[url=http://punchng.com/images/September/Thursday/pix20110901131320.jpg[/img]][/url]

Reports out of Libya say that rebels of the National Transition Council are killing black Africans


Daily Telegraph reports that the victims include Nigerians, black Libyans and other citizens of sub-Saharan African.


It was said that no fewer than 20 black men were found dead outside Col Gaddafi’s compound after Libyan rebels captured Tripoli. Their hands were tied behind their backs and some of them had been shot in the head.


On the road south out of Tripoli, about 200 black people were also said to be hiding in a small encampment made of two small outbuildings shielded by a small wall and a metal door. Most of them were also Nigerians, some were Ghanaian.


Amnesty International said it was told that between one third and half of those detained were from sub-Saharan Africa.


“An Amnesty International delegation visiting the Central Tripoli Hospital witnessed three Thuwwar revolutionaries, as the opposition fighters are commonly known, dragging a black patient from the western town of Tawargha from his bed and detaining him.


“The Thuwwar said the man would be taken to Misrata for questioning. Two other black Libyans receiving treatment in the hospital for gunshot wounds were warned by the anti-Gaddafi forces that their turn was coming,” a statement by the group statement said.


Sydney Morning Herald reports that the ousted Libyan leader employed nationals from different Africans nations as part of a special protection force.


Scores of black men were arrested during the battle for the Col Gaddafi stronghold of Abu Salim in Tripoli. According to reports, some migrants were said to be stranded near a seaside resort, others had fled the city.


However, Associated Press reports that the African Union Chairman, Jean Ping said the Libyan rebels may be indiscriminately killing black people because they have confused innocent migrant workers with mercenaries.


‘’The National Transitional Council seems to confuse black people with mercenaries,’’ Ping, said.


He added that this could be a reason the African Union had not recognised the opposition forces as Libya’s interim government. “One third of the population is black. They are killing people, normal workers, mistreating them,’’ he said.


However, Amnesty official, Claudio Cordone was quoted as saying: “We have to fear for what may be happening to detainees out of the sight of independent observers. Many risk reprisals as a result of allegations that Gaddafi forces used African mercenaries during the conflict.


“Amnesty welcomed calls by the NTC for its supporters to treat captives with dignity and to avoid revenge attacks. But the council must do more to ensure that their fighters do not abuse detainees, especially the most vulnerable ones such as black Libyans and sub-Saharan Africans.


Also Ping urged the new government should say something to condemn the killings. He said, ‘’We want to see a signal that the African workers will be evacuated.’’


Richard Sollom, deputy director of Physicians for Human Rights, who completed a fact-finding mission in Misrata in June also said, “Fighters engaging in abuses should be immediately removed from active duty, pending investigation. All crimes, no matter who committed them, should be investigated and those responsible brought to justice.”


Sollom said his Boston group knew of about 500 Darfuris who are desperately trying to get out of Libya, adding, “They very much fear for their lives because of the colour of their skin.”

http://punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art20110901132193

One will expect the Nigerian Government to investigate some of these claims and make moves to protect its citizens caught up in the Libyan violence. Instaed, the Government is 'jumping the gun' to recognize the Libyan NTC!

Libyan NTC = Libyan National Terrorist Council

One would have expected the Nigerian Government to obtain guarantees from the NTC on the safety of Nigerians and other black people before recognizing it as the sole representative of the Libyan people. However, Brother Joe is very eager to be in the good books of the Americans and Brits in particular that the safety of his own citizens is a secondary consideration.

I am just an average guy you meet on the street but I could have told you this would happen once the rebels get into power. How the transformation team missed it, only Beaf can tell us.

Imagine, it is now journalists that are saving Nigerians, where is the Federal Government?

Kalu hails CNN for saving Nigerians in Libya
From JUDEX OKORO, Calabar
Thursday, September 01, 2011

Emotions overcame former Abia State governor Orji Uzor Kalu yesterday as he watched nine Nigerians, who escaped death by the whiskers in war ravaged Libya, thanks to correspondents of the Cable News Network (CNN).

The nine men were literally saying their last prayers under the captivity of rampaging Libyan rebels before God sent an angel in form of the CNN reporters.
“I was really moved. You could see our young men in tears, those nine men would have been wasted even as the Federal Government granted the rebels recognition. I saw two of them with Edo marks. I heard the voice of an Igbo boy. Thank God for CNN, we are better informed of the happenings in Tripoli,” he said.

The ex-governor bewailed the lot of compatriots who travelled to Libya as a gateway to Europe but were forced to choose between the devil and the deep blue sea. “It is unfortunate. Under Muammar Gaddafi, Nigerians were hounded. In the present dispensation, there is no difference. Libyans seem to have forgotten the role our fathers played, as soldiers of the West Africa Frontier Forces in cold Tobruk to liberate them from Fascism,” he noted.

Kalu also highlighted the contributions of such stars as Victor Ikpeba and Tony Osheku to the development of Libyan sports. “There are Nigerians doing legitimate businesses in Libya. When many superstars shielded away from that country, Victor Ikpeba was there. Chikelue Iloenyosi followed suit. Until recently, Tony Osheku was coach of their national athletics team and produced an African quarter-mile champion. Today, Izu Azuka plays for Al-Ittihad. Our countrymen cannot all be mercenaries and migrants. We deserve some respect and apology,” Kalu pointed out.

http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/news/national/2011/sept/01/national-01-09-2011-011.html

Daily Telegraph reports that the victims include Nigerians, black Libyans and other citizens of sub-Saharan African


They are even killing their own people. I thought the head of the Army of  the Transitional Govt is Black or he looks Black to me?


see picture of the man behind the NTC BOSS
http://search.independent.co.uk/topic/transitional-council-air-strikes

maclatunji:

One would have expected the Nigerian Government to obtain guarantees from the NTC on the safety of Nigerians and other black people before recognizing it as the sole representative of the Libyan people. However, Brother Joe is very eager to be in the good books of the Americans and Brits in particular that the safety of his own citizens is a secondary consideration.



Imagine, it is now journalists that are saving Nigerians, where is the Federal Government?

It is quite sad. I cant help but question the intelligence and CV of those advising brother Jona about foreign policy. Either they know something that we don't, or they clueless with only paper qualifications or brother Jona just ignores their counsel and places more trust in the American and British diplomats. In any case, brother Jona needs to seat up and understand that his allegiance should first be to Nigerians (and Nigerian interests) and not to any other third party country (no matter how powerful).

KnowAll:

Daily Telegraph reports that the victims include Nigerians, black Libyans and other citizens of sub-Saharan African


They are even killing their own people. I thought the head of the Army of  the Transitional Govt is Black or he looks Black to me?


see picture of the man behind the NTC BOSS
http://search.independent.co.uk/topic/transitional-council-air-strikes

Sounds to me like the rebellion has given the NTC militiamen and avenue to express their deep seated racism against black people. If one of their commanders is indeed black (i doubt), he probably soon be assassinated accused of being sympathetic to Ghadafi.

So unfortunate but they should have known the country was at war, too bad sha

Daily Telegraph reports that the victims include Nigerians, black Libyans and other citizens of sub-Saharan African

does the Daily Telegraph know the difference between Nigerians and Nigeriens i wonder?

The above picture is really distubring,

of course they will kill blacks, as Arabs think nothing of blacks, it is a know truth.

Arabs see blacks as raisin heads.

Arabs look down on everybody [including whites].


blacks, unsurprisingly, have the lowest ranking.

Libyans seem to have forgotten the role our fathers played, as soldiers of the West Africa Frontier Forces in cold Tobruk to liberate them from Fascism,” he noted

would like to know more about this.

Under Muammar Gaddafi, Nigerians were hounded. In the present dispensation, there is no difference

and yet they keep trooping there.

smh.

Sollom said his Boston group knew of about 500 Darfuris who are desperately trying to get out of Libya

shouldnt nigerians be doing the same.

must you wait until forced out of a war zone before you attempt to leave?

i dont understand this.

FG appeals to Libyan rebels to stop killing Nigerians



The Federal Government on Thursday described the reported killings of Nigerians and other sub-Saharan Africans in Libya as worrisome, asking the country’s Transitional National Council to put an end to it. The government said this in a statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.


The statement issued by the ministry’s spokesperson, Mr. Damian Agu, reiterated the Federal Government’s support for the Libyan people but urged the rebels’ leaders to check the excesses of their men.


The statement says, “Reports revealed outright killings, rape and extortion of money from these helpless Africans who have taken refuge in camps, as well as those in detention and incarceration.


“This development is a deviation from the overall expressed desire of the Transition National Council, the African Union and indeed the United Nations for the restoration of democracy and good governance in Libya.”


The Federal Government said the extra-judicial killings ran contrary to Nigeria’s call for the leadership of the TNC to be magnanimous in victory.


“While confirming that the concern of the Nigerian Government on this reported development has accordingly been brought to the urgent attention of the representatives of the TNC, the Government again seizes this opportunity to call on the leadership of the TNC to immediately take steps to check the excesses of these unscrupulous elements in Libya in order to pave way for the restoration of genuine democracy and true reconciliation.”


Reports on Wednesday claimed that rebels of the TNC were killing black Africans, including Nigerians, accused of being sympathetic to ousted Libyan leader, Col. Moammar Gaddafi.


A British newspaper, Daily Telegraph, reported that the victims included Nigerians, black Libyans and other sub-Saharan Africans.


One report says 20 black men were found dead outside Gaddafi’s compound after Libyan rebels captured Tripoli. Their hands were tied behind their backs and some of them had been shot in the head.


On the road south out of Tripoli, about 200 black people were also said to be hiding in a small encampment made of two small outbuildings shielded by a small wall and a metal door. Most of them were Nigerians and Ghanaians.


Amnesty International said it was told that between one third and half of those detained by rebels were from sub-Saharan Africa.


“An Amnesty International delegation visiting the Central Tripoli Hospital witnessed three Thuwwar revolutionaries, as the opposition fighters are commonly known, dragging a black patient from the western town of Tawargha from his bed and detaining him.


“The Thuwwar said the man would be taken to Misrata for questioning. Two other black Libyans receiving treatment in the hospital for gunshot wounds were warned by the anti-Gaddafi forces that their turn was coming,” a statement by the group said.


Meanwhile, two lawmakers in separate interviews berated President Goodluck Jonathan for not taking prompt action on the killings. The lawmakers spoke to our correspondents before the foreign ministry issued a statement.


Senator Babafemi Ojudu, in an interview with journalists in Ado-Ekiti on Thursday, said, “President Jonathan must come out to say that enough is enough of (the) mindless killings of Nigerians. The rebels are still killing them, they tie their hands and legs and stuff clothes in their mouths.


“These Nigerians and other dark skinned people are just some of the migrants seeking to travel to Europe through Libya. President Jonathan should make a pronouncement about this but they appear not to be concerned about this.”


He said over 1,000 Nigerians travelling to Europe through Libya might have been killed by the rebels whom he described as racists. He said there was the likelihood that the Senate might cut short their recess, adding that he had sent a message to Senator George Akume, the Minority Leader, on the need to talk to Senate President David Mark to reconvene the Senate.


“I think all of us must come out of our holiday to address these issues (the UN bombing and the Ibadan floods). I think some people who are behind some of these problems are out to truncate our democracy,” the Senator added.


Speaking also, a member of the House of Representatives, Opeyemi Bamidele, of the Action Congress of Nigeria, said the country should ensure that those who killed Nigerians were brought to book.


“People should be made to pay dearly for messing up with the lives of Nigerians,” Opeyemi, the Chairman of the House of Representatives Ad hoc Committee on Media and Public Affairs, said.


He urged the Federal Government to immediately evacuate Nigerians in the country to put a stop to the carnage.


http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art20110902663843

It's in situations like this that Nigeria and Ghana could have worked together. That's if they had proactive leadership. They could have - with NATO support - sent a couple of military planes and helicopters to evacuate ALL West Africans stuck in that hell hole. It's not rocket science.

PROUD-IGBO:

It's in situations like this that Nigeria and Ghana could have worked together. That's if they had proactive leadership. They could have - with NATO support - sent a couple of military planes and helicopters to evacuate ALL West Africans stuck in that hell hole. It's not rocket science.

Evacuate them to another hell hole.

^Do you mind not posting if you have nothing relevant to say.

Arabs think nothing of blacks.

Racists , they are !!

They refer to us as 'raisin heads '

frosbel:

Arabs think nothing of blacks.

Racists , they are !!

They refer to us as 'raisin heads '

"Us"? . . .Dude, you are an anglo-saxon. Stop playing the fool. Both you people and Arabs are racists and evil!

Nugwax:

FG appeals to Libyan rebels to stop killing Nigerians
http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art20110902663843

Thank God that they are finally seeing the light!

PROUD-IGBO:

It's in situations like this that Nigeria and Ghana could have worked together. That's if they had proactive leadership. They could have - with NATO support - sent a couple of military planes and helicopters to evacuate ALL West Africans stuck in that hell hole. It's not rocket science.

I can't agree more. You'll expect the sub-Saharan African countries to be highly vocal about this sorry situation, speaking with one voice.

tpia@:

would like to know more about this.

Nigeria took part in the East African campaign, considered as an extension of North African campaign, to get rid of Italians and Germans.
http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h1727.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italian_Libya
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_African_Campaign
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_West_African_Frontier_Force