Libya is a predominantlyArab country that has traditionally held extremely racist views towards black-skinned,sub-Saharan Africans (although Libya does have indigenous Black populations including theBlack Arabs and BlackBerbers). TheNew York Times argues that Libya has a "long history of racist violence being reported."[1]
Black Africans were victims of chattelslavery in Libya until the 20th century. In the 21st century, a significant number of sub-Saharan Africans came to Libya, primarily to work as unskilled laborers. In recent years, a number of racist incidents targetingBlackmigrants have been reported.[2][3][4] According toPeter Bouckaert ofHuman Rights Watch, the incidents targeting migrants and refugees reflect "a deep-seated racism and anti-African sentiment in Libyan society."[1]
During theBattle of Tawergha, rebel slogans like "the brigade for purging slaves, black skin" were scrawled on the road betweenMisrata andTawergha.[5]
Racism in Libya is such that the migrants are being pelted with stones, spat upon, and called derogatory names such as 'abeed' or 'abd' meaning slave in Arabic
While the UN has been reporting widespread torture, cruel, degrading and inhumane conditions, as well as racism in Libya's detention centers of both Tripoli and Tobruk governments since 2011
he growing infux of sub-Saharan African migrants also led to conflicts and instances of racism in Libya. Despite all the insistence on the country's African character, Libya remained unmistakably also Arab
