By Fatu S. Sambola (Internews Intern)
Libya is a North African country that is continuously being used by many sub-Sahara Africans desirous of migrating to Europe for greener pastures.
However, black Africans are said to be dying in the Mediterranean Sea because Libya is the only crossing point from Africa to Europe through Italy.
Unfortunately, many of Africans who are opportune to enter into Libya are said to be either killed or taken into captivity onward into slavery with Liberians being no exception.
It is no secret that the Libyan security forces are bent on detaining migrants, refugees and asylum seekers.
Several Liberians who have had such unfortunate experiences and survived to return home have been telling their stories about the different kinds of torture and terror meted against them whether it is while in prison or when taken into slavery.
They are now campaigners and advising other Liberians who might be harboring any such intention of seeking greener pasture to Europe through Libya not to make any attempt as they might not be fortunate to return home or attain the greener pastures they seek.
In one of the survivors from the Libyan prison ordeal, he bluntly said Libya does not favor black Africans or anyone of Negro decent as there is high degree of racism that leads to domestic slavery. “People with black skin or sub-Sahara Africans are being captured and kept into domestic slavery,” he told this paper.
Victim Moore explained how black Africans are kept in various prisons for years while some are made to work without pay and he is warning Liberians not to venture into countries that are experiencing war or any forms of conflicts.
Moore added that in Libya, black skin people are referred to as “Monkey” as they stand in the queue to get fed by the jailers adding, “I spent 12 years in Libya making every effort to get to Europe but to no avail. Therefore, I have no option but to come back to Liberia through the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in order to restart life.”
In the most recent situation that occurred last October, the UNHCR said it was increasingly alarmed about the situation for migrants and refugees in Libya.
“We continue to call on authorities to respect at all times the human rights and dignity of asylum seekers and refugees, stop their arrests and release those detained,” it said in a statement.
According to the IOM, at least 1,146 people died at sea while trying to reach Europe during the first half of 2021.
UN investigators also said abuses against migrants and refugees in Libya were “On a widespread scale with a high level of organization and with the encouragement of the state suggestive of crimes against humanity.”
Migrants are known to travel by land to Libya, where they plan to begin their journey across the Mediterranean Sea towards Italy.
Some are detained by border guards as they enter the country, while others are stopped by the Libyan coast guard as they embark on their journey.
