IOM Libya
Martina Salvatore © IOM 2014
SITUATION REPORT
12 October 2014
Participants to the emergency training show their group work results
HIGHLIGHTS During his last visit to the Libyan capital of Tripoli on October 11, the Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said: “much has happened since my last visit after the 2011 revolution when the country embarked on a new path full of hope for the future. But the conflict of the last few months, with its devastating violence and sharp political divisions, has caused untold suffering for the civilian population and has put Libya at the risk of losing all what has been achieved”. Following nearly two months of fighting, Libyan parties responded positively to the UN-sponsored dialogue and gathered on September 29 for preliminary discussions on confidence-building measures aimed at starting a reconciliation process. Although ways to build the trust and overcome the stalemate in the country were discussed, and further meetings proposed, the time for talks “doesn’t seem ripe” for all the parties involved. According to a video circulated on social media, a Misrata militia commander addressed those taking
Evacuation of over 250 migrants of different nationalities accomplished via Tunisia, Egypt or directly out of Tripoli ___________________
Over 900 emergency relief kits distributed among people in need within Tripoli city area, departing migrants and those in detention centres ___________________
Almost 1,036 migrants from different countries tracked and scheduled to receive repatriation support through the IOM network ___________________
2 capacity building trainings for humanitarian and psychosocial workers carried out in Zarzis, Tunisia
part in the UN talks as criminals. At the same time on-going fights are taking place in the eastern city of Benghazi where pro-government forces are contrasting Islamist militias which have taken several army camps and purposely killed 130 soldiers since August 2014. Security sources also reported that gunmen fired rockets at the Labraq 1
IOM Libya Situation Report | 12 October 2014
IOM estimates that there are more than 200,000 migrant workers in Libya of which 7,000 are vulnerable and in need of evacuation assistance, transit or border reception, health services and psychosocial support. Based on IOM’s previous experience and response to the crisis in 2011, and recognizing the importance of providing reintegration assistance, there is also a need for post-arrival and family reunification support in countries of origin. As the security situation in Libya continues to deteriorate, there have also been a high number of third country nationals (TCNs) trapped inside Libya, since the border between Libya and Egypt/Tunisia remains practically closed to them. Without valid travel documents and confirmed airline reservations, authorities will not allow migrants to cross the border. Many also do not have sufficient means to organize their onward travel to their country of origin. This is reflected in the extraordinary high numbers of migrants arriving at the Italian shores during this summer. Migrants who are in destitute conditions risk getting into overcrowded and dilapidated boats which has led to the deaths of more than 2,000 migrants at sea and hundreds of bodies washed on the Libyan shores in recent weeks. Efforts are being made by the Libyan Coast Guard which on October 2 rescued 190 migrants near the coastal town of Garabulli, some 60 kilometres from Tripoli. On the same day 167 migrants on board of a boat reported to be in distress were saved by a Greek tanker about 90 miles north of Benghazi.
IOM RESPONSE EVACUATION IOM Libya continues to track stranded migrants in Libya who wish to receive repatriation support through the IOM network.
In the past 2 weeks, IOM was able to book 43 Sudanese on an Afriqiyah Airways outbound flight to Khartoum as well as 1 Yemeni and 11 Nepalese evacuated by land to the Tunisian border and by air to their home countries. Another group of 22 stranded Nigerians were airlifted home via Cairo. Martina Salvatore Š IOM 2014
airport east of Benghazi, which has become the main entry gate into the east since Benghazi airport was closed in May. The prolonged fighting has created urgent humanitarian needs, particularly those related to the wounded on all sides and caused the displacement of over 140,000 people, the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) and local crisis committees reported.
Evacuation of Nepalese stranded migrants, Tunisian border
IOM Tripoli is also assisting migrants to evacuate directly from Tripoli’s Mitiga Airport in addition to the issuance and/or renewal of travel documents by liaising with the concerned embassy in either Egypt, Tunisia or in Libya itself. Once travel documents are ready, IOM is then able to acquire the necessary approvals to facilitate cross-border movements and departures to countries of origin. With the absence of most foreign representatives, the provision of expedited valid travel documents is a major challenge both administratively and logistically.
CAPACITY BUILDING Following the 6-day training carried out in midSeptember, a second capacity building training for 25 representatives from the local Crisis Committees in Libyan Western Communities and the local Psychosocial Team of the Greater Tripoli Area was completed on September 28. Targeting operators engaged in supporting migrants, refugees and internally displaced families, the training focused on psychosocial support and emergency response as well as vulnerability assessments, registration and reporting. This initiative aims not only at empowering the participating organizations but also at creating a pool of trained emergency workers who can subsequently extend psychosocial support, protection and emergency response to a broader 2
IOM Libya Situation Report | 12 October 2014 network of local associations based throughout Libya, including the east and the south. The Psychosocial Team has already been supporting IOM in the distribution of 900 Hygiene Kits to displaced families, stranded and rescued at sea migrants in conflict affected areas of and around Tripoli since the beginning of the crisis in mid-July.
MEDICAL ASSISTANCE IOM’s comprehensive migration crisis response includes a migration health prevention and care package to provide a continuum of health and psychosocial services to migrants during the predeparture, transit, travel, arrival and initial reintegration phases. During September 2014, IOM provided predeparture health checks to 167 migrants ready for departure. Additional 236 individuals are scheduled to be screened in the upcoming weeks. Health awareness raising sessions are provided to migrants travelling to areas neighbouring countries affected by Ebola virus.
MIGRANTS ASSISTED Sri Lanka
75
Pakistan
41
Ethiopia
10
Ivory Coast
3
Nepal
11
Nigeria
22
Yemen
28
Sudan
72
0
20
40
60
80
48 staff of local organizations trained on
psychosocial support, protection and emergency response
147 air tickets arranged and purchased
for migrants in need of travel assistance
167 migrants provided with predeparture health checks in September
2 warehouses rented in Zarzis, Tunisia for NFIs stockpiling
MIGRANT STORIES … 11 hours later, 11 Nepalese migrant workers arrived safely to Tunisia. However, their journey was not over as it would take them another 5 days to reach their homes and reunite with their wives and children. The group, coming from Tazura, 30 KM from Tripoli, left the city in the morning with an assortment of luggage, representing all their belongings, intending never to return to Libya. “No safety, and little work, we were all hopeless in Libya, all the same, same” explained Chiranjibi to IOM officers on the bus ride to the hotel. 36 years old, he is a father of two and moved to Libya in 2013 in search of a better income to support his family back home. After paying 4,000 USD and being promised a job in Libya, Chiranjibi worked as an electrician for 5 months earning 350 USD per month. During the following 21 months he did not receive any salary, but hoped he would eventually get paid in order to compensate the initial investment made to reach Libya. After almost 2 years, his hopes vanished… Being the only English speaker, Chiranjibi also spoke on behalf of his fellow countrymen, 9 of which had been working for the same company. He talked about Ram, an experienced cook, who worked for 6 years at a military base in Iraq and moved to Libya in 2013. He plans to be a farmer in Nepal, to provide for his children of 13 and 16 years. Despite the fatigue from the long travel, the group was glad to be returning to their country and while not intending to return to Libya, Chiranjibi and his companions couldn’t wait to celebrate the last two days of Dashain, the longest and the most auspicious festival of the Nepalese culture.
Funding for IOM Libya’s emergency operations is provided by:
This programme is funded by the European Union
Contact: Rana JABER |Libyan Crisis Coordinator|+216 29 551 754|rjaber@iom.int | www.iom.int
32