The United Nations (UN) migration agency has called on social media
giants on Friday to control their platforms that it said are being used
by smugglers to lure West African migrants to Libya where they face
detention, torture and slavery.
giants on Friday to control their platforms that it said are being used
by smugglers to lure West African migrants to Libya where they face
detention, torture and slavery.
The smugglers
often use Facebook to reach would-be migrants with false promises,
International Organization for Migration (IOM) spokesman Leonard Doyle
told a briefing.
often use Facebook to reach would-be migrants with false promises,
International Organization for Migration (IOM) spokesman Leonard Doyle
told a briefing.
When migrants are tortured video is also sometimes sent back to their families over WhatsApp, he said.
“We
think it’s time for some grown-up responsibility by the social media
companies writ-large for their platforms which are clearly having a very
detrimental role on young vulnerable populations across West Africa,”
Doyle said.
think it’s time for some grown-up responsibility by the social media
companies writ-large for their platforms which are clearly having a very
detrimental role on young vulnerable populations across West Africa,”
Doyle said.
Hundreds of thousands of migrants
have attempted to cross the Mediterranean to Europe since 2014 and many
have died en route. The influx has presented a political problem for
European countries. Numbers of migrants entering Europe are down this
year.
have attempted to cross the Mediterranean to Europe since 2014 and many
have died en route. The influx has presented a political problem for
European countries. Numbers of migrants entering Europe are down this
year.
The IOM also said it was repatriating
4,000 migrants to Niger and 167 to Guinea from Libya under its voluntary
repatriation programme which hopes to return home 15,000 by year-end.
4,000 migrants to Niger and 167 to Guinea from Libya under its voluntary
repatriation programme which hopes to return home 15,000 by year-end.
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