Racism in ‘new’ Libya

This video from the USA says about itself:

28 February 2011

My thoughts on the murders of black Africans in Libya

Translated from the nu.nl site in the Netherlands:

“Conditions in camps in Tripoli deteriorating’

Last Updated: November 5, 2011 24:40

LONDON – Since the fall of the regime of Muammar Gaddafi, the Libyan ex-dictator, a large group of African migrants live in camps around the capital Tripoli.

The living conditions in these camps are beginning to deteriorate, says Hilde Vochten from Doctors Without Borders to NU.nl. According to the Flemish physician, who since September works in four camps around the Libyan capital, the migrants in Tripoli do no longer feel safe anymore.

“Every day, I hear stories how they are attacked on the street or arrested and their passports are taken,” says Vochten. …

Since the fall of Tripoli late August and Gaddafi’s death on October 20, the National Transitional Council (NTC) is in control in Libya, the civil war is over.

All Africans are now considered to be pro-Gaddafi stalwarts, Vochten says. “Even for people who have been living in Tripoli for years and were well integrated, now their lives are no longer sure.”

What needs to happen to them, according to the doctor, is still unclear. “Some want to stay here, others tell me they would rather return to their homeland. But there is no policy. ”

Humanitarian situation

In total, according to Doctors Without Borders, in the four camps around Tripoli there are about 2500 people. This also includes Africans who only recently came to Libya. The largest group of migrants come from Somalia and Nigeria.

The humanitarian situation in the camps, according to Vochten, begins to get worrying. “Fortunately, there are no outbreaks of infectious diseases yet, but we do fear this might happen. In one of the communities a water shortage threatens, others are burdened by large amounts of waste.”

“The big problem is that nobody takes responsibility for the people in the camps,” says Vochten.

TRIPOLI, Nov 5, 2011 (IPS) – “We’ve walked all the way here to tell everybody that we are being treated like dogs,” said 23-year old Hamuda Bubakar, among a couple of hundred black refugees protesting at Martyrs Square in Tripoli. “I’d rather be killed here. I wouldn’t be the first, or the last”: here.

Cornered in Free Libya: “Not only do they call us Gaddafists, they hate us for the colour of our skin.” Here.

Many of the fighters that pushed Muammar Qaddafi from power have refused to stand down. Now, some of Libya militias are allegedly stealing and targeting Qaddafi supporters for revenge: here.

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