Military action needed in Libya to free slaves – Ablakwa

The ranking member on the Foreign Affairs Committee of Parliament, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has called for a military raid on slavery camps in Libya to free inmates.

Video recording of men being auctioned off as slaves in the North African country has been met with outrage with the UN’s Secretary-General calling on the international community to “unite in fighting this scourge.”

The horrible images show some migrants being sold for $400 while others are tortured to death by individuals in Libyan military wears.

Some Africans have condemned the apparent silence of the continent’s leaders over the development as the AU, ECOWAS and other known regional blocks are yet to comment on the issue.

Commenting on the ghastly development Wednesday on Morning Starr, Mr. Ablakwa, who is also the Member of Parliament for North Tongu, disclosed he is extremely disappointed with the AU for not being proactive to save the inmates in the Libyan slave camps.

Calling for a military intervention, he said “we need to get in there to rescue these African migrants. The CNN documentary reveals that there are nine centers…nine detention camps. Those detention camps have to be raided and those African migrants have to be rescued immediately.”

Mr. Ablakwa further noted that if the AU continues to show inertia in dealing with the dreadful scourge in Libya, the UN’s Security Council will have to step in.

France’s ambassador to the UN Francois Delattre’s on Tuesday urged the Security Council to impose sanctions on the people involved in the slave trade in Libya.

“France will propose to assist the sanctions committee … in identifying responsible individuals and entities for trafficking through Libyan territory,” he told the council.

Meanwhile, President Akufo-Addo has condemned the scourge in Libya.Tweeting on the matter Tuesday, President Akufo-Addo said the incident is undermining the cohesion campaign being canvassed by the leaders on the continent.

“The current slave auctions of Africans in Libya are not only gross and scandalous abuses of human rights, but are also mockeries of the alleged solidarity of African nations grouped in the African Union (AU), of which Libya is a member.”