Eritrean refugees are inhumanely terrified as they flee their war-torn homeland. Most of them end up falling prey to callous trafficking syndicates operating in Libya. Eritreans are among the most affected, and currently make up the second-largest national group arriving in Italy, after Bangladeshis. Many more thousands flee mandatory, and in some cases, indefinite military service, risking their lives in the process. Soon, an even worse nightmare awaits as traffickers take advantage of a family’s vulnerabilities.
In recent years, attention has focused on Kidane Zekarias Habtemariam, an alleged trafficking kingpin whose operations have left a trail of suffering. Arrested in Sudan in 2023, he currently awaits extradition to the Netherlands after having been rendered to the UAE. Victims such as Tesfay, who became victims to Kidane’s trafficking network, are left to suffer. This is an urgent moment where international advocacy and pressure must play a role to support those who have suffered so much.
The Plight of Eritrean Refugees
According to the United Nations, Eritreans make up the second-largest percentage of documented refugees in Libya. Tens of thousands now undertake dangerous sea voyages to escape tyrannical governments and forced military enrollment. Sadly, they are often subjected to exploitation in their journeys. Tesfay is a 35-year-old Eritrean man. He beautifully humanized the truth that he’s a victim of trauma not a perpetrator, with the story of his harrowing experience being trafficked.
Tesfay thought back on his traumatic journey. It was a mistake that I came to Libya. It was a mistake that I came to Libya. Just that,” said him. Upon arrival in Libya, he was then caught up by the cycle of traffickers who held him ransom and sought payment for his release. His captors asked for $10,000, an amount that is out of reach for most families.
In recent years, human rights organizations have sounded the alarm about the brutal detention of Eritrean migrants in Libya. Reports indicate that victims are often held in degrading conditions within warehouses or makeshift facilities, subjected to violence and torture. These practices, among many others, have led the UN to call for the Libyan authorities to be held accountable.
Stories of Abuse and Survival
16-year-old Eritrean Abrihet is among countless others who have endured brutal torture, violent attacks and sexual abuse at the hands of ruthless traffickers. After being sex trafficked, she suffered extreme abuse and torture and is now covered in self-harm scars on her arms. They say your name. They caress you. Your palm. Your thigh. Abrihet described her suffering. She reiterated the trauma that many young women experience in these scenarios.
In spite of her trauma, Abrihet hasn’t been made pregnant, an assertion made by a government-supplied physician in Benghazi. Young women like her don’t have the luxury of imagining serious challenges every day. Their plight illustrates the basic necessity and immediate imperative of robust protections for refugees.
Abeba courageously spent all her training funds to buy her brother Daniel’s freedom. Like so many before him, he had been trafficked and tortured for ransom. May God make them pay for what they did! Abeba cried. Her testimony was the painful chorus of families torn to shreds by these trafficking corridors.
The Call for International Action
The developing crisis has been widely covered and condemned by human rights advocates, practitioners, and organizations calling on the international community to act. Colonel Mohammed Al-Fadhil from the Libyan Ministry of Interior discussed the negative impact of human trafficking in Libya. He highlighted that solving this global issue requires collaboration across countries.
Unfortunately, without global cooperation and commitment to combating human trafficking, especially in the case of Eritrean refugees, these vulnerable populations will constantly be faced with danger. The stories pouring out from Libya’s Sahara desert highlight the desperation of the situation and the need for countries to come together to combat these appalling crimes.
The case against Kidane Zekarias Habtemariam is a new and valuable step towards accountability. It points to the larger crisis of systemic neglect confronting Eritreans fleeing violence and oppression in search of safe haven.
