Ladies and gentlemen, elders, and young people of The Gambia,
I stand before you today to speak about an appalling and shameful crisis that the world cannot, and must not, ignore. It’s a crisis unfolding right now, in 2024, in Tunisia and Libya, and it is a crisis that involves the exploitation of West African youth in a way that feels like a grotesque echo of history.
How many of you know the story of slavery? Our ancestors were taken from their homes, chained and shackled, forced to cross deserts, and sold as commodities in the marketplace. It’s a history we cannot forget, but a history we also thought was gone, over, finished. Yet here we are in 2024, and it’s happening again.
The chains have changed, yes. They are no longer visible shackles. They are invisible, worn in the hearts of those who view black Africans as less than human. They are worn by the systems that enable human trafficking, and they are worn by the governments that allow this exploitation to continue.
Let me tell you about Libya. A country once considered a place of hope, a place where many West Africans sought work and a better life. Now, it has become a broken state a lawless land. Libya’s wealth, once fueled by oil, has turned into a trade of human lives. Young West African men and women are trafficked, exploited, and sold like cattle in open slave markets. They are locked in prisons, beaten, tortured, and forced into labor under the most inhumane conditions. This is slavery, ladies and gentlemen, and it’s happening today in Libya.
And Tunisia a country that many see as a refuge, a place of hope for those fleeing their countries of origin has become a battleground for racial violence. Recent reports speak of violent riots, where mobs target West African migrants, blaming them for economic problems they did not create. What do these young people face in Tunisia? They face beatings, discrimination, and, at worst, being driven out of their homes, simply for being black.
Now, ask yourselves this What role does the European Union play in this? The EU, the same body that prides itself on human rights and democracy, is funneling millions of euros into these countries, countries that are engaged in these heinous violations. These governments, Tunisia and Libya, are receiving European taxpayer money to support their infrastructures. Yet, they are violating every principle of human dignity and justice that the EU claims to uphold.
How can the European Union justify supporting governments that allow these abuses to happen? How can they stand by, watching as West African migrants are sold into slavery, beaten, and stripped of their human rights all while receiving EU funding?
This is not just a question of aid. It’s a question of complicity. By continuing to fund governments that violate the African Charter, that trample on human rights, the European Union is enabling the very system that traps these young people in a cycle of abuse and exploitation.
Let’s talk about the violations that are taking place.
1. Right to Life and Security The fundamental right to life is violated when migrants are sold into slavery, tortured, or killed in Libya’s human trafficking networks.
2. Freedom from Torture and Inhumane Treatment The conditions in Libyan prisons, where migrants are beaten and forced into labour, represent clear violations of this right.
3. Right to Equality and Non-Discrimination The violence and discrimination against black Africans in Tunisia, where they are targeted solely because of their skin color, is a violation of this fundamental principle.
4. Right to Fair Trial In both Tunisia and Libya, migrants are often detained without trial, denied legal representation, and subjected to arbitrary punishment.
5. Right to Protection from Slavery and Forced Labor The open slave auctions in Libya, where human beings are bought and sold, are a direct violation of this core human right.
Why does this continue to happen? The answer is simply racism, exploitation, and a global system that allows those who are darker skinned to be treated as disposable, as less than human. And it is happening because the European Union, with its billions of euros, is turning a blind eye to the suffering of these young people.
This isn’t just their problem, this is OUR problem. It is OUR responsibility to demand accountability. We cannot let this continue, not on our watch.
AMAC, the African Migration Advisory Center, is working tirelessly to raise awareness, to protect the risk of migrants, and to ensure that the stories are heard. But we cannot do it alone. We need your voices. We need the voices of the people who understand that no one no matter where they come from, no matter what color their skin should be subjected to such cruelty.
So, I call upon the EU to STOP supporting governments that perpetuate violence, discrimination, and exploitation. STOP the funding that aids and abets human trafficking and the sale of human lives.
We must demand a world where no one is judged by the colorof their skin. We must demand a world where every human life is treated with dignity and respect. The European Union, with all its resources, has the power to bring about change. The question is Will they use it to stand on the side of justice, or will they continue to be complicit in the violation of basic human rights?
To the youth of West Africa your lives matte,r. Your dreams matter. Don’t let the world tell you otherwise. To the elders and leaders your voices mat, er. Stand up, speak out, and demand that we put an end to the horrors in Tunisia and Libya.
Together, let’s demand justice. Together, let’s demand an end to this new form of slavery. Together, let’s ensure that no one no matter where they come from, no matter what they look like has to endure what is happening in Tunisia and Libya today.