Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 644, which strongly condemns ongoing slave auctions in Libya of migrants and refugees. Mr. Speaker, it is critical that we swiftly and unequivocally condemn these acts of unspeakable cruelty that have no place in the civilized world. According to reports, an estimated 150,000 people--refugees fleeing conflict and economic migrants in search of better opportunities in Europe--cross Libya's borders each year. But a clampdown by the Libyan Coast Guard meant fewer boats made it out to sea, leaving the smugglers with a backlog of would-be passengers on their hands. With estimates of 400,000 to almost one million people now stranded in Libya, smugglers have become masters and the migrants and refugees have become slaves who are sold for as little as $400 each. Mr. Speaker, I would like to share with this chamber the story of a young man named Victory, a 21-year-old Nigerian who fled his village and spent a year and four months--and his life savings--trying to reach Europe. Victory made it as far as Libya, where he says he and other refugees were held in grim living conditions, deprived of food, abused, and mistreated by their captors. When his funds ran out, Victory was sold as a day laborer by his smugglers; after weeks of being forced to work, Victory was told the money he had been bought for was not enough.…”