Like many people, I have been actively following some of the absolutely horrifying events currently going on in Libya. Some of the images coming out of Libya are sickening enough to make even the most hardened observers squeamish.
Some of the photos, videos and news reports have highlighted the fact that many of the people carrying out these atrocities are not even Libyans, but are mercenaries from other parts of Africa.
Some reports have stated that many of these mercenaries come from such impoverished countries such as Chad, Guinea, Nigeria and Niger. There are likely mercenaries from other countries as well.
To highlight how difficult and frightening this situation is, I have compiled some information on the average annual per capita GDP of the aforementioned countries from the CIA World Factbook.
Chad: $1,800 (2010 est.)
Guinea: $1,000 (2010 est.)
Nigeria: $2,400 (2010 est.)
Niger: $700 (2010 est.)
As you can see, if there is any truth to the rumour that Libyan President Moammar Gaddafi is paying mercenaries from these countries $2,000 USD a day, it’s not very difficult to see why there is no shortage of mercenaries from these countries willing to do his deeds.
The sad fact is that if this figure is true, mercenaries from all of these countries but Nigeria can make more money in one day than their average citizens make in one year. Even so, mercenaries from Nigeria can make significantly more money in two days than an average Nigerian makes in one year.
I know this is probably an over simplified analysis, but nonetheless, the numbers are staggering.
