EU complicit in the arrest and torture of Gambian, African migrants in Libya-Human rights watch

By Alhassan Darboe:

European Union in a bid to stop the migration of African migrants including Gambians to Europe via the Mediterranean,has been found complicit in collaborating with Libya government and militias which led to the detention, torture and, rape of African migrants. In a report issued by Human Rights Watch earlier this year, the investigators noted: “European Union (EU) migration cooperation with Libya is contributing to a cycle of extreme abuse. The EU is providing support to the Libyan Coast Guard to enable it to intercept migrants and asylum seekers at sea after which they take them back to Libya to arbitrary detention, where they face inhuman and degrading conditions and the risk of torture, sexual violence, extortion, and forced labor.”

The report further added that European union in a bid to discourage would be migrants and boat arrivals within its borders, resorted to pouring millions of Euros to the Tripoli based government of national accord which in turn outsource policing to renegade militias to detain and abuse migrants in detention centers. The damning reports adds:

“EU institutions and member states have poured millions of euros into programs to beef up the capacity of the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord—one of two competing authorities in Libya, and one whose power rests largely on fungible alliances with militias and no real control over territory—to intercept boats leaving Libya and detain those intercepted in detention centers where they face appalling conditions. Italy—the EU country where the majority of migrants departing Libya arrive—has taken the lead in providing material and technical assistance to the Libyan Coast Guard and abdicated virtually all responsibility for coordination of rescue operations at sea in a bid to limit the number of people arriving on its shores.”

Despite facing low birth rates, ageing population and acute labor shortages, EU governments notably Germany are bent on deporting young African migrants to their countries of origin. A few plane loads have been deported to The Gambia before a public outcry put an end to the deportations for now. EU on the right hand has been supporting Gambia with budget and other development initiatives while on the left hand paying militias to detain, torture and rape her citizens and other Africans to deter them from travelling to Europe.

You can read the full report here:

https://www.hrw.org/report/2019/01/21/no-escape-hell/eu-policies-contribute-abuse-migrants-libya