Shousha Camp, under the burning Sun

From Libya to Tunisia

It was always unthinkable to go to Tunisia, all until the Libyan uprising begins. When Berlusconi launched his push back policy in May 2009, the opportunity of applying asylum in Europe also endangered. Eritrean refugees and migrant workers from many sub-Saharan countries caught in the high seas and were dumped to Libyan detentions. Humanitarian groups cried loudly, but Berlusconi and his men resisted a lot. Frustration among Eritrean refugees in Libya created another rout towards Israel via the Sinai Peninsula. Many hoped this way to be less expensive, both in human and financial cost. But, it cost beyond what was expected. Unbelievable number of Eritreans loss their lives by Bedouin traffickers and by Egyptian border patrols all over the Sinai Desert. Many others were kidnapped and forced to pay $8,000-10,000; some of these innocents killed when they can’t pay the ransom.



And many other Eritrean refugees remained closed in Libya. There was no hope seen from any direction. UNHCR was already closed, chance of asylum application in Italy dropped and at last even the way to Israel interrupted. It was in this difficult time the Libyan uprising started. An estimated of 2,000 Eritreans were in Libya and all were desperate of escaping Libyan crises. Rumors filled their minds and they desperately believed all the news related to evacuation. Two fights were possible to evacuate to Italy with the work of Abba Mussie Zerai and other Eritrean/non Eritrean activists; and in collaboration with the Catholic Church in Libya. The numbers of people crowding around the Church and the amount of pressure on Caritas work are all unforgettable. But, things goes from bad to worse, and as so the hopes for evacuation. The only ways were either to cross the Mediterranean or westward to Tunisia. Very large number of Eritreans decided to leave via the stupid sea. This was good opportunity for hundreds and they arrived safely to European Southern shores, luckily they are now in a place where they can get international protection. Yet the sea was as cruel as before and took many desperate lives. An estimated of 500 Eritreans drowned in the deep sea without any rescue, all crying for help… They died in a way of escaping death. May God receive their soul!!!

Flee to Tunisia and durable solutions



All the rest, including the one who is writing this article however decided to escape westward. To the unthinkable country, Tunisia. It was less expensive, both in human, financial and time costs. Very fortunately, there was no human cost and around 800 Eritrean refugees stepped to Tunisian soil. Thanks to the Tunisian government (the transitional government after Bin Ali), UNHCR, IOM, the Red Crescent, the Red Cross, Islamic relief, WFP, Medicine without Borders and many other nongovernmental organizations helped extremely high number of immigrants. Although the repatriation process was very slow, it returned thousands back home.

This was not the case of Eritreans, Somalis and some Ethiopian Oromo. They can’t return to their country, thus resettlement was the only durable solution. UNHCR continued to conduct Registration, RSD and resettlement interviews. Many Eritrean refugees who had pending private sponsorships to Canada and Switzerland continued to fly and seemed very encouraging. Not only this but also, UNHCR and IOM continued to resettle to third country. It is very slow, but it is better than nothing.

Current frustrations in Shousha camp

Now, weather in desert is at its maximum. Life under the tent is beyond what human can resist. It is always sandy, hot and dry. Can you please imagine the difficulty for babies, pregnant mothers and sick once? Despite the promises, the camp stayed longer time and the process of resettlement is very slow. Many Somalis returned to Libya in a desperate bid of reaching Europe and many of which loss their lives in the sea. It is feared that frustrations could push many other asylum seekers or ever recognized refugees to search solutions.


From Libya to Tunisia


On this difficult time, it also good to appreciate the resettlement initiations by USA, Canada, The Netherlands, Switzerland, Norway, Belgium, Portugal, Poland and others. It is also important to push these countries to extend their quotas and nock the doors of other countries to save the desperate from the frustrations under the burning sun. We always hope to see the sufferance of these refugees come to an end; all the new babies born under the hot tent will not remain there!

Timisoara: 47 Eritrean refugees arrived from Tunisia

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!!

Selamawi: Alive somewhere in Europe

This article was orginally posted by Gabriele Del Grande in Fortress Europe after Selamawi confirms he is alive and he is safe in eastern Europe.

We met at church in Tripoli three years ago, during my first trip to Libya with Roman Herzog in November 2008. And once we realized it was not a guy like the others. He agreed to invite us to lunch at his house, taking the risk of being intercepted by the Libyan secret service men that followed. And before you say goodbye, we had delivered the appeal he had written four months earlier with five other students of Asmara, with whom he had spent a long period of imprisonment in Misrata , Libya, after they were arrested en route to Lampedusa. Since then Selamawi had never ceased to cooperate with Fortress Europe. It was one of the most active community informants Eritrea in Libya. And because of its militancy we were able to spread important news , especially at the time of the rejections and the riots in Libyan prisons. This is despite the threats that Eritrea's embassy officials had sent not so subtly, letting them know that they knew that behind the pseudonym Selamawi was his name and he had to stop yelling so much interest in politics. But he has continued undeterred. Translating the articles of Fortress Europe in Tigrinya , the Eritrean diaspora to. And updating his blog from the Internet point of Tripoli. Until one day it disappeared into nothing.

The last time we felt the phone was on February 24 . Benghazi had fallen into the hands of the insurgents after a week of blood, and in Tripoli the demonstrations were suppressed with the firing on the crowd and the militia house to house to flush out opponents . In that climate of terror, while hundreds of thousands of foreign workers to leave Libya, Selamawi me that Tunisia was too dangerous to reach, because the blacks out of Tripoli was to be mistaken for mercenaries and killed Gadhafi. So, he concluded, would wait to see if it had reopened the route to Lampedusa groped for the lot. Then silence. For three and a half months I have not heard from him again. raqm the Ar-matlub muqfil . I had memorized the Libyan automatic sms. The number of the person you call may be switched off or unreachable. Meanwhile, at sea there were hundreds of dead, week after week. And I must admit that I was starting to make me a reason. That there were other explanations. And Selamawi was dead. Drowned along with hundreds of other boys from the ports of Tripoli in search of safe beaches on the north shore. I was now sure, because I was so sure that if he were still alive somewhere would contact me in one way or another. Until this morning I had confirmation. Inbox. Message of 08:27. Subject: " From Timosoara ". I knew that I would contact if he were still alive. Do not ask me how, but Selamawi arrived in Romania and is doing well. And I hope that soon we can all go back to calling him by his real name. Maybe in the corridors of an English university, where Selamawi dreams of continuing her studies in marine biology.

Timisoara: Eritreans on their way to build life

It has happened. Nobody has thought about it before, to come to Timisoara-Romania. Eritrean refugees who have been suffering for long, they are now relieved from all the past sufferance and have seen international protection for the first time. It is small transit center, but it hosts very diverse and complicated testimonies of refugees. Nobody can either write or narrate it all. It is very long and complicated; they have cried and suffered a lot. Yet, everything has an end.

The history starts as these refugees plan to escape Eritrea. Fleeing the closed country by itself is a mystery. Very fortunately, and unlike those who remained there, these refugees managed to arrive neighboring Ethiopia or Sudan. The sufferance hardly remained in Eritrea, rather it migrate with them. Yet, the sufferance was different as it was happening abroad. The way to reach Khartoum is unimaginable; to reach there many lives were paid. And the most difficult decision was the plan to cross the terrible Sahara. These refugees buried tens and hundreds of Eritreans in the sandy desert, may God receive their soul. Those who luckily arrive Libyan territory, they were welcomed to inhuman detentions.


The extents of human right violation in Libya are known to everyone, but Eritrean refugees are the witness for it. How many died in Ra’es Jedida? How many suffered in Misurata, Zileten, Garabuli, Zawiyah or Twaisha detention centers? How many innocents were killed in Ganfuda, Benghazi with cold blood? Or how many Eritreans beaten, robbed, or killed with knife in Libyan streets? Nobody has an answer for these questions, except he or she will say a lot of them. At the time of sufferance, all migrant workers and Eritrean refugees cursed Libyans for their cruel habit, and wished to see bad day of Libyans. By the end of the day, the day has really come. Now after all the sufferance of Eritreans in Libya has ended, Eritrean refugees are wishing all the best for Libyans, they forgot everything.


When Libyans start their revolution, another round of sufferance came to Eritreans and all Sub-Saharan immigrants sieged in Libya. The word “MERCENARIES” became headache after a rumor heard that Col. Gaddafi is hiring African fighters to suppress popular uprising. Eritrean refugees could not leave their rooms for food shopping. It was very hard time there. The work of Eritrean and non-Eritrean activists did unbelievable work in trying to evacuating the desperate. John Stauffer of ATDE (USA), Don Mussie Zeray of Agenzia Habeshia (Italy), Elsa Chyrum of HRC-E (UK), Eritrean activists in Switzerland and many others did their best. The work of freelancers, bloggers and journalists was also very helpful. Gabriele Del Grande was among the most hardworking bloggers to open the blind eye in the European frontiers. Many Eritreans, young and enthusiastic activists from Tripoli also did their best in exposing the amount of sufferance from inside Tripoli. Yet, all this trial did very little thing in evacuation of Eritreans from Libya. Thus, Eritrean refugees loss their hope of evacuation and NATO starts aerial bombing. Pushed by this, hundreds of Eritreans died in the sea in desperate trial of reaching Italy. The rest crossed to the west and arrived Shousha camp of Tunisia.

Now, those who had resettlement programs to USA and the Netherlands or other countries got some hope. With the help of the external pressure and the work of UNHCR & IOM in Tunisia, first 30 Eritreans arrived in Timisoara in April 20. Then, many groups followed them and arrived Timisoara Transit Center and they are enjoying some form of freedom under international protection. The work of GTR, IOM and UNHCR in running the camp is evident. With all its drawbacks, the Romanian government is working very hard in meeting the need of the desperate who suffered for more than six years all in North Africa, Libya in particular.

After all, another group of Eritreans are expected to arrive in the coming weeks, thus the Department of Homeland Security will start to screen the refugees as a final stage in the resettlement process. They are hoping the sufferance to end here, and looking very far beyond the Atlantic… it will soon happen!!!

Tunisia- May 24: Eritrean Refugees between two fires

Tunisia- May 24: Eritrean Refugees between two fires




Eritrea was celebrating its 20th birth day, and its citizens in Shousha camp in Tunisia got no time to remember for their independence day. Even all the days before were all tempting for Eritreans, and tensions escalated since May 22. The situation becomes calmer latter late in the evening after the calash took so many lives and injured many others.

We woke up by laud cry. It was about 3:30 am, Sunday may 22nd. At first we thought is clash among some different nationalities, but after hearing gas container explosions, we realized it is fire. We rushed to it. We were too late to extinguish it. The fire extinguishing team was bit far and they have been in their dream. Wind blow high, fortunately, not as high as the day before and distribute the fine to 21 tents in a matter of less than 10 minutes. Now after the fire stopped burning new tents, the fire fighters also arrived and did whatever they believe to help them from responsibility. Now, we realized and watched four bodies lying on the burned tents. It was difficult to distinguish on their identity. People told us their identity only from the way they were lying on. Now, the police were also good after everything was over. They picked up the bodies without even taking photos that can help detectives to look in to the crime.

Before sun rise, all Eritreans heard what has happened to their desperate brothers, and they all burned with anger. But, there was no any available solution that can stabilize us. We marched to the police station in mass as a protest and delegates spoke with security personnel. Thus, hoping the rule of law will do something on our behalf, we returned back to the big tent for mourning. It was all unbelievable. Our unity reflected there and spent all the day and night there remembering those who passed away in a flame of tents. Somali and Ethiopian Oromo came to the camp in mass to show their condolences and prayed for the dead once.




In May 23rd, those believed to be the crime makers, they organized all sub-Saharan Africans to join them in protest and they united to block the Libyan-Tunisian road- THE LIFE LINE. They did this protest intentionally to block Eritreans from leaving to third world country and attract the world by blocking the LIFE LINE. So they did. IOM bus couldn’t enter the camp, and the trip canceled. They were happy in the evening singing… Africa sem sem… meaning Africa is united and we are all the same. But not true… some of them are migrant workers and the rest refugees or asylum seekers. UNHCR was handling their cases differently according the need. Late in the evening clashes seemed obvious as tensions escalate.

The next day, the clash erupted abruptly. It started near the big tent where Eritreans were in Mourning. There are different responses as how it first erupted, but the conflict was between Eritreans on one side and the other entire sub Saharan African on the other side. It was unbalanced conflict. Soon, Eritreans could not resist the mass attack orchestrated by Sudanese and Ivoirians. We flee towards the neighboring Tunisian town Ben Guerdan. In the conflict, many Eritreans and from the other front injured seriously, fortunately, there was no death in this part of the conflict. But, another greater danger was coming from the nearby town.

Angry Tunisians meet us in the way. They thought first as if we are marching to attack their town, latter we explained we are attacked and pushed out of the camp by other groups and we have nothing to do with closing the LIFE LINE. They threaten us and left to attack the campers, so they did. They looted, robbed and burned every tent. They, with the help of the local police attacked all sub Saharan Africans without discrimination. The number of causalities is much higher than the official news broadcast. Thanks God, Tunisians forgot what they came for and tend towards robing all the stores. Before sunset all the properties of the camp were transported to Ben Guerdan. The police were just watching silently the whole day, but latter they have to do some easy drama… they chased the robbers when there was nothing left behind. Another shameful drama was by the fire extinguishing team. They just follow the burners (they are their friends) and pour their chemical for nothing but to show their boss they use all their effort in Firefighting. Shameful.

Late in May 24th, after losing too much lives, the repatriation started and majority of the migrant workers left the camp and flew to their countries. Yet, the rest remained on bare desert with out any tent for days fearing another burn and loss of lives. I remember nights of patrol to safe guard our people from possible night fire. Now,I left the desert camp to a safe place, but I am still spending sleepless nights thinking about the situation of those I leave them in the sandy desert. May God deliver them soon!!

Eritrean refugees arrive in Romanian emergency transit centre from Tunisia

TIMISOARA, Romania, April 20 (UNHCR) – Thirty Eritrean refugees have arrived at an emergency transit centre in western Romania after fleeing Libya and spending weeks in a crowded camp in Tunisia as UNHCR and its partners sought a solution for them.

The Eritreans, including three women and a boy, will spend up to six months in the centre in Timisoara before being resettled in the United States and the Netherlands.

Unlike most of the foreigners who have fled from Libya since mid-February, hundreds of Eritreans and Somalis stuck on the Tunisian and Egyptian borders with Libya cannot return to their countries because their lives would be at risk.

This is the first group to be flown out of the country ahead of resettlement. Their evacuation was organized by the UN refugee agency, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the Romanian government. UNHCR officials said more were expected.

The Eritreans said they fled their country to escape forced military recruitment and claimed that they had been detained and physically abused in Libya. People from sub-Saharan Africa have also been at risk in Libya because of rumours that the government was using them as mercenaries.

One 36-year-old refugee, after thanking UNHCR "for saving me and my brothers, said he had spent six year in a Libyan prison.

Eritreans who made it to Tunisia have had to remain in the Choucha transit camp as tens of thousands of workers from other countries in Egypt and Asia were repatriated by their governments or UNHCR and the IOM. High Commissioner for Refugees António Guterres has repeatedly urged resettlement countries to help the refugees.

Meanwhile in Geneva, UNHCR on Wednesday presented its Global Resettlement Solidarity initiative to resettlement countries. This programme is aimed at addressing the resettlement needs in Egypt and Tunisia arising out of the Libya crisis. UNHCR called on the resettlement countries to provide 8,000 dedicated places for the refugees at the borders with Libya.

"We call on states to provide additional places [to their current resettlement quotas]," stressed Johannes van der Klaauw, UNHCR's senior resettlement coordinator. "The numbers of people in need of resettlement from Tunisia and Egypt increases by the day and may soon be in the thousands rather than the hundreds," he added.

Van der Klaauw also noted that resettlement out of the region could ensure that fewer of these vulnerable refugees risk taking dangerous boat journeys across the Mediterranean Sea to Europe. More than 500 people are known to have lost their lives attempting the crossing in recent weeks.

The Timisoara Emergency Transit Centre was set up in 2008 by the Romanian government, UNHCR and the IOM to house people in urgent need of international protection until their resettlement applications have been processed. It can accommodate up to 200 people and has hosted more than 600 refugees since opening, including Eritreans, Sudanese, Palestinians, Ethiopians, Sri Lankans, Iraqis and Nigerians.

By Roland Schönbauer in Timisoara, Romania and Leo Dobbs in Geneva

The hide and seek game of EU on political refugees

The dignity of human being has clearly breached by EU member states since long time. The hide and seek game of Italy on the issue of immigration and immigrants becomes number one to be criticized. Since its agreement with Libyan counter part in 2003, Italy is found at the back of every human right abuse in Libya. Italy financed detentions and deportation flights regardless of the fate of the victims. The largest thing Italy is doing is mocking good activity just by some make-ups when the politicians come before camera. The government of Italy worked very hard not only to convince Libya, but also advocating the good sides of the border polices in patrolling the frontiers. It used media to tell the EU in general and Italian population in particular about how good migration policies Italy is undergoing.

Since 2003, Italy endangered thousands of immigrants; among many were refugees and potential refugees. All of them were detained with out any screening and many others deported back to their countries. Among them, hundreds of Eritreans detained in Italian financed Libyan detentions and deported back to Eritrea by Italian financed flights. They faced abuse on their return in their country and many died either in detention or on second trial for escape. Yet, Italy stays safe and acts as if it is free from any thing that happens in Libya and in Mediterranean Sea. HRW, Amnesty, UNHCR and EU human right groups seriously criticized Italy, but Italy continued to help Libya to endanger asylum seekers and refugees mixed with illegal immigrants.

The worst Italian action to tackle the influx of immigrants starts from May 2009. The push-back policy was advocated as the best way to stop flow of immigrants to Italy, and EU; thus Italy and Libya signed a deal that enables Italy to dump any immigrant caught in the sea back to Libya. Libya in turn to get some patrol boats and other logistics that will be used to control the southern border. Not only this, but also to get compensation for the colonial periods under Italy. The thing is not their fund and cooperation, but all this is done at the cost of immigrants, many of which are refugees.

Thus, after the push-back policy started in May 2009; hundreds of asylum seekers and refugees from Eritrea and Somalia were sent back to Libya with out any screening. The interception was just in the high seas and they do not get chance to apply for asylum in Italy; a country signatory to Geneva Convention and that pretends as EU member of standard human right respect. All the pushed back Eritreans and Somalis remain in different Libyan detention centers for more than a year. The bad news is then, these detainees who spent at least one year and at most three years in detention centers are in danger of forceful deportation back to Eritrea.



In June 30, 2010 more than 240 Eritrean refugees from Misrata detention center were transferred to Brak center near Sebha. Before their departure, they were all beaten, and many injured seriously. Thanks to the Human right groups, journalists and Eritreans in Diaspora, they made a loud cry on behalf of the Eritrean refugees. Italian government was they exposed to condemnation and criticism. The media it self made too much pressures on both Libya and Italy, thus they were obliged at least to mock for a while. Italy sent its delegate to Tripoli and signed agreement.

Do not be surprised! Italy is continuing its hide-and-seek game on refugees. Due to the pressure from media and Human Rights group, Italy worked to free Eritreans from detention centers in Libya, but their asylum rights remain out side the issue. They have been given very big and green paper that expires in three months, and they are told they will be free in Libya. But, Italy becomes very proud by what it so far accomplish, the rights to apply for asylum is not part of the deal. Detainees are arriving from the near by detention centers but hardly arrive from Brak. They remained in Sebha as their papers do not allow traveling to Tripoli, where they can either visit UNHCR or other groups.

As from the side of the released detainees, they are happy for the development so far as they are at least allowed to see the rising of the sun like us. They miss it to much; they were eager to get fresh air and to get free Vitamin-D from sun, which God gave to every body. They did not hesitate for the temporary freedom as they spend years in closed rooms. Yes, it is shameful for EU, shameful for Italy and shameful for Libya, to sell the freedom and rights of refugees, and to say proudly “they are released at the cost of work”. Countries who advocate about human rights to others, it is more than shameful to see them breaching the basic human rights.

Else, Eritreans in Tripoli sees this development as good step forward, because their brethren are taking fresh air as everybody. Yet, we urge the international community to resettle these desperate Eritreans for durable solutions. Libya is not the destination of Eritreans; they want asylum! Give them opportunity for international protection. Else leaving them down hear is other type of detention. From detention to detention!!!

Good Solidarity from worldwide and Cooperation of Libyan government brought solution

AFP Says "Libya allows 400 Eritreans to stay"... happiness among Eritreans in Tripoli!!!



The concern about Eritrean detainees transferred to Sebha seems resolved now. The greater solidarity among the refugees, concerned individuals and human right groups, and all after it got attention of the Libyan government. Thanks to the Libyan government too after all for understanding the situation of these refugees. So much happiness among Eritreans in Libya as there is good hope from Libya that these innocents will be released. The following is the report of AFP after Libya allows the Eritreans to stay in Libya freely.

TRIPOLI — Libya said on Thursday that it has granted some 400 Eritreans permission to stay after human rights group warnings that refugees and asylum seekers among them risked abuse if forcibly repatriated.

"The relevant authorities have begun taking steps to welcome and integrate these clandestine Eritrean immigrants to prevent them being exploited or put in danger by human traffickers," a foreign ministry statement said.

The ministry said Libya would "ensure them a decent life and access to employment suitable to their professional abilities."

"The Eritrean embassy in Tripoli is going to deliver identity cards to those concerned so that those who want to can stay in Libya," the ministry said, adding that around 400 people were affected.

The International Organisation for Migration confirmed that Libya had agreed to find the Eritreans employment on public works projects.

"These migrants are scared of being repatriated," the inter-governmental organisation's head of mission, Laurence Hart, told AFP.

On Tuesday, Amnesty International called on Libya not to repatriate the Eritreans, who include refugees and asylum seekers as well as migrants, because of fears they could face torture or other ill-treatment as punishment for "betraying" the country or fleeing military service.

The London-based watchdog said that 200 Eritreans had been moved to Al-Birak detention centre in the desert town of Sabha following an escape attempt on 29 June by around 15 of them in the Misratah camp in the north.

"The Libyan authorities must protect these Eritrean nationals and ensure that they are not forcibly returned to their home country, where they would be at serious risk of torture and other abuse," Amnesty's Middle East and North Africa director, Malcolm Smart, said.

"Any forcible return of Eritrean nationals would be a violation of Libya?s obligation not to return any individuals to a country where they would be at risk of torture or other forms of ill-treatment," Smart added.

The action over the Eritrean refugees and asylum-seekers comes amid a row between Libya and the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees over the agency's work in the country.

The UNHCR said last month that it had been allowed to resume part of its work following talks over Libya's initial decision to expel the agency.

But it added that Tripoli was maintaining its accusation that the UNHCR representative had been offering refugee status in exchange for sex.

Italy accused of letting Libya mistreat refugees

By Silvia Aloisi

ROME (Reuters) - Italy's opposition accused the government on Tuesday of turning a blind eye to the fate of 245 Eritrean refugees who were turned back at sea by Italian patrols and are now held in Libya in "inhumane conditions".

Human rights groups have appealed to the Rome government, which last year began deporting migrants intercepted at sea under a new deal with Libya, to offer asylum to the Eritreans, saying many were ill-treated while in detention.

"What's happening to these Eritrean citizens is shameful," said Paolo Ferrero of the Communist Refoundation party. "It's the umpteenth example of how the government is effectively denying the right to asylum."

The government was summoned to explain itself in parliament on Wednesday at the request of opposition parties.

In a letter made public on Tuesday, Council of Europe Human Rights Commissioner Thomas Hammarberg said he had received reports that the migrants were subjected to violence by Libyan military police, leaving several of them seriously injured.

Hammarberg asked Italy's foreign and interior ministers to urgently clarify the situation with Libyan authorities.

The two ministers said in a joint letter to Il Foglio newspaper that Rome was mediating with Tripoli to identify the Eritreans and try to find them employment in Libya so that they would not be forcibly repatriated.

They also said it was necessary to respect Libyan sovereignty and called for an international approach, involving the United Nations and other organisations.

"The fate of these Eritrean citizens cannot be resolved only through our bilateral relationship (with Libya)," the ministers said in their letter made available to Reuters by Il Foglio, which plans to publish it on Wednesday.

The Italian Council for Refugees said in a statement last week the refugees were moved to a detention centre near Sebha, in the middle of the Sahara desert, on June 30 after a 12-hour journey locked in a container. It said those who were injured or in poor condition had not been given any medical treatment.

"The latest news is not reassuring. More of them were beaten today, the number of those sick with diarrhoea is growing and there is no doctor," the head of the Italian council, Christopher Hein, told Reuters on Tuesday.

He said the migrants were all men who were apparently transferred after taking part in a revolt in another detention centre, where they refused to sign repatriation documents.

Hein said their condition was made more difficult by Libya's decision last month to order the U.N. refugee agency UNHCR to close its operations in the country.

Some of the refugees have been appealing for help in phone interviews with Italian media, something which Foreign Minister Franco Frattini said was very odd "coming from people who say they are in detention and risk being tortured".

Amnesty says" Eritreans at risk of forcible return from Libya after prison disturbances"

Amnesty International has urged the Libyan authorities not to forcibly return around 200 Eritreans held in detention amid allegations that several prisoners were beaten by security officials after an escape attempt last week.

The Eritreans, who include refugees and asylum-seekers as well as migrants, are currently held in Sabha's notorious al-Birak detention centre, where beatings and ill-treatment of inmates have been frequently reported.

"The Libyan authorities must protect these Eritrean nationals and ensure that they are not forcibly returned to their home country, where they would be at serious risk of torture and other abuse," said Malcolm Smart, Amnesty International's director for the Middle East and North Africa.

"The Libyan government must also ensure the allegations that these detainees were assaulted and ill-treated by security forces are urgently and independently investigated and that any officials responsible for abusing detainees are held to account."

The Eritreans were moved to al-Birak from Misratah detention centre in northern Libya, following an escape attempt on 29 June by around 15 Eritrean inmates.

This occurred after Libyan officials instructed many of the Eritreans detained at Misratah to complete a form giving their personal details, which the detainees feared would then be passed on to the Eritrean government.

The morning after the attempted break-out, armed police and soldiers entered the detainees’ cells and beat many of the Eritrean detainees with sticks and whips. At least 14 are reported to have been seriously injured.

More than 200 of the Eritrean detainees were then moved in two truck containers to al-Birak, where they are held in overcrowded cells with poor sanitation and shortages of food and water. Some detainees have reportedly been denied medical treatment for the serious injuries they sustained from beatings.

The detainees are feared to be at risk of forcible return to Eritrea, where they could face torture and other ill-treatment as punishment for "betraying" the country or fleeing military service.

"Any forcible return of Eritrean nationals would be a violation of Libya’s obligation not to return any individuals to a country where they would be at risk of torture or other forms of ill-treatment," said Malcolm Smart.

In December 2009 and January this year, the Libyan authorities allowed Eritrean embassy officials to gain access to Eritrean asylum-seekers being detained in Libya, raising fears that this could lead the Eritrean authorities to punish them or their families because they had fled the country and sought asylum abroad.

During the visits, Eritreans were told by Libyan security officials that they should complete forms providing information about their departure from Eritrea and the length of time they had been in Libya. Detainees feared the forms were designed to facilitate their forcible return to Eritrea.

“The Libyan authorities have an obligation to ensure the safety of individuals seeking protection within Libya’s jurisdiction,” said Malcolm Smart.

“A central part of this obligation is to ensure confidentiality for those seeking asylum and not to expose asylum-seekers to risk while in their country. Eritrean embassy officials should not be permitted access to Eritreans seeking asylum in Libya.

"The authorities must immediately provide medical treatment for detainees who were injured in the violence in Misratah, and provide adequate living conditions for those held in al-Birak and elsewhere."

Amnesty International opposes the forcible return of Eritrean nationals to Eritrea. The UN refugee agency, UNHCR, has also issued guidelines to all governments urging them not to forcibly return Eritreans, including rejected asylum-seekers, due to the risks to which they would be exposed as a result of the serious human rights violations that continue to be committed in Eritrea.

“These Eritreans and other asylum seekers and refugees should be allowed full access to UNHCR,” said Malcolm Smart.

HRW says, "Libya: Do Not Deport Eritrean Refugees"

Geneva) - Libyan authorities should immediately stop apparent efforts to deport a group of 245 Eritreans, some of whom have been severely beaten by guards, Human Rights Watch said today. Human Rights Watch said that Libya should grant the United Nations refugee agency immediate access to the group, who were recently transported from the Misrata detention center to another detention center at al-Biraq, north of Sabha town.

"It's bad enough that Libya is brutalizing these detainees," said Bill Frelick, Refugee Program director at Human Rights Watch. "But deporting hundreds back to Eritrea, knowing full well that they could face torture and ill-treatment at home, would be a flagrant violation of Libya's legal obligations."


The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has recommended that host governments refrain from forcibly returning even rejected asylum seekers to Eritrea because of the risk that returned Eritreans will be subjected to detention and torture.

Libya threatened several times to close the refugee agency's office in Tripoli and then expelled the agency's Libya representative on June 7, 2010. In recent days, the government permitted UNHCR to resume extremely limited activities, allowing it to work only with refugees and asylum seekers previously registered by the agency.

The Eritreans had been held in the Misrata detention center in Libya's coastal region west of Tripoli. Tensions mounted after June 7 when the refugee agency's workers stopped visiting the Eritreans held there.

Eritrean detainees in Misrata have managed to inform Human Rights Watch that over the past few weeks Libyan officials forced them to complete bio-data forms in the Eritrean Tigrinya language provided by Eritrean embassy officials and to be photographed. Fearing that these steps were taken in preparation for their deportation, some detainees tried to escape on June 28, resulting in a confrontation between detainees and guards.

According to credible sources, on June 30 Libya transported 245 male Eritreans from Misrata to a remote detention center at al-Biraq, near Sabha, a town with an airport in the center of the country in the Sahara desert that has been the site of previous deportations to Sub-Saharan African countries. About 80 women and children remained behind in Misrata, some separated from male family members. Witnesses informed Human Rights Watch that the Eritreans were jammed into three shipping containers mounted on trucks for the 12-hour, non-stop journey through the desert.

Detainees told Human Rights Watch that Libyan guards severely beat them in the confrontation in Misrata, as well as on the way to al-Biraq; some were taken from Misrata to hospitals, while others arrived at al-Biraq with broken limbs. The detainees said they were given no food or water during the journey and no medical attention in al-Biraq. They also said that Libyan guards told them they would be deported to Eritrea.

"The brutal beatings, denial of food and water, transport through the desert in overcrowded trucks, and the imminent threat of deportation all appear to be punishment for the Misrata uprising," Frelick said. "Libyan authorities seem to think they can get away with these terrible abuses after stripping UNHCR of its ability to protect refugees and asylum seekers."

Both the Convention against Torture and the African Refugee Convention forbid Libya from sending individuals to countries where they face a serious risk of persecution or torture. Libya is also a state party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which, under article 13, prohibits arbitrary expulsion and entitles foreigners to an individual decision on their removal/expulsion.

The Human Rights Committee has interpreted article 7 of the ICCPR to forbid refoulement - or forced return - of persons to places where they would be at risk of torture or cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment. Under customary international law, Libya is also obliged not to return anyone to places where they may face persecution or where their lives or freedom would be at risk.

Background

Human Rights Watch reported in January that the Libyan authorities had given Eritrean officials access to Eritrean migrants and asylum seekers detained in Libya, including at the Misrata detention center, violating the right of asylum seekers to keep their refugee claims confidential from their home governments. Human Rights Watch warned then that granting officials such access suggested that the asylum seekers might be in danger of being forcibly returned to Eritrea.


Increasing numbers of Eritreans are fleeing the indefinite national military service imposed by the Eritrean government and pervasive arbitrary detention and torture. Eritrea routinely imprisons individuals caught trying to flee the country and has "shoot to kill" orders for anyone crossing the border without permission. If the government identifies someone who has successfully crossed into Ethiopia or Sudan, it subjects their family members to large fines and sometimes imprisonment.

On April 26, 2009, Libya's justice minister, Mustafa Abd al-Jalil, told Human Rights Watch that Libya would not deport Eritreans or Somalis, in line with Libya's 1969 Constitutional Proclamation, which says that "the extradition of political refugees is prohibited," as well as Law 20 of 1991, which says that "the Jamahiriya [Republic] supports the oppressed and...should not abandon the refugees and their protection."

In September 2009, Human Rights Watch released a report, "Pushed Back, Pushed Around," which documented frequent abuses of migrants while in detention in Libya, as well as the general practice of detaining migrants for indefinite periods of time. Libya has not signed the 1951 Refugee Convention or its 1967 Protocol and has no asylum law or procedures. There is no formal mechanism for individuals seeking protection in Libya. The authorities make no distinction between refugees, asylum seekers, and other migrants. Libya has, however, ratified the African Refugee Convention.

Rome’s pushback endangering Eritreans

Tripoli- The issue of pushback of refugees and asylum seekers back to Libya reached its bitter level. Regardless of the criticisms it faced, Italy continued to breach the rights of asylum seekers, in particular Eritreans since 2003. At the back of every abuse on Eritreans, Italian presence is evident. It financed all the detention, deportation and raids from Libya. Italy should be condemned and should be highly criticized for its racist policy for providing good abuse ground in Libya.

It is true, all the violence is taken in Libya, but it is mostly attributed to Italy. Italy finance detentions, it finance deportation flights and now Italy is dumping asylum seekers back to Libyan soil with out caring what will happen to them on the Libyan ground. Among the pushed back people are Eritreans and Somalis, which are all refugees and potential refugees. Eritreans who flee their county for asylum claim are at the extreme end. Their right to claim asylum in EU states is breached and they are sent back to dark detentions of Libya. Italy do not even try to negotiate with Libyan counterparts about how this refugees should be handled.With out trying to screen out their claim, they are sent back from the high sea. Berlusconi rather advocates about their welcoming with UNHCR in Libya...It is all misleading and it should be condemned.

Now, all the pushed-back once, who remained for about a year in detention are in danger. According to the detainees, they were seriously beaten by a ranger army and sent back in closed containers to Sebha deportation center, most probably to be kicked back to Eritrea. How Rome will defend its naked tactic of push back? It is clear now, it is clear even for those who pretend not to accept the truth. It is not only Libya, but also Italy should be condemned for every thing that is happening in Libya. By the end of the day, the two countries should be pressurized to respect their international obligations on human rights.

But, the fate of the Eritreans in Sebha detention center is unknown. After they are transported early morning 30th June, they remain there. Many of them are with pajamas and the rest are naked as they did not get time to wear their closes. Many are lightly injured and few are injured seriously. They are now with out any humanitarian assistance and out side the reach of eye. Their mobile phones remained closed, thus nobody knows if they are still there or something is done.

The Eritrean community in Tripoli hopes that, the Italian population to condemn its racist government that do not obey its international obligation.Italian government should stop looking revenues at the cost of immigration. Libya is the number one to be criticized, but Italy also the second as every thing is done with the Euro of Italy. Italy and Libya, obey your international obligations. It is about human right we talking, not on oil or trade goods. High respect on human being and less value on oil/natural gas!!!

Green light to UNHCR, green light to the desperate!

The closure of UNHCR and the order of expulsion by the Libyan government was good reason for all the desperate asylum seekers and refugees to worry. This action also worried the EU parliament, the IOPCR, Amnesty International and other human right groups. UN Refugee Agency's spokesperson Melissa Fleming, on June 8th said "We regret this decision as we believe UNHCR has a great deal of work to do in Libya to protect, assist and find durable solutions for the refugees there," Fleming said. "This will leave a huge vacuum for the thousands of refugees and asylum-seekers who are there already and, of course, those who continue to arrive steadily on boats every week."

Later in June 19th, Italian Refugee Council (IRC) expressed its deep concern on the arbitrary expulsion of the Refugee Agency. It appealed to the Italian government to do its best in pressurizing its number one trade partner to allow UN Refugee Agency to function. IRC jointly with International Center for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) also wrote an appeal request to European commissioner for Home Affairs as so as it do its best in pressurizing Libya allow UNHCR to resume its work. From Libyan side, IOPCR- a leading Libyan NGO also expressed its deep regret on the intervention done on the activities of its partner on refugee protection.

The EU parliament in its 17th June 2010 decree, expresses deep concern at the closure of the UNHCR office in Libya and urges the Libyan authorities to ratify the Geneva Convention on Refugees without delay and to allow and facilitate the running of UNHCR's activities in Libya, including the establishment of a national asylum system.

After constructive discussion with Libyan officials at senior level, the UN Refugee Agency in Friday 25th June formally announced that the office is allowed to resume partially and handle the current caseloads at hand. But since it is good ground on which the office can negotiate more on its future existence, it can be taken as green light at this moment.

Thus, the desperate asylum seekers and refugees in Libya now expresses their happiness to the resume of HCR in Tripoli, and hopes it will be much stronger agency than before. It is good time for the agency to see deep inside itself and investigate the allegation by Libyan government for serious misconduct.

As for the partial green light, it is good offer, but not enough!!!

IOPCR concerned on UN Refugee Agency closure

The IOPCR issues a statement regarding the closing of
UNHCR's office in Libya

The IOPCR, a leading Libyan NGO well known as a number one partner to UNHCR in Libya concerned about the closure of the Refugee Agency. This Libyan humanitarian organization was doing very huge task in helping the Refugee Agency to visit detention centers and to release some asylum seekers and refugees in need of urgent medication or the alike. Now below is the official concern of the IOPCR on the closure of UN Refugee Agency in Libya.




“The international Organization for Peace, Care and Relief (IOPCR) has been working in close coordination and partnership with UNHCR Mission in the Libyan Jamahiriya for the past few years to address the challenges of migrants and displaced people in the country. The above mentioned partnership has achieved significant progress in finding appropriate solutions that would contribute to end the plight of irregular migrants and refugees.

The international organization for peace, care and relief (IOPCR) has received with regret and surprise the news on closing down the UNHCR office in Libya and the halt of its operation. IOPCR believes that such measure will have dire and negative consequences on migrants and the reception centers accommodating them that should increase the sufferings of those vulnerable people since they will be deprived from the humanitarian assistance provided by UNHCR in Libya.

It is be recalled that IOPCR has managed through its partnership and cooperation with UNHCR office to implement a number of projects and activities designed to help the migrants and refugees which have been subject to appreciation by the UN as well as several international and national NGOs.

In this regard, IOPCR would like to stress the Libyan Jamahiriya commitments towards refugees and displaced people in Africa and under its international obligations being signatory of 1969 Organization of African Unity (OAU) treaty on refugees that has been ratified by the Libyan Jamahiriya on 1981. Moreover, the IOPCR has been inspired in all its activities by the humanitarian approach and policy adopted by the Leader of the Revolution “Muammar Al-Qadaffi” towards African peoples and the need to pursue the struggle for the Continent's unity, progress and its full liberation from all forms of colonization, discrimination and awkwardness.

The International organization for peace, care and relief (IOPCR) would like to reiterate its appreciation to the role played by UNHCR office in Libya in the past few years and would like to commend all its humanitarian efforts and wish that quick and appropriate solutions could be found so that its role and humanitarian activities will be continued in the Libyan Jamahiriya”.



As IOPCR is one of the influential NGOs in Libya and Eritrean refugees are already aware of what it was trying to accomplish, they are optimistic on its influence in resuming the Refugee Agency in Tripoli.

Refugee day in Libya remembered in the absence of UNHCR

World Refugee Day 2010

"This year's World Refugee Day on June 20 has as its theme, "Home," in recognition of the plight of more than 40 million uprooted people around the world. Around 10 million of them are refugees of special concern to UNHCR.

At UNHCR we help people find new homes and new futures through resettlement, through voluntary repatriation and through local integration. Most of the time, and where it's possible, refugees prefer to return to their home countries. Nonetheless, and with conflict continuing or escalating in many countries, finding new homes and allowing people to restart their lives is increasingly difficult.

This year, for World Refugee Day, we are planning events around the world to highlight the plight of refugees under our care and to advocate on their behalf for the help they need. We will be asking you to think about what it means to be one of those millions of individual human beings. And we will ask you to contribute in whatever way you can to helping them rebuild their lives".

This is the word of UNHCR to the refugee day, June 20. The day is remembered all over the world for the sake of refugees, all in the presence of UNHCR. In Libya refugees this year are remembering this day in the absence of UN Refugee Agency, and they do not know their fate... Yet long live UNHCR, for its global work to help refugees get their future who already loss their homes!!!

European Business; at cost of immigration

The issue of immigration and influx of immigrants from Africa have been headache to Europe for the last decades. The EU has been looking down to Libya both for business partnership and cooperation to combat the flow of immigrants from Africa. As business by nature is bilateral, EU is making the bilateral relationship with Libya at the expense of immigrants. This is clearly seen than, EU needs more oil from Libya and less immigrants.

Starting from June 7th, 2010 EU has been in hot debate with Tripoli as so as end with stable agreement that should create sustainable cooperation expected to be signed by the end of this fiscal year. It is good to hear such huge agreement, but as it excluded the issue of mixed migration, it should be condemned. Libya at the same time terminated the presence of UN Refugee Agency in its territory by criticizing its activity is illegal. At the time of its closure, media expressed its concern and the Refugee Agency also expressed its fear of the future of asylum seekers and refugees in Libya left without any help. If concern with words are not followed by some critical step in pressurizing Libya either to sign refugee convention 1951 or allow UNHCR to operate as before, all the official press release will remain as normal word.

It is clear now that, EU firms who are getting much of their revenues from great oil exporter Libya, the issue of immigration at this moment is good most for EU countries. Italy, as the first place where immigrants and potential refugees arrive has already assured its push-back policy and the country is continuing to dump intercepted refugees to Libyan detentions. Last weeks, more than 20 refugees and potential refugee we intercepted and pushed back for detention, UNHCR is already closed- NO MORE PROTECTION!!!

The case of Eritreans and Somalis remain highly volatile and they are always the first to be risked. Eritreans at any moment can’t return to their country due to the threat at home. Yet Somalis are stateless, and they cannot be repatriated back. The only option is to allow UNHCR to function and bring some durable solutions in future.

But, the EU’s step to sign its bilateral relation with Libya should not undermine the case of asylum seekers and refugees in Libya. They either should stop push back or pressurize Libya to allow UNHCR to resume its work in Tripoli. Stop looking revenues at the expense of the life of asylum seekers and refugees!!!

Del Grande and Fortress Europe: Good job on immigrants

Gabriele Del Grande, Fortress Europe

It is the issue of hard work that was done by Fortress Europe. Since this blog is founded, it has been doing great job to explore the situation of all immigrants trying to arrive Europe. It discovered from different direction and made a concrete site where the EU in general and Italy in particular can be informed. It is not only matter of journalism, but also humanitarian issue the site has been accomplishing.
Since the founding of Fortress Europe in 2006, Gabriele Del Grande wrote about the victims of illegal immigration towards Europe, much of his report includes eye witness. He visited most of the departure places in Africa from which immigrants bounce to Europe and observed what exactly is happening over there. According to many observers of what he accomplished, he is one of the great journalists of these decades as his reports are solid and concrete. He at the same time looks it from humanitarian perspective and he tried to help the victims in many ways.

On his visit to Libya in November 2008, he managed to visit Misurata detention center where around 600 Eritreans were held for about two years without trial. He interviewed the detainees and he reported in Fortress Europe. The titles given to his report are very appropriate and self explanatory. His blog is language-rich, and it is available in majority of European languages and other world languages as so as it can be wildly red.

As for Eritrean refugees in Libya, it was and is their window to connect to the outside world as it reported their hardship at very appropriate time. It gives big coverage to Eritreans in detention centers of Libya and the rest brethrens in the way to reach Israel. This blog also writes many news and articles about the new Italian push-back policy that endangers asylum seekers and refugees. Gabriele Del Grande did his best to tell the EU/Italian community about the truth on ground,that all the victims of the push-back policy was endangering their life in detention centers.

Now, UNHCR in Libya is kicked out and at the same time the push-back policy is continuing. Fortress Europe is always there and the great journalist- Del Grande is in his great position,the blog is informing the EU population about the situation and dangers of asylum/refugees in Libya.

Else, Gabriele Del Grande, the founder and the Author of Fortress Europe is one of the greatest journalists of these decades. Eritreans in Libya appreciates his restless efforts of informing all the misinformed once about the realities of immigration, rights abuse and death of refugees when trying to reach Europe. Long live fortress Europe, good job Gabriele Del Grande!!!

UNHCR mandate terminated, Danger shadowing refugees in Libya

As a northern African nation and as strategic location to bounce to Europe, Libya has been hosting some thousands of immigrants. It has got low records of human rights and people have been facing too much abuse in detention centers. Since long time, the UN refugee agency has been trying to address the need of asylum seekers and refugees, below the threshold level that can be considered as a contribution.

The office was there fore the only hope to those in desperate of its umbrella; even though little is done by the office. Everybody is aware of all the dilemmas the office to tackle with, but the office was highly expected to act with in the problems more that what it has been doing. People have been really tired visiting the office that hosts few staff and very large work load. RSD interviews have been scheduled for more than four times and there are a lot of people who do not get the interview yet since 2008. Even those who got the RSD, the result for decision is delayed and many of the clients have been visiting the office every Thursday. Issuing asylum and refugee certificate is the other problem; people have been visiting the office for more than four months as no certificate is given to all new applicants who register in 2010.

People are also desperately looking aid in detention centers. Yes, this is off course difficult for the office it needs some assistance from the government. Thus, people will face extreme situation if this little responsibility of UNHCR totally terminated. All the asylum seekers who do not yet got opportunity to registration, all the asylum seekers registered for asylum but waiting for RSD, all asylum seekers who have done RSD interview but waiting the final decision on their refugee status are the first hand. Yet there are a lot of recognized refugees who desperately look for durable solutions and there are other groups who are already referred for resettlement to voluntary countries and finish interviews with IOM for final resettlement. Other groups fall to family sponsorship to Canada and EU countries. Every body will be risked with the new decision of Libya to terminate the work of the UN refugee agency.

The Italian push back policy is also there. People can not go to Italy and apply for asylum. Now, the tactic of the Italian government to deceive the EU by convincing about the welcoming of returnees, now every thing becomes clear. All the pushed back are yet in detention centers and all the rest are risking of deportation back to their home country if UN refugee agency terminate in Tripoli. Where is the sense of globalization and civilization, EU in general and Italy in particular advocates?

Thus, Eritrean asylum seekers and refugees are center for the risk and are extremely concerned. Now they are urging the international community to convince Libya allow the agency to function and we also urge to the developed countries that are part to refugee protocols of 1951 to look for durable solutions of the desperate refugees in Libya

UN refugee agency says it is being expelled from Libya without explanation

By ELIANE ENGELER , Associated Press

GENEVA - The U.N. refugee agency said Tuesday it is being expelled from Libya without explanation despite being responsible for thousands of refugees in the North African country.

The U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees received a note from Libyan authorities last week ordering it to cease its work and leave the country, said the agency's spokeswoman Melissa Fleming.

"We very much regret this decision," she said. "We have not been given any reason by the Libyan authorities for why we should leave the country."

Libya's Foreign Ministry accused the agency of operating illegally in the country.

Fleming said the refugee agency is trying to negotiate with Libya and hopes the expulsion is only temporary. The agency, which has been working in Libya since 1991, screens people fleeing to Libya because the country has no procedure for registering asylum seekers or refugees.

Many desperate Africans come to Libya to try to sneak into the European Union by getting on a rickety boat headed for Malta or Italy.



UNHCR spokeswoman, Melissa Fleming

"UNHCR is the asylum system in Libya and this will leave a huge vacuum for the thousands of refugees and asylum seekers who are there already and of course those who continue to arrive steadily on boats," said Fleming.

The agency has already registered about 9,000 refugees from the Palestinian territories, Iraq, Sudan, Somalia and other African countries. In addition, there are about 3,700 asylum seekers in Libya, mostly from Eritrea, some of whom are being held in detention centers, she said.

UNHCR also provides refugees and asylum seekers with shelter, medical care and other aid. It has 26 staff members in the country, mostly local employees.

The agency tries to find new homes in other countries for all the refugees because it says staying in Libya is not an option. Libya has not signed the global refugee convention, which forbids nations to deport refugees to countries where they may face persecution.

UNHCR appealed for help to the Libyan President of the U.N. General Assembly, Ali Abdessalam Treki.

His spokesman, Jean-Victor Nkolo said Treki received a letter from UNHCR chief Antonio Guterres regarding the agency's situation in Libya. But he declined to comment on the content.

Libya has significantly increased its presence at the U.N. in recent years and held the presidency of the Security Council in January 2008 and in March 2009.

Last year, Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi's speech before the General Assembly, his first there in 40 years, was a diatribe lasting more than an hour and a half.

He compared the U.N.'s most powerful arm, the Security Council, to a 'Terror Council', protesting its domination by five permanent members. He also offered a number of conspiracy theories regarding matters ranging from swine flu to the assassinations of former President John F. Kennedy and the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.

In a separate statement, UNHCR said it was worried about some 20 Eritreans who were rescued at sea trying to reach Malta from Libya. The passengers made distress calls Sunday and were finally rescued late Monday by Libyan authorities.

Fleming said Maltese and Italian maritime authorities ignored the distress calls and relied on Libya to rescue the people.

Also Tuesday, the UNHCR urged four European governments to reconsider deporting Iraqi citizens to Baghdad, citing ongoing turmoil in the city. The agency said it believes that Britain, Norway, Sweden and the Netherlands are planning deportations for later this week. It did not say how many people were facing deportation.

The agency said people from several areas in Iraq, including Baghdad, should continue to be protected by refugee status because of "the volatile security situation and the still high level of prevailing violence, security incidents, and human rights violations taking place."

Matthew Coats, head of immigration at the U.K. Border Agency, said Britain only deports people that both the government and the courts are satisfied do not need protection but who also refuse to leave voluntarily.

The security situation in Iraq is "significantly better" than it was in 2008, and voluntary returns to the country have been increasing, he said in a statement.

__

AP writers Jennifer Quinn in London and Khaled al-Deeb in Tripoli contributed to this report.

Eritreans immersed in endless dilemma all the way

Many things have been said about migration and migrants, and much has been said about Eritrean migrants. Since long, the numbers of Eritreans diverge to all direction hypothetically increased. From Eritrea, the majority cross westward to Sudan and the rest southward to Ethiopia. Small proportion of the immigrant population cross the red sea and arrive the Arabian Peninsula. Out of the population that moved south, majority continue west ward and converge to their brethren in Shegerab Camp of Eastern Sudan. The rest resides in Ethiopian camps under the surveillance of UNHCR and ARRA, and small proportion migrates to south or southeast. Now, the target will be those who face many difficulties before they reached their destination… the Sudan-Libya-Italy route.
Eritreans who decide to take risk to reach Italy for an asylum claim must therefore be smuggled to Khartoum from shegreab with about $150. The rout is very risky and it took the life of many youth. Many died crossing the dam near the camp with manual boats. The lucky once that arrive Khartoum under great security fear and desperately fall under the mercy of Eritrean intermediates (delalo) that have got hotels to sleep in. Thus, the intermediates without letting the new arrivals to see the situation and by threatening them of detention, they send many Eritreans to the Sahara desert in a matter of weeks or days. Any one is much concerned not return back to Eritrea and nobody seems to fear about the risks that will be faced when crossing the Sahara and the Mediterranean Sea. Thus, the lucky once who managed to accumulate around $1000 on average have to leave and start the most terrific and life threatening journey. Ohh God receive the soul of those we leave them in the open Sahara, every trip was at the expense of innocents. Very expensive journey, just paying lives. They get the informal funeral if and only if the cruel smugglers allow and friends onboard can step down and do their mandate of funeral. At this point, it is not fair to speak about the violation of rights in the mid of Sahara, as many of us are not lucky to be with us until Tripoli.

To be captured by Libyan police in the mid Sahara is blessing like what we are looking in the photo, because you at least think you will not die for hunger and dehydration. But, your fate is to be dumped to endless and inhuman detention all the way. Libya is a country which has got private detention centers owned by the smugglers, off course they are the military/police officials at the same time. You are sold and resold before you arrive Tripoli.
With all these difficulties, you arrive Tripoli City, very energetic and hopeful to reach Italy. Even though it is not more than 400km on average, Italy seems much further than all the way accomplished so far. People get detained and face too much abuse than ever in their way. The way you have to arrange to cross the Mediterranean is very dangerous and less than half of the trials win. Many others are captured when setting from the sea shore and many others manage to depart, but very unfortunately they sunk in the deep seas.

Now, after Tripoli and Rome did their deal at the expense of the rights of asylum, Italy is allowed to dump any intercepted immigrant back to Libya. The most surprising thing is, Italy managed to convince its people that the pushed back are welcomed when they return back to Libya. Yes, they are welcomed but they are detained inhumanly for undetermined time and always in risk of going back to their countries. Yes welcomed to be detained!!!