In their quest to reach Europe–the promised land–for African migrants, many are enslaved in Libya and ‘sold like goats’ by powerful smugglers and militia leaders.
Enter French President Emmanuel Macron, after learning of a CNN story outlining the slave trade in Libya, he called a special meeting of the United Nations Security Council to put forth a plan to return enslaved migrants back to their home countries. He endorsed using force against militia leaders by the government of Libya for those responsible of the unforgivable crime of slavery.
The European Union put their heads together and concluded that investing $50 billion for economic development in countries like Mali, Senegal, Niger, Ethiopia and Eritrea, would provide jobs and keep them at home. This year more than 10,000 migrants have returned to their country of origin.
The situation in Libya is much more complicated than telling President Fayez al-Serraj to lock up the perpetrators of slave auctions. Religion has very little to do with smugglers and militias mistreatment of migrants. The majority of migrants are Muslims from West Africa, and to a lesser extent Christians from Eritrea and Ethiopia.
Race has a lot to do with the relationship between Tawergans an Misratans.
One of the main backers of the Serraj presidency is the powerful Misrata Brigades named after a town near Tripoli, who helped defeat former President Moamar Khadafy. Misratans accused fighters from the all black city of Tawerga of supporting Khadafy during the 2011 revolution that dethroned him, leaving Libya in a state of conflict ever since.
Keep in mind Khadafy employed Black mercenaries from across the African Sahel who threw their support behind him because he preached a united Africa, as opposed to Pan Arabism that Misratans were pushing.
The Arab militias, especially Misratans hated Kadafy for showing favoritism and devout loyalty to his Black support groups. They accused Tawergan fighters of horrendous crimes in Misrata, including torture and rape of their women.
It didn’t take long for Misrata Militias to destroy Tawerga, leveling the city and killing many of the citizens in the process of racial cleansing. Now, it’s been seven years and still no justice for Black Tawergans. They are displaced all over Libya, living in streets and half-way houses.
The leaders of Misrata say they will not allow them to return to Tawerga.
Just like the migrants from sub-saharan countries are being sold at slave auctions today, many years ago Black Africans arrived in Libya as slaves and were forced to live in a segregated enclave called Tawerga.
hubiejones.com 