ABOARD GEO BARENTS: Guards at a Libyan detention center for migrants shot and killed at least six people amid chaos in the overcrowded facility, UN officials said Saturday as they again condemned widespread abuses against migrants in the North African country.
The development comes a week after authorities rounded up more than 5,000 migrants in a massive crackdown and after UN-commissioned investigators said abuses and ill treatment of migrants in Libya amount to crimes against humanity.
The shooting took place Friday in the Mabani detention center west of the capital, Tripoli, where authorities earlier this month sent 4,187 new detainees, including 511 women and 60 children, according to the International Organization for Migration.
A spokesman for Libya’s Interior Ministry, which oversees migrant detention centers, didn’t respond to requests for comment.
It wasn’t immediately clear what triggered the violence. But Vincent Cochetel, the UN refugee agency’s special envoy for the Central Mediterranean, said “human rights violations and inhuman conditions” at Libya’s overcrowded detention centers led to the mayhem, which included “indiscriminate shooting.”
Cochetel urged the European Union and UN to impose sanctions on those implicated in the abuses against migrants, especially after the findings of UN-commissioned investigators.
“Some individuals bear special responsibility for the human rights abuses committed either because they are directly involved in them or because they cover them under their authority. It is time for the UN and the EU sanctions committee to take action and list some individuals,” he told The Associated Press.
Federico Soda, the head of IOM’s mission in Libya, said at least six migrants were shot dead by guards.
Footage circulated online purporting to show hundreds of migrants fleeing the detention center through a gap in the facility fence. Some were seen helping apparently injured fellow migrants. Other videos showed large numbers of migrants running through the streets in Tripoli.
Gabriel Akoulong, 24, of Cameroon, was among the fleeing migrants. He was detained in the crackdown in the western town of Gargaresh, a major hub for migrants in Libya, and imprisoned in Mabani.
“They put us into crowded cells where we couldn’t even breathe. There was no food, no water, no oxygen,” he said.
During the escape, some migrants fell and were caught by Libyan guards who beat them. Some of the migrants trying to flee were shot, he said.
“I still ask myself why we have been detained and imprisoned,” he told the AP in a phone interview from Tripoli where he was in hiding.
Earlier this week, many migrants attempted to flee from the Mabani center, but they were met “with extreme violence,” said medical aid group Doctors without Borders, which was granted a rare visit to the center.
The group, also known by its French acronym MSF, said its visiting team “heard two rounds of heavy gunfire at very close range and witnessed the indiscriminate beating of a group of men who were later forced into vehicles and driven to an unknown destination.”
More than 5,000 migrants were rounded up in the crackdown earlier this month, including 215 were children and more than 540 women, at least 30 of whom were pregnant, according to the IOM. The crackdown, which left one migrant dead and 15 others injured, began Oct. 1 in Gargaresh and spread to surrounding areas.
Libyan authorities described the crackdown as a security operation against illegal migration and drug trafficking. But they made no mention of any traffickers or smugglers being arrested.
Hours before Friday’s chaos in Mabani, the UN refugee agency said authorities demolished many buildings and makeshift houses for migrants during the crackdown.
“The raids ... have created widespread panic and fear among asylum seekers and refugees in the capital,” the UNHCR said. Many migrants, including unaccompanied children and young mothers, have protested at the agency’s Community Day Center in Tripoli, demanding evacuation from Libya.
The UNHCR said it temporality suspended its activities in the center after two of its workers were injured.
Libya has been engulfed in chaos since a NATO-backed uprising toppled and killed longtime dictator Muammar Qaddafi in 2011. The county has since emerged as migrant hub for those fleeing poverty and civil war in Africa and the Middle East and hoping a better life in Europe.
Thousands of migrants have been intercepted at the Mediterranean Sea and returned to Libya’s detention centers which are rife with widespread abuses, torture and sexual violence.
UN-commissioned investigators said violations against migrants at sea, in detention centers and at the hands of traffickers amount to crimes against humanity.
UN officials say guards kill 6 migrants detained in Libya
https://arab.news/m4pqx
UN officials say guards kill 6 migrants detained in Libya
- UN-commissioned investigators said abuses and ill treatment of migrants in Libya amount to crimes against humanity
- The UN refugee agency’s special envoy for the Central Mediterranean said “human rights violations and inhuman conditions” at Libya’s overcrowded detention centers led to the mayhem
US lobbied UN rights council to dilute Pakistan’s Gaza proposal, diplomats say
- UN rights council adopted the resolution moved by Pakistan seeking Israel's accountability
- Despite forsaking the council, US lobbied to block any new UN investigation against Israel
GENEVA: Two months after President Donald Trump announced a halt to US engagement with the United Nations Human Rights Council, Washington is influencing its work by applying pressure publicly and behind the scenes, seven diplomats and rights workers said.
The United States left its seat empty during a six-week session of the 47-member council ending on Friday, but its lobbying and pressure had some success, the sources told Reuters.
They said the US, which has accused the council of an anti-Israel bias, had focused on blunting a proposal by Pakistan on the creation of an International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism (IIIM), the most rigorous type of UN investigation, on Israel's actions in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
The version of Pakistan's proposal that was passed on Wednesday by the council, whose mission is to promote and protect human rights worldwide, did not include the creation of the IIIM.
The council already has a commission of inquiry on the Palestinian Territories, but Pakistan's proposal would have created an additional probe with extra powers to gather evidence for possible use in international courts.
A March 31 letter sent by Brian Mast, Chairman of the US House Foreign Affairs Committee, and James R. Risch, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, cautioned against voting the proposal through.
“Any HRC member state or UN entity that supports an Israel-specific IIM ... will face the same consequences as the ICC faced,” the letter said.
It appeared to be referring to sanctions approved by the House of Representatives on the International Criminal Court in protest at its arrest warrants for Israel’s prime minister and former defence minister over Israel’s campaign in Gaza.
The final version of Pakistan’s proposal referred only to an invitation to the UN General Assembly to consider an IIIM in the future.
Two Geneva-based diplomats said they had received messages from US diplomats before the change of wording asking them to oppose the new investigation.
“They were saying: ‘back off on this issue,’” said one, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Reuters could not establish whether the revision was a direct result of US actions.
A US State Department spokesperson said it was complying with the executive order signed by Trump on Feb. 4 withdrawing the US from the council and would not participate in it, adding: “As a matter of policy, we do not comment on private diplomatic conversations.”
Pakistan’s diplomatic mission in Geneva did not respond to a request for comment.
“The US seems to be trying to have it both ways. It doesn’t want to pay for or participate in the UN but it still wants to boss it around,” said Lucy McKernan, Deputy Director for United Nations at Human Rights Watch’s Geneva office.
‘RAW POWER’
The US and Israel are not members of the council but, like all UN member states have informal observer status and a seat in the council’s meeting chamber.
International human rights institutions are now at a critical juncture, said Phil Lynch, Director of International Service for Human Rights, a non-governmental organization.
“We are potentially confronting a future characterised by lawlessness and raw power,” he said.
The US was once the top donor to the UN rights system, but Trump has said the UN is “not being well run” and aid cuts by his administration have forced scalebacks.
The US and Israel have also opposed the mandate of one of the council’s independent experts during this session.
The Israeli ambassador said on March 24 that Francesca Albanese, a critic of Israeli actions in Gaza, had breached a UN code of conduct through “blatant antisemitic behaviour and discourse,” a diplomatic note showed.
The US State Department spokesperson said Albanese was “unfit for her role.”
“The correspondence received is under consideration,” council spokesperson Pascal Sim said, adding that whenever the council makes a nomination, “it does so with the knowledge that the mandate-holder is expected to serve up to six years in this function.”
The internal body that ensures UN experts adhere to a code of conduct condemned what it described as a coordinated campaign against Albanese, according to a letter from the Coordination Committee of Special Procedures dated 28 March.
It found no evidence to support Israel’s complaints against Albanese. However, it is introducing social media guidelines for UN experts in light of some concerns raised about her X posts.
Saudi program to train teachers of Arabic as second language begins at US university
- KSGAAL’s program aims to improve skills of teachers, students
- Part of wider efforts to standardize Arabic language teaching, assessments
RIYADH: A new program is training teachers of Arabic as a second language at Indiana University in the US.
The course, initiated by the King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language, will run until April 8 and is the second phase of a project aimed at training teachers.
Dr. Abdullah Al-Washmi, the secretary-general of KSGAAL, said that the program was part of the academy’s continued efforts to enhance the skills of Arabic language teachers and students.
KSGAAL is focused on improving teaching quality and introducing the standardized language assessment Hamza, Al-Washmi added.
He said that through its collaboration with Indiana University, KSGAAL was committed to academic exchange and the integration of global best practices in Arabic language teaching.
The secretary-general added that the Hamza test enhanced the global and academic standing of the Arabic language by providing a standardized assessment model based on international criteria.
It offered a reliable measure of language proficiency, enabling universities and academic institutions worldwide to rely on it for student admissions and assessing abilities, he said.
Al-Washmi added: “The test boosts scientific research in the field of Arabic language through the analytical data derived from its results, which contribute to the development of more effective teaching curricula.
“The test facilitates international recognition of Arabic as a global language that can be measured according to CEFR standards, further promoting its inclusion in global academic and employment frameworks.”
The academy’s plan for Arabic language assessments is based on several key pillars, including legislation and accreditation to ensure official recognition and reliability, as well as outreach and sustainability to expand the test’s accessibility to the widest possible audience.
Al-Washmi said: “We are committed to innovation and development to improve assessment mechanisms and enhance the test-taker experience.”
The language assessment program at KSGAAL was advancing according to the established strategy, Al-Washmi said, positioning Saudi Arabia, through the academy, as an international reference in Arabic language teaching, learning, and evaluation practices.
The program at Indiana University includes an introductory module on language assessments and the Hamza test, alongside a specialized training course for Arabic teachers of non-native speakers.
The program features a scientific seminar called “Saudi Arabia’s Efforts in Teaching Arabic to Non-Native Speakers.” Participants will also engage in a hands-on session of the Hamza test, designed to deepen their understanding of language assessment mechanisms and their role in evaluating learners’ language proficiency.
This initiative is aligned with KSGAAL’s strategy to empower the Arabic language and enhance its presence in international academic institutions.
Investigation finds Meta profiting from ads promoting Israeli settlements in West Bank
- Ads included listings for property developments, calls for demolition of Palestinian homes, schools, playgrounds, appeals for donations for military equipment to be used in Gaza, Al Jazeera found
- Allowing such ads might violate international law, legal experts claim
LONDON: Meta has profited from more than 100 advertisements promoting illegal Israeli settlements and far-right settler activity in the occupied West Bank, an investigation by Al Jazeera revealed earlier this week.
The ads include listings for property developments in settlements such as Ariel, located 20 km east of the Green Line, as well as calls for the demolition of Palestinian homes, schools, and playgrounds. Some also solicit donations for Israeli military units operating in Gaza.
One of the most prominent advertisers is a Facebook page called Ramat Aderet, promoting luxury apartments with amenities such as saunas, jacuzzis, and cold plunges. The company, valued at $300 million according to financial data firm PitchBook, has received funding from the First International Bank of Israel.
Another 48 ads were posted by Gabai Real Estate, marketing homes in the West Bank settlements of Ma’ale Adumim and Efrat.
At least 52 of the ads were placed by Israeli real estate firms targeting buyers in Israel, the UK, and the US. Many remain active on Facebook after being published in March 2024, Al Jazeera reported.
Meta defended its ad policies, stating: “We have robust processes and teams to review ads, and our ad review system is designed to review ads before they go live. This system relies primarily on automated technology to apply our advertising standards to the millions of ads that run across our apps, while relying on our teams to build and train these systems and, in some cases, to manually review ads.”
Under international law, all Israeli settlements in the West Bank are illegal.
Legal experts argue that by failing to take down and profiting from these ads, Meta “becomes complicit in their criminal activity” and could face legal consequences. They also warn that allowing ads soliciting donations for military equipment in Gaza may violate international humanitarian law, as well as Meta’s own policy prohibiting the promotion of “the sale or use of weapons, ammunition, or explosives.”
In Tunisia, snails inch toward replacing red meat as people turn to cheaper protein
- Snails have been consumed in Tunisia for more than seven millenia
- Low in fat and high in iron, calcium and magnesium, snails offer both nutritional value and economic relief
AKOUDA, Tunisia: In fields outside their hometown in central Tunisia, an increasing number of unemployed young men are seeking a new way to make a living, picking snails off of rocks and leaves and collecting them in large plastic bags to take to the local market to be sold.
More and more people, they say, are buying the shelled wanderers as the price of market staples remains high and out of reach for many families.
“They’re profitable, beneficial and quite in demand,” said Karim, a 29-year-old snail seller from the village of Akouda said.
Snails have been consumed in Tunisia for more than seven millenia, according to research published last year in the journal Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences. In today’s world considered mostly a bistro delicacy, they’re again gaining traction in Tunisia as a practical alternative to red meat — a protein-rich substitute that pairs perfectly with salt, spices, and bold seasonings.
The snails are a lifeline for some in Tunisia, where youth unemployment now hovers above 40 percent and inflation remains high, three years after spiking to its highest levels in decades. A lack of opportunity has fueled social discontent throughout the country and, increasingly, migration to Europe.
Low in fat and high in iron, calcium and magnesium, snails offer both nutritional value and economic relief. In a country where unemployment runs high and median wages remain low, they cost about half as much as beef per kilogram and often less when sold by the bowl.
“Snails are better for cooking than lamb. If lamb meat costs 60 dinars ($19.30), a bowl of snails is five dinars ($1.60),” a man named Mohammed said at the Akouda market.
As the price of meat and poultry continues to rise, more Tunisians are turning to affordable, alternative sources of protein. Beyond their economic appeal, these substitutes are also drawing interest for their environmental benefits. Scientists say they offer a more sustainable solution, producing far fewer carbon emissions and avoiding the deforestation linked to traditional livestock farming.
Wahiba Dridi, who serves snails at her restaurant in Tunis, cooks them in a traditional fashion with peppers and spices. She said they were popular throughout this year’s Ramadan, which ended last week. Though Tunisian Muslims traditionally eat red meat at the meals during which they break their daily fasts, a kilogram of snails costs less than 28 Tunisian dinars ($9) compared to beef, which costs 55 dinars per kilogram ($18).
“If people knew the value of snails they would eat them all year long,” Dridi said.
Pakistan army commanders express ‘complete solidarity’ with Palestine, condemn Israeli ‘war crimes’
- The corps commanders’ meeting vowed not to allow anyone to disrupt peace in Pakistan’s restive Balochistan province
- The army chief says ‘there is no space for terrorists and their facilitators in Pakistan’ while asking for greater vigilance
KARACHI: Pakistan’s top army generals on Friday expressed “complete solidarity” with the Palestinian people and condemned Israel’s “war crimes” in Gaza during a corps commanders’ meeting held at the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi, the military’s media wing said.
The war in Gaza, which began in October 2023, has continued despite repeated international calls for a ceasefire. The Palestinian death toll has surpassed 50,000 in the conflict, with women and children accounting for a significant portion of the casualties.
Pakistan, which does not recognize Israel, has consistently advocated for an independent Palestinian state based on pre-1967 borders. It has also raised concern over the Gaza war at global forums, including the United Nations Security Council, and demanded a ceasefire and accountability for Israeli actions.
“The forum expressed complete solidarity with the people of Palestine and condemned serious human rights violations and war crimes being perpetrated in Gaza,” the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement released after the 268th Corps Commanders’ Conference.
“The forum also reiterated unequivocal diplomatic, political and moral support to the people of Palestine,” it added.
Chaired by Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir, the high-level meeting reviewed national security challenges and received a comprehensive briefing on the evolving geo-strategic environment.
Participants reaffirmed the military’s resolve to eliminate “terrorism in all its forms and manifestations” and said no one would be allowed to disrupt peace in Balochistan, Pakistan’s southwestern province plagued by separatist violence.
The commanders vowed to thwart the designs of “foreign-backed proxies” and their “political supporters” attempting to destabilize the province.
“There is no space for terrorists and their facilitators in Pakistan,” the army chief said on the occasion.
He vowed to extend full support to the government and law enforcement agencies to take strict legal measures against illicit economic activities, noting they were intrinsically linked to the financing of militant violence in the country.
General Munir also directed field commanders to maintain “the highest standards of operational readiness and professional excellence,” stressing continuous training to ensure combat preparedness.
