Reports of mass physical, sexual abuse of migrants prompt soul searching in Europe

Two years after EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell’s comments describing the non-European world as a “jungle” provoked controversy, the EU is facing heightened criticism for its ruthless efforts to maintain fortress Europe. The latest controversy stems from reports of mass human rights violations in Libya and Tunisia, which have been the recipients of millions of dollars from the European Union in exchange for guarantees to limit migration from North Africa.

“How is that reduction achieved?” asked Refugees in Libya spokesman David Yambio. “People are incarcerated, women are raped and children are dumped and left to die in the desert; this is happening on a daily basis.”

“Each agreement made with the Tunisian and Libyan regime is a death sentence for migrants and refugees,” Yambio claimed.

A report in The Guardian this week detailed mass abuse of migrants by Libyan and Tunisian government officials colluding with human smugglers. Hundreds of cases of beatings, torture and rape have been documented by watchdog organizations.

Women are routinely robbed, sexually assaulted, and left for dead in the desert, the media revealed.

The report represents the most significant evidence yet of the dire conditions faced by migrants in North Africa as reports of human rights violations have circulated in recent years. European politicians have nonetheless been compelled to continue anti-migration efforts as immigration emerges as a significant issue across the continent.

Northern Africa has been chronically destabilized by Western political interference, culminating in a NATO-backed regime change operation in Libya. More recently, Ukraine and US Gulf allies have come under scrutiny for their role in arming and financing terrorist groups across the Sahel.

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‘Long overdue’: US military apologizes for destruction of native Alaskan villages

The US military has undertaken the process of issuing formal apologies to a Native Alaskan tribe more than a century after its destruction of two villages led to mass deaths.

“It’s a long time coming,” said Joel Jackson, the president of the Organized Village of Kake. “Hopefully, through this apology, we can start healing from the wrongs that were committed against us.”

The “pain and suffering inflicted upon the Tlingit people warrants these long overdue apologies,” said Navy spokeswoman Julianne Leinenveber, referring to the tribe also commonly known at the Lingít. Navy officials conceded the “wrongful” nature of the attacks.

A representative from the US Navy expressed remorse for the burning of the settlement of Kake while a separate apology is planned next month on the 142nd anniversary of the destruction of the village of Angoon.

Relations between the US and Native Americans were frequently tumultuous after the United States’ purchase Alaska from Russia in 1867. A treaty between Russia and indigenous peoples signed in the early 19th century maintained peace across the territory, but the US military maintained a policy of lethal force to maintain American dominance.

The US sent the USS Saginaw to shell the native village of Kake in 1869. US troops descended upon the village and razed it to the ground, burning housing, canoes, and food stores the natives depended upon to survive harsh winter months. Multiple people would die in the weeks ahead of exposure and starvation.

Years later, the native village of Angoon would face similar destruction after the US military refused to offer compensation for the death of a Lingít medicine man.

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Musk backs down, complies with Brazilian judge’s orders for X platform – report

Tech titan Elon Musk has reportedly complied with demands made by the Brazilian Supreme Court surrounding the operation of the X platform in the country in the culmination of a weeks-long row that has sparked debate over freedom of expression and the role of governments and large social media companies in moderating online discourse.

“Elon Musk has backed down and complied with a Brazilian judge’s orders that he appoint a legal representative for X,” reported the Financial Times, citing court documents examined by the media outlet. X has also reportedly agreed to suspend several accounts cited by the court for generating disinformation and extremist content.

The move comes after Musk repeatedly refused to remove the accounts late last month in a highly visible spat with Brazilian Supreme Court justice Alexandre de Moraes. Musk’s intransigence led to X being blocked in the Latin American country of 212 million.

“One day this picture of you in prison will be real. Mark my words,” Musk wrote to the Brazilian justice on X, attaching a photoshopped image of Moraes in jail before replying with an image of toilet paper bearing the judge’s name.

X finally announced the company would appoint an official legal representative for the company, a requirement of doing business under Brazilian law.

Musk has fashioned himself as a free speech champion amid Western governments’ increasing concern over online disinformation, which recently culminated in legislation set to effectively ban the platform TikTok in the United States. But self-reported data from X reveals Musk has actually complied with more court orders and government takedown requests than the website’s previous owners.

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