In an attempt to find a better life, more than 150,000 migrants (for the past three years) have crossed into Europe from Libya. Many people are willing to risk their lives in this dangerous journey and more than 3,000 people have drowned trying to cross the Mediterranean Sea. What these migrants don’t know, however, is that they are pawns within a long-occurring slave trade and are auctioned off for as little as $400.
How was this happened? Leonard Doyle, a member of the International Organization of Migration, had said that the slave trade has occurred because “there is really no rule of law across much of Libya,” and smugglers can easily hold these people against their will. Originally, they had promised to get them into Europe (by selling all their possessions) but are now unable to because of overflowing warehouses or when the migrants themselves run out of money – and so they resort to selling them off.
This inhumane treatment of these individuals as been spread like wild fire across all platforms of social media but it appears that much is still not being done. And, not many people are sure on what to do to help or get involved (especially those who are underage). What can you do? Underneath there is a petition to put pressure on Libya to take action against this backwards step. It has already passed the 100,000 benchmark (and is up for consideration in the parliament) but that isn’t an excuse to continue to keep silent about it. Our voices should be used for those who have none.
https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/205476
Khadijah Bint-Ahad.
