An Ethiopian nanny who worked at Hannibal Gadhafi's home told CNN that she had been burned multiple times by his wife, the former Lebanese model, Aline Skaf (Left). Photo © arabiccelebrities.com.
Tadias Magazine
By Tadias Staff
Updated: Tuesday, August 30, 2011
New York (TADIAS) — CNN recently reported on an incident at a beachfront mansion in western Tripoli, where Hannibal Gadhafi – one of Moammar Gadhafi’s sons – and his wife Aline, had resided in luxury, all the while mistreating their domestic-staff with violence.
The cable news channel interviewed one of the workers, Shwygar Mullah of Ethiopia, who was employed as a nanny at Hannibal Gadhafi’s home. She told CNN that she had been burned with scalding water multiple times by Hannibal’s wife, Aline.
According to CNN, Shwygar reports Aline’s wrath as follows: ” ‘She took me to a bathroom. She tied my hands behind my back, and tied my feet. She taped my mouth, and she started pouring the boiling water on my head like this,’ she said, imitating the vessel of scalding hot water being poured over her head.”
“When she did all this to me, for three days, she wouldn’t let me sleep,” she said. “I stood outside in the cold, with no food. She would say to staff, ‘If anyone gives her food, I’ll do the same to you.’ I had no water — nothing.”
Watch: Luxury, horror lurk in Gadhafi family compound
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This is enraging. What barbarity.
Shocking and disturbing!
I am outraged!!!!! But, I am saddened that there is such cruelty in the world and that psychopaths in many cases can run countries and become so powerful. I will label them as psychopaths. A psychopath to me is anyone who cannot feel empathy for another and does not care about the outcome, only care about themselves. These people amazingly enough can have children to screw up someone elses life that did not ask to be born.
My heart goes out to this woman and I hope she gets the medical attention she needs. I would love to send out hugs to her. My heart in Canada can feel her pain and hope that one day she can have a life again. I would donate money to her if I could get her to come to Canada where people are more civilized. My deepest sympathy goes out to her and on a final note. The wife is no woman at all, she is a monster, an ugly beast, I hope they find that toddler and let the toddler grow up in Canada in an adopted family where people, for the most part know what love is.
glad the monster is gone. I hope they catch them in their rat holes and bring them to justice.
Can we help this women? Can we bring her to the United Sates for medical attention? yes we can. Dir biaber anbesa yasir.
በጋዳፊ ቤተሰቦች የፈላ ውሃ እየተደፋባት ግፍ ለተፈጸመባት ኢትዮጵያዊት መከራ ድምጻቸን እናሰማ !
ሽዋ ሞላ ትሪፖሊ ውስጥ የህክምና እርዳታ እየተሰጣት እንደሆነ ሰምቻለሁ፡፡ እዚያው ሊቢያ ትሪፖሊ ውስጥ ያሉ ሃበሾችም እስካሁን ድረስ በሽብር ላይ በመሆናቸው የተጨበጠ መረጃ ማግኘት በጣም ከባድ ነው፡፡ ሆኖም እዚያው ቲሪፖሊ ውስጥ በሚገኝ የሮይተር ጋዜጠኛ ወዳጀ በኩል ሁኔታውን ለመከታተል እየሞከርኩ ነው ! እጅግ በጣም ያሳዝናል ! እኛ መረጃውን በማቀበል የተቻለንን ጥሪ ከማድረግ ባለፈ ምን ማድረግ ይቻለናል ? በኮንትራት ስራ በህጋዊ መንገድ ወደ አረብ ሃገር የሚሰደዱትን ለጋ ኮረዳዎቻችን ህይዎት እየደረሰ ያለው ይህ መሰል የሰቆቃ ህይዎት አዲሳችን አይደለም . . .ሁሌም እንሰማዋለን . . .ሁሌም ግን እንደ አዲስ ነገር ያመናል. . . በዚህች እህት በሽዋ ሞላ የጋዳፊ ልጅ ባለቤትና ቤትሰቦች የፈጸሙት ጥቃት ግን ከሁሉም በላይ ያማል ! ያንገበግባል ! እውነቱን የማዎቅና የመረዳት ብሎም የማሳዎቅ የማይገሰስ መብት አለን . . . እየሆነ ያለውን ፈላልገን ታሪኳ ያስተምረን ዘንድ ለቀሪው እናሳውቅ ! መረዳት የምትችልበት መንገድ ካለ ለሚመለከታቸው አለም አቀፍ ድርጅቶች ሳይቀር የምናሳውቅነት መንገድ ካለ መንገዱን የሚያቁት ይምሩን . . . እውነት ነው” ድር ቢያብር አንበሳ ያስር” ነውና . . እኛ የድርሻችን እንዎጣ ! እህታቸን ከመከራ የምትዎጣበትን መንገድ እናፈላልግ . . .የድርሻችን ጥሪያችን እናሰማ !
ነቢዩ ሲራክ ! ከሳውዲ አረቢያ
I was so hurt for that woman, I wanted to help immediately but how? I cried and as I write I still cry how can we help her can someone with some sort of influence get her help.
Can we help? Can you please set up a paypal donation?
In any civilized society, this would be considered a despicable crime. But not in that Qetafi land. I believe CNN has misspelled her last name. It’s Molla not Mulla.
Yes I agree we Must help this poor woman. Everyone that has money can hlp her. God sees they will all get their’s one day. Payback is a b***h!
If I were in charge I would capture the assailant and flog her with 100 lashes.
Please please tell me a human didn’t do what i just saw!! whats is happening with ppl now days the world must really about to be ending this is unbelievable how a person can be so cruel so heartless this much???????????? Am sure this women wasn’t even getting a proper pay but yet they have the guts to spoil her life why? why no just fire her or something? why destroy someone this way no body noooooooooooo body in this world deserves such evil what a disappointment May god bless this lady and take care of her and her family i hope she survives this accident and be her self again.
The nanny get’s burned with hot water because the mosnter’s daughter wouldn’t stop crying and the Nanny refused to beat the child?? If this is not pure evil, then what? Besmeab.
Obviously the Gadhafi family has no concept of how to end an employment contract in a legal manner. This is what happens when undeserved money and political-power are mixed with stone-age ignorance and an abundance of arrogance.
I hope they will be brought to justice for their many crimes, including this one!
I hope our sister gets proper medical help soon. I can only imagine her mental anguish that will remain with her long after the physical wounds are healed.
I wonder if she did that to her own kids. My heart goes out to the employees who suffered this kind of abuse. No human should ever go through that.
SHE REALLY NEEDS TO GET MEDICAL ATTENTION or else she will die of infection. We hear about these types of abuses all the time and the root of the problem is that women are still going to Arab countries by thousands every single day. And tragedies like this happen on a regular basis.
Hope someday it stops.
My heart breaks for this woman. Hope she gets medical treatment soon! I will be more than happy to donate if know where and how. This is more proof how heartless and brutal the Gadhafi mafia is. And I sure hope this ruthlessness will not go unpunished. The Gadhafis need to be hunted down in Algeria, where they are hiding.
I am just horrified as so many other good people are, and would like to help in any way I can to ease the physical and mental pain this woman is experiencing. When I saw the picture, and a person so mutulated and abused, I could not hold my tears. My deepest love I give to her, and hope she will be saved.
Thank you to all of you good people, who think likewise.
Ringo
Hope she gets compensated for her sufferings.
Egziabher yimesgen the sadistic, brutal, evil regime has come to an end! It can no longer inflict such pain on another living person again. What a terrible, shameful thing to do to another human being. Stay tuned we are working in exploring options to involve a major University with top notch medical school to bring her to the U.S. for the best medical treatment in the world. Ethiopian-Ameican physicians are on standby, ready and willing to volunteer their time for the cause. Stay Tuned.
I feel sorry for her, and hope and pray that she recovers from her pain and suffering and become a happy person again. I hope she gets justice. we should all come together and help with her medical care.
Look at her beauty…this women is a gorgeous women. Maybe the reason why she burnt her like this is jealousy. I don’t know why people get so surprised because this is a common situation for many Abesha women in the middle east. They get raped by the men and they get burned by the lady boss. This has been the story of Ethiopian women for the past 20 years. Just Google it you will be even more shocked. I hope this nanny’s story will raise a global awareness of the wider abuse of migrant workers throughout the Arab world.
how can she sleep after she did this to this poor women?
this is against Islam as well as humanity.
In Ethiopia they need to publicized the brutal treatment Ethiopians suffer in the Arab countries. why the Ethiopian embassy don’t defend the women in the Arab countries?
Let us all PRAY for her survival! God willing, sooner or later that Monster, Ghadafi and his evil children will pay the price…!
Some evil people in the world. You know who you are. The time has come for you to be exposed. You think you are hiding but you are hiding in plane site. Eventually you will be hunted down and you will be exposed.
This kind of barbaric crimes has been committed to our innocent sisters in Arab world continuously. Since our collective existence (unity) is compromised this issues has been neglected and our innocent sister are paying unbearable price for it. Now is the time to DO SOME THING ABOUT IT. This is my pledge “ I am my sister’s keeper” Please Please let us know how we can help.
I Am sad to see this image I hope experts help her.our prayers with her!!
That day will come, when I shall stand and see all those wicked men gettin bun
That day will come, when they will try to escape, there will be nowhere to run
That day will come, when they they turn back their bombs, bullets, computers and gun
That day will come, when Ethiopia shall rise outta di slum
Apparently the playboy son of Colonel Gaddafi was at the centre of a police inquiry last year over claims he attacked his wife in a top London hotel on Christmas Day. Hannibal Gaddafi was staying with his wife, the model Aline Skaf, 29, and their children in a luxury suite at Claridge’s when the fight broke out. Police were called to the family’s £4,000-a-night suite at 1.30am after hotel staff heard a woman’s screams for help. But when officers arrived they found the Libyan despot’s 33-year-old son locked in the room with his wife – with his bodyguards blocking their way. The rest is history.
Husband abuses wife, wife invites nanny to abuse baby. Nanny refuses. Wife burns nanny. THE END. What a horror story.
I fail to understand why women flee to a place of torture and inhuman environment! May justice be served.
she is receiving medical treatment in Libiya at the moment, which is a good thing. But we will continue our effort to bring her here for long-term care. Will keep you informed on our progress.
glad to hear that she is receiving medical treatment. This is really heartbreaking. But she is going to be fine.
This is unlikely to be an isolated case and not the first instance of the abuse of Ethiopian women in the hands of their employers throughout the middle east and perhaps elsewhere in the world where our women have left their loved ones in order to improve their lives and that of their families left behind in dire poverty. Among those that are not physically abused in this barbaric manner, there is a significant number who are treated worse than slaves by being overworked 24/7, underpaid, unpaid, and made to live under inhuman conditions.
Hannibal the terrible!
HOW can we help this poor woman??? This is UNBELIEVABLY horrible!
i have never seen a human doing such a horrific act to another human. it is heartening to see you all asking how you can help….now, instead of asking help on how one can help, go take the initiative and DO SOMETHING yourself……
What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us and what the caterpillar calls the end of the world, the master calls a butterfly.
Wishing you speedy recovery.
The migration of Ethiopian women to Middle Eastern countries and their employment as domestics is well known and well researched. In the past decade alone Lebanon, Saudi Arabia and the Gulf States have become common destinations for Ethiopian women in search of a better future, but even a poor country such as Yemen attracts many female Ethiopian migrants who take up paid domestic work. The large majority comes from Somalia and Ethiopia, countries that are known for their political instability and poverty. The down side is that these women are also subjected to all sorts of domestic violence, including rape and being scared by hot water – which by the way is a common occurrence. On the bright side of this Gadhafi story, if there is a bright side, is that it dramatically illustrates the pain of what many women go through as we speak. It requires a genuine national effort to reverse this dangerous trend.
when it’s dark enough you can see the stars – Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882)
The entire Gadafi family including Hannibal are in Alegria. It is a matter of time before they are brought to the international court of justice. It is beautiful to see that they are also so many good people in this world. I am very happy and relived that she is receiving proper medical attention. In deed, She will survive and she will come out of it. My thoughts are with her.
That dam crack head Gadafi and his family… burn in hell
This is more than cruelty.
This IS A DEVIL ACT. WE FEEL VERY FREIGHTED TO ABUSE A DOMESTIC ANIMAL. But in this situation it is done on a human being. We harvest what we saw. WE MUST STOP ALLOWING TO SEND OUR CITIZENS TO THESE COUNTRIES.
Oh God !
most nerve racking thing. everyone should do his best to assure justice.
What is even sadder is that, knowing the suffering and endless agony of tortured souls of thousands of our sisters in Muslim countries, we only seem to wake up whenever there is sensational story. Why are we hesitant to show our solidarity with those who need it?
Don’t blame Gadhafi and his family or Libya for the suffering of our sisters. Blame ourselves.
This whole experience is going to leave such a bad scar not only on this women but on her family members. I pray that she gets better soon.
What happened to the nanny is a wicked, wicked act. Bomboclat!!!
Good thing CNN got there in time to get her help. Otherwise, in isolation, she would have eventually died from her wounds and infection.
Just made my contribution. I wish her all the best.
Big thanks to the good folks at CNN and Anti-Slavery International she will be in a much-needed extensive care outside of Libya. There are many fine hospitals around the world that can provide her with quality medical treatment. We still hope her final destination will be the U.S.
Bring the culprit for justice, no matter where she is.
hi, you can make your contribution at
http://www.antislaveryfundraising.org/helpshweyga
Thanks
I was so hurt for that woman My GOD be with her.
betam yasazinal minaynet awire beteseb new ebakachihu lewegen derash wegen new ena hulachinim yalenin enrdat, bemin melkum metakem endalebat enweyay.
What goes around comes around.
Just made my contribution. I wish I can give more but I hope this helps my sister in a small way. For us Ethiopian women who cringe on every headline of this kind, Shwygar may as well become our Bouazizi on this issue of exploitation, physical and psychological abuse shouldered by our Ethiopian sisters throughout the Arab world. Bouazizi is the man who set himself and Tunisia on fire which started the Arab Spring. And later by extension drove Gahdaffi and his family on the run from one sewer to another sewer inside Libya’s sewerage system. The universe is a funny place! Tables could turn overnight.
ok the wife is from Lebanon. It makes sense. I don’t think Libyans do this. The reason why she was preventing her from going to the hospital in the first place is because she did not want her husband or his family to find out. Had they learned of it, heads would have exploded in that house, they would have been furious to say the least. I am not being apologetic for ghafafi or his sons, but it is true that punishment by hot water is more cultural in Lebanon, rather than Libya. I am just speaking truth that Libyans don’t do this, especially not against Abesha people. Just a fact.
just catching up. heartbreaking…
oh yeah, they would have used chemicals instead of hot water. is that what you are saying? Of course you’re being apologetic.
It is good that she is being cared in tripoli
I feel that our government is giving less emphases to its citezens. May this be used as an oipportunity for our foriegn minister to follow on the condition of our sisters who are abroud?
Hope to see Shewa Molla returnning back home being cured. Am proud Ethiopeans are starting to help her get the right treatment either in europe or the US.
aline skaf needs to be arrested. i can’t seem to understand how a man can fall in love with Aline Skaf ? I mean what kind of pillow talk could they possibly have had ? while a human being was rotting away alive in their back yard? what are their aspirations for their children since the are so hell bent on legacy and twisted prophecy i mean honestly this just insane and unbelievable.
our foriegn minister?? who? which one? do we have one?
Sorry pal, but the Ethiopian gvt is a total disappointment, passed the point of negligence. ZERO.
The name says it all Hannibal Gaddafi’s wife is Cannibal Aline Skaf..!!!!
Wonder what will be uncovered when we finally get rid of mugabe, meles, musevini, etc…I am sure more horrors…
So she:
1. did not pay her for a whole year,
2. tied her up and poured boiling water on her for not hitting her daughter,
3. kept her outside for three days without food and water,
4. threatened to put a member of staff in prison if he helped her.
How dreadful. They truly are all psychopaths. No remorse. No feeling.
And they say Aline Skaf is a model, I think she looks like a very bad drag queen. Ms Molla, I wish you all the best for a full recovery.
Egziabher yiferdal! Ayzosh yene ehit! all will be okay soon! God be with you!
Selamawit,
With all due respect, I think you’ve misunderstood my comment. I am just saying that it is more common and acceptable to attack servants with hot water in Lebanon, where Aline is from, than in Libya. Just ask anyone who knows the middle east. I am half Ethiopian and half Libyan and I grew up in both countries. My mother used to be a nanny in Libya. There is no one more terrified and angry than I am at this. The Nanny could have been my mother. And I hope Aline will face her accuser in court of law some day because justice is conscience, not a personal conscience but the conscience of the whole of humanity.
I say it again, as before, my doors are open anytime to help this woman in any way I can. If she needs a secure place to stay, to further recuperate and start a new life, I am ready to help her in any way that is needed. Just let me know.
Thank you,
Ringo
This is a very cruel and horrible act. You folks in Europe and the US can do a lot to assist her in treatment as well as filing a case in an international court to grant her justice when the time comes. These two actions are better done from Europe or the US. Just a thought!
Justice first is the initial compensation. Talking about financial compensation with out seeking swift justice against such heinous crime is as criminal as collaborating with the criminal. The Gaddaffi family should not pay their way out of justice. Ethiopian Embassy, if you care about your citizen, seek justice for this poor lady. The criminals need to be brought to international justice and face their fate.
May God bless the victim and her family and bring them God speed mental and physical recovery
ohh, GOD. Meche yehone endezih aynet yesekoka dergit be ethiopia lay yemikomew. Mekenyatum ye dergit yetefetsemew be ehetachen lay becha aydelem, be hager lay yetederege kebad gif new. Please wake up HABESHA, we are far away back from the world.
Tokyo, JAPAN.
I don’t think the Ethiopian government or any government for that matter should be getting involved in any kind of financial negotiations on behalf of this women. That’s private matter between her and her lawyers. Shwygar Mullah now has an international followers and fans that include journalists, doctors, lawyers, bankers, students, human-rights activists, leaders, you name it. Stay out of her purse. Her financial compensation is not a government job.
She should eventually return to her family in Ethiopia. But her immediate need is highest quality medical care at the best hospital for burn victims in the world.
Ringo,
I could not have said it better. The feeling is mutual. You can start by contributing at
http://www.antislaveryfundraising.org/helpshweyga
Thank you.
Mes
It’s good that the Ethiopian foreign ministry is speaking out. After all, she holds an Ethiopian passport. Now, they need to get busy with actual work: craft real policy that can immediately end, once and for all, the illegal selling of our children to Arab masters who show no sense of human decency. It is high time we stop the humiliation of Ethiopian women. It is immoral and it is illegal. How can any person of responsibility go to sleep in peace after witnessing Shwygar’s mutilated face? She is someone’s daughter and someone’s sister. She is one of us. And she serves as reminder to all of us that thousands more are suffering without any voice. We owe it to them to act responsibly as a people.
Nigist Saba, don’t get your hopes high.
queen, that was most beautifully said. better late than never. Glad they’re finally speaking…
I have just made my contributions and am lobbying my friends and cousins to do so . . .
Please do the same. That cursed lady wouldn’t have done so if the lady was American or European – it is our poverty that this at stake here! It is time Ethiopians reflect and think about the plight of our women working in the Arab world. Deep-rooted poverty drives people out of the country and take a major risk, and our women pay much of the ultimate price for that. Ethiopians (particularly the diaspora) should unite, regardless of government and politics, to address the plight of our women in the Arab world. Finally, it all comes down to poverty and governance anyway.
My prayer for you is a dream
big enough to capture your heart,
bright enough to illuminate your mind
and deep enough to satisfy your spirit
May you find the strength to pursue it
and be enriched by it across the years.”
Author Unknown
But Greatly Appreciated!
I just made my contribution, please lets all do what we can to help our sister out ……
I am thinking of humanity. .. .. we are from a country with unique culture and tradition down to our food, music, cloth. We are shaped by them. But due to unknown reasons we are losing ourselves sisters, brothers and friends in such a way. It is really heartbreaking news. what is happening to Shewaye now?