Things You Need To Know And Do For The People Being Enslaved In Libya
Africa is one of the wealthiest places in terms of resources yet so many of its people seek asylum elsewhere because of greed and evil agendas. Earlier this month, a tragic occurrence that has lasted for 3 years has been brought into necessary attention by a CNN investigator revealed that migrant slave auctions are occurring in Libya. People are fleeing their home countries are being "auctioned off" like slaves by captors for hundreds of dollars. The traffickers would discuss things to the slaves' family for money and if they can't pay them, they would let the phone on and beat or rape the slaves. This discovery is beyond disturbing just as much as the photos being surfaced on social media. The world must act to help put an immediate end to the practice. Here's how you, too, can help stop the slave trade in Libya (and around the world) by engaging in advocacy campaigns and helping fund development and anti-slavery initiatives. one thing what you might be wondering is what the law is doing to help, unfortunately Libya is a lawless area, so there are up to 4,000,000 people trapped in Libya being raped, beaten, mobbed or murdered.
1. Make sure the United Nations focuses its efforts on this issue
First and foremost, you should advocate for the U.S. and the United Nations take a strong stance when it comes to investigating, condemning, and ending the Libyan slave trade. Diplomats at a U.N. Security Council meeting (including U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley) called for an investigation into the Libyan slave trade, as well as a coordinated U.N. response to help combat the problem.
2. Support the International Organization for Migration
Donate to The IOM is working in Libya to protect migrants' human rights and to prevent them from being trafficked into servitude by smugglers. The organization is doing so by pushing Libyan authorities to develop alternatives to migrant detention centers (where migrants are often exploited and abused) and demanding that authorities hold those who abuse or enslave migrants accountable for their actions.
3. Fight the “root causes” of slavery and trafficking
Two options for donations to broader humanitarian and development aid include the World Food Program, Save The Children, among others.
4. Contact social media companies and ask them to ban smugglers
Smugglers have previously used Facebook Live to broadcast videos of imprisoned migrants in Libya — and, in particular, to send these videos to migrants' family members as a way of extorting money for their release. The IOM is asking social media companies to be ban the use of their services for the sharing of these types of videos. You too can help contribute to this advocacy by writing to Facebook to echo the requests of the IOM.
5. Donate to global anti-slavery organizations
There are many reputable organizations working hard to end worldwide slavery, including Free the Slaves, End Slavery Now, and the Polaris Project — you should consider donating to help contribute to their missions of ending modern day slavery.
6. Raise awareness by spreading the word.
Encourage your family and friends to be updated and informed to find ways to help, donate to Libya. Free the Slaves provides a list of recommended ways in which you can spread the word about the issue. Some of these initiatives include sharing educational videos and books on the subject, following and sharing the organization's social media posts, and encouraging others to donate to anti-slavery organizations and initiatives.
7.Shop slavery-free products
This slave-free shopping guide from End Slavery Now is a good place to start, as it identifies companies which actively seek to prevent use of slave labor in their supply chains — and from which you should purchase goods if you wish to help contribute to ending the cycle of slavery.
On a mission to report on this issue, CNN team reported that slave auctions were taking place in at least nine different locations. The outlet gained video footage of the auctions taken place below.
167 countries are victims of some sort of slavery today. 68 percent of those are subjected to forced labor. First and foremost, you should advocate for the U.S. and the United Nations take a strong stance when it comes to investigating, condemning, and ending the Libyan slave trade. On Tuesday, diplomats at a U.N. Security Council meeting (including U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley) called for an investigation into the Libyan slave trade, as well as a coordinated U.N. response to help combat the problem. “As shocking as it seems, it’s indeed true. The reason [the slave trade] can happen is because there is really no rule of law across much of Libya,” Leonard Doyle of the International Organization of Migration said to Al Jazeera. “Libya is a country as big as France, with a lot of space there. Migrants are coming there ... they see the promise of a new life when they go to their Facebook feed and they think something wonderful is waiting for them in Europe, because a smuggler has abused the system and has sold them that lie.” According to the Washington Post,migrants are not let into Europe firmly wants nothing to do with them. And the path to Europe itself is also treacherous and deadly. its nearly impossible to escape, each year by 150,000 migrants travel to the Mediterranean Sea but about 3,000,000 would end up drowning. the coast guard cannot save most of them. Its important to advocate for stronger investigation by the UN ambassador Nikki Haley For the fourth year in a row, more than 3,000 migrants or refugees have drowned in the Mediterranean. With Italian assistance, the Libyan coast guard has been intercepting more boats ferrying migrants since the summer. Along Libya’s coast, documenting accounts of migrants being robbed, raped and murdered. Estimates say that anywhere from 400,000 to nearly 1 million migrants may be trapped in Libya. The 30 government detention centers are overflowing and underfunded, and countless migrants have disappeared. The government is in complete control over Libya.
One of the many terrible things about this is there wasn't as much media attention across news outlets like there was when terrorist attacks in Las Vegas, France, and other cities this year alone. All the information came from online reports like Twitter and Instagram. Its difficult and reasonable to point out how and how long it will take to solve this issue while other systematic issues such as Flint, Michigan is still without clean water. The victims are more than just African refugees from Sub-Saharan African, these are people held against their will in this day and age. This isn't a Libyan issue, this is a human rights issue. We all must remain an advocate and encourage others to be one for all countries with limited to no resources or means for survival against war and power.
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"It's important for me to show young women in my community and around the world that you don't have to change yourself or your beliefs to be successful in any avenue."- Halima Aden
