in shock), and just 6 days ago a mother of four beautiful young children in Reverside, California. There may be many others whom I have not heard about.
The girl who killed herself in Atlanta is a very good friend of my sister and I also met her several times. She is an outgoing person who appeared to be full of life. She is the last person I would suspect to kill herself.
In the middle east, Ethiopian women committing suicide has become so common that the media is not even reporting about it any more. Their situation can be explained by the fact that they live an unbearable life under abusive employers. But from all their outward appearances, the Ethiopian women here in the U.S. who have committed suicide seemed to have led a happy, comfortable life. What is going on? Shouldn’t we as a community try to find out what is going on and seek solutions?