Australia’s Ambassador to Lebanon Stephanie Shwabsky disclosed that over the past year, about 12 Australian girls of Lebanese descent have come to the embassy seeking help after being forced to marry a relative while vacationing in Lebanon. The girls, who expected to meet relatives and visit tourist sites in their parents’ home country, were shocked to find out that a marriage has been arranged for them. These incidents have prompted Australian Justice Minister Chris Ellison to warn parents that those who force their daughters into arranged marriages would face a 25-year jail term for violation of the country’s anti-sexual trafficking laws.
The joint Lebanese-Syrian committee on cross-border worker issues has submitted a report to the High Syrian-Lebanese Council recommending the establishment of five bureaus on the borders to grant work permits to Syrian workers. Lebanese law requires all foreigners to obtain work permits and pay tariff to be allowed to work in the country. However, prior to the withdrawal of the Syrian Army from Lebanon last April, the law was seldom applied to Syrian laborers. Some Lebanese have been blaming the presence of a large number of low-wage Syrian workers for their inability to find jobs in their own country.
Sources: AAP, “New laws outlaw bride trafficking," The Age, 2 August 2005; Trudy Harris, “Forced marriage is ‘like sex trade’," The Australian, 3 August 2005; DPA, “Child brides seek refuge in embassy," Bahrain Tribune, 4 August 2005; Nada Raad, “Joint Lebanese-Syrian committee tackles issue of cross-border workers," The Daily Star, 8 August 2005