The temporary camp in eastern Tunisia hardly closed. It was set to host people who flee from the Libyan conflict, and everybody was expecting to see all immigrants to leave in maximum of three months. The repatriation process was very hard. Thus, people were stacked there for months in very extreme situation. It was in this difficult time, that a serious conflict was erupted causing fatal casualties. Those who can return to their home soon left the camp and flew to meet their beloved once. Yet, as any anyone would expect, this was not true hundreds of Eritreans who flee Libya fearing violence. They will have a warm welcome in Asmara international airport and directly to underground detentions. Knowing this, who will be willing to go back and endanger his/her life? I guess no one, And no one did that!!
With this fact on ground, the UN refugee agency is doing its job. Eritreans and Somali asylum or refugees are at the priority list. Some Ethiopian Oromo and some West African applicants are also in the second list. Eritreans who had pending files in Tripoli continued on their step and those who didn’t have any application are given opportunity to apply for asylum.
As part of resettlement processes, Eritreans have been transferred to Romanian transit camp under international protection, so that USA and The Netherlands can continue the resettlement procedures for them. Thus, IOM and UNHCR have been sending them to Romania in different groups since April 20. Now, a group of 47 of Eritreans arrived from Tunisia after spending more about four months of desert life in Choucha camp, Tunisia. They are welcomed here by IOM, UNHCR, GTR and Eritrean colleagues who arrive ahead of them. A sense of hope shines from their desert sun-burned face, and their smile shows they haven’t given up!!
The situation back in Tunisia remains as it is. Asylum seekers are yet waiting their RSD interviews; all the refugees are waiting their resettlement. But when will this happen? For how long will the developed world close its eye and deafen its ear? As Eritreans and after being delivered from that situation, we are once again urging first world countries to look down the Tunisian Sahara and pick up the desperate. It is humanitarian catastrophe!!! It is hard to stay in desert camp without any hope and it is a moral mandate to all countries who signed the Geneva Convention 1951 to help refugees in critical situation. But, first it is moral mandate to every human being to help anyone in such situation. Let’s just follow instincts of doing good thing!!
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