THE AGONY OF MODERN DAY SLAVERY IN LIBYA:LIFE'S ARE NOT COMMODITIES

Sometimes, the weight of humanity’s cruelty is too much to bear.

In 2025, the unthinkable continues "slavery". This isn't an echo of history, it’s a brutal reality playing out in Libya now.

 

Naima Jamal, a young woman from Ethiopia, is just one of countless victims of this grotesque trade. Today, she sits in captivity in Kufra, Libya, her life reduced to a ransom demand of $6,000. If her family cannot pay, she will be sold like property, her worth valued at a mere $300.

This is the story of Naima, but it’s also the story of a failed global system.

Libya moved from stability to chaos after the assassination of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, and has descended into lawlessness.

Gaddafi’s government, though criticized for its authoritarianism, had provided a semblance of stability.

The nation was debt-free, and its citizens enjoyed some level of prosperity. However, Gaddafi’s refusal to align with Western interests marked him as a target. NATO’s intervention, under the guise of liberating the people, dismantled not just Gaddafi’s regime but the entire country.

Even former U.S. President Barack Obama, who supported the intervention, later admitted it was the worst mistake of his presidency. 

Libya, once a thriving state, is now a failed one, a hub for human trafficking, armed conflict, and misery.

In this vacuum of power, criminal networks have flourished. Migrants and refugees, desperate to escape war, poverty, and persecution, risk everything to cross Libya in hopes of reaching Europe. Instead, they find themselves trapped. Men, women, and even children are captured, tortured, and sold into slavery.

Naima Jamal’s case is particularly haunting. A young woman with dreams and aspirations, she was abducted and subjected to inhumane treatment. Her captors demand an exorbitant ransom from her family, knowing full well the impossibility of such a sum. If they can’t pay, Naima will be sold like countless others, subjected to forced labor, abuse, or worse.

What’s most disheartening is the silence of African leaders. Where are the voices condemning this atrocity? Where are the actions to protect their citizens?

The African Union, which should champion the rights of the continent’s people, has largely turned a blind eye. Instead, the trade continues unabated, a grim reminder of Africa’s colonial past and its ongoing exploitation.

The international community is no better. The powers that orchestrated Libya’s collapse now stand by as the country descends further into chaos. Their selective morality, the readiness to intervene when it suits their interests, and the apathy when it doesn’t, is nothing short of hypocrisy.

Gaddafi’s refusal to conform to the West’s rules-based order was his downfall. He envisioned a united Africa, one not dependent on Western powers. His plans for a gold-backed dinar threatened the dominance of the dollar and euro, making him a target. But his removal came at a cost far greater than his regime. It shattered Libya, destabilized the region, and birthed the modern slave market we see today.

This moral depravity extends beyond Libya. It’s a reflection of a global system that prioritizes profit and power over human lives.

Naima’s story is not unique, but it is urgent. It’s a call to action for all of us, governments, organizations, and individuals. 

According to a comment on the X app, Justice must be more than a word spoken in empty halls. It must be visible in actions.

We should at this point, demand accountability from African leaders to address the root causes of migration and trafficking.Pressure international actors to intervene and dismantle the slave trade in Libya.

Support organizations working on the ground to rescue victims and provide aid.

Raise awareness by sharing these stories, ensuring the world cannot look away.

Naima Jamal is more than a statistic. She is a person with dreams, a family, and a future that hangs in the balance. Her story is a mirror reflecting the worst of humanity and the potential for change if we choose to act.We cannot let Naima’s life be reduced to a dollar value. We cannot let her story fade into obscurity. Together, we must scream loud enough that the world cannot ignore the horrors in Libya.

Life's are not commodities. Justice demands action. Let’s make it happen.