Former Ghanaian leader Jerry John Rawlings has condemned the sale of black Africans as slaves in Libya.
In a statement titled: ‘In Support of Our Brothers In Libya’, Mr Rawlings said: “How sad that events should turn out this way and the black man is being subjected to this kind of treatment in Libya of all places.”
“And I say so with emphasis because whatever faults Gaddafi had, blacks were treated as equals in Libya than in most Arab countries,” the ex-military leader said in a statement released from his office.
Earlier this month, CNN published cellphone and hidden-camera footage from what appeared to be “slave auctions” conducted in Libya.
The images, including video obtained by undercover CNN journalists, served as a jolt to the international community: They showed what seemed to be West African migrants being haggled over as “merchandise” by smugglers operating in what has become a haven for illicit trafficking networks.
“Does anybody need a digger? This is a digger, a big strong man, he’ll dig,” said a salesman in camouflage gear. “What am I bid, what am I bid?”
While this frightening experience may no doubt serve as a deterrent to the use of Libya as a gateway to Europe, we must still add our voices to the call to our Libyan brothers to show a little more compassion to our vulnerable black African brothers & sisters
— Office of JJRawlings (@officeofJJR) November 28, 2017
