Embassy workers describe "personal hell"

Two former employees of Paraguay's ambassador to France say they were treated like dogs.

By Mildrade Cherfils - GlobalPost
Published: June 22, 2009 05:46 ET
Updated: June 22, 2009 16:52 ET
Page 3 of 3

Regarding Paraguay, the U.S. report said the country had revised and reinforced penalties to prosecute trafficking crimes but still needed to step up efforts to “launch criminal investigations of public officials who may have facilitated trafficking activity.”

If the investigation of the Paris embassy, which has not yet concluded, determines that Avalos broke the law, he could be prosecuted in Paraguay, Silva said. He cited as an example the case against the former ambassador in Buenos Aires who was accused of corruption and is now facing charges.

The Paris-based Committee Against Modern Slavery in its annual report acknowledged the difficulty in pursuing cases against those benefiting from diplomatic privileges, stating that “such cases are normally subject to fairly rapid treatment, owing to the limited possibility for our lawyers of successfully recovering the rights of the victims.”

One day in August 2008, when both Bogarin and Torres had had enough, they said they walked out, in spite of the threats from the ambassador. In their complaint, the pair wrote that their employer accused them of abandoning their jobs.

While many of the domestic workers whose cases are handled by the Committee Against Modern Slavery have their identification taken from them to coerce them to stay in abusive situations, Bogarin and Torres have their passports. Although they no longer have the papers that allowed them to work in their embassy-related jobs, they hope to stay and earn money in France so they don't have to go home empty-handed.

Bogarin was recruited for the embassy job by her boss back in Paraguay — the ambassador’s mother, the same person who recruited Torres.

“I will take this to the grave,” Bogarin said. “I will never forgive her for separating me from that which is most precious to me, my daughter.”

More GlobalPost dispatches on employee abuse:

The slaves next door

Forced to cut corners, bosses prey on Burmese migrants

Comments:

1 Comments.

Login or Register to post comments

Posted by Lex desde Texas on June 22, 2009 11:50 ET

An almost unbelievable story.

Thanks for reporting it.

Lex Wadelski
Austin, Texas

Recent on France :

Outraged Ireland demands a replay

Conor O'Clery - Ireland - November 19, 2009 11:53 ET

A French hand ball puts Ireland out of the World Cup.

What feta and reindeer meat have in common

Paul Ames - European Union - November 13, 2009 08:53 ET

Serbs become the latest to worry that their ethnic cuisine will be registered by an EU country.

A short hop on a big plane

Mildrade Cherfils - France - October 30, 2009 22:12 ET

GlobalPost hitches a ride on Air France KLM's first A380. Next stop? New York.

When a Muslim soccer team won't play a gay one

Mildrade Cherfils - France - October 20, 2009 20:09 ET

The refusal by Creteil Bebel to play Paris Foot Gay leads to public outcry in France.

A Big Mona with fries?

Mort Rosenblum - France - October 16, 2009 09:13 ET

Escoffier, Brillat-Savarin and, yes, Julia Child would turn over in their graves at the state of French food.

Analysis: Bokova will need goodwill at Unesco

Mort Rosenblum - Diplomacy - October 15, 2009 10:27 ET

The new Unesco director general, a Bulgarian, takes over after a controversial selection process.

On Location: Paris — Kinder, gentler strike season

Ben Barnier - France - October 15, 2009 09:26 ET

The globalization of art

William Dowell - France - October 11, 2009 08:26 ET

At the Lyon Biennale, international artists make us feel uncomfortable.

In Lyon, the spectacle of everyday life

William Dowell - France - October 11, 2009 08:20 ET

Planet Health Care

Thomas Mucha - Commerce - October 10, 2009 11:19 ET

As debate rages in Washington, the answers are out there. You just need to know where to look.

Why France Telecom employees are killing themselves

Mildrade Cherfils - France - October 10, 2009 07:49 ET

In their suicide notes, some of the 24 victims since February 2008 blame the workplace climate.

Calais: No good options

Mildrade Cherfils - France - October 7, 2009 11:22 ET

The saga of migrants stuck in Calais continued in September with a raid on their camp.

Calais: A lace-making town frayed by immigration

Mildrade Cherfils - France - October 7, 2009 11:21 ET

For a long time immigrants, and smugglers, have made Calais their destination in continental Europe.

Calais: Evidence of a broken immigration system

Mildrade Cherfils - France - October 7, 2009 11:10 ET

It is why people travel from Africa, Asia and the Middle East all the way to the edge of France and then stop.

Calais: Two sides of the same street

Mildrade Cherfils - France - October 7, 2009 11:08 ET

One side's plight is the other side's cause in this small French city where migrants gather in hopes of reaching the United Kingdom.

Analysis: Obama strikes a tough tone on Iran

C.M. Sennott - Worldview - September 30, 2009 18:50 ET

But the diplomacy needed to get Iran to halt its nuclear program will require more than tone.

If Jon Stewart were French, he'd be loving this

Mort Rosenblum - Worldview - September 29, 2009 13:28 ET

Trial of the century or not, France is enjoying the spectacle of the Clearstream affair.

G20 Pittsburgh: They meet again

Michael Goldfarb - Worldview - September 22, 2009 06:13 ET

Opinion: The world does not hold its breath.

Iftar dinner, with a side of politics

Mildrade Cherfils - France - September 19, 2009 13:51 ET

Ramadan in France brings together Muslim and non-Muslim political leaders.