Despite continued efforts to organize the safe evacuation of
groups of Sub-Saharan and other particularly vulnerable migrants
who want to leave the country, IOM has not been able to
reach many of them. The lack of diplomatic representation
for many African nationalities is making it much harder to
negotiate access in order to help them. Although migrants are
scattered around the city, with Sub-Saharan African predominantly
living on the outskirts of Tripoli, the Organization is aware of
groups of migrants camped out along a stretch of the coast and on
farms inland and in need of help.
In addition to not having food, water, shelter and medical
care, the migrants have reportedly expressed significant fear of
harassment and targeting.
However, repeated efforts by IOM to negotiate a safe passage to the port for their eventual evacuation have not proved successful. The Organization has repeatedly called for all parties to ensure all migrants who want to leave are given a safe passage to the port.
IOM staff in Tripoli had been
working especially hard to help those camped along
the coast and on farms in time for the third IOM boat evacuation of
migrants from the Libyan capital on Wednesday.
“It’s deeply frustrating and worrying that we couldn’t get
these especially vulnerable groups out on this evacuation,” says
Pasquale Lupoli, IOM Regional Director for the Middle East and
North Africa. “IOM will nevertheless continue working on
finding ways to reach and assist them as soon as possible.”
More than 390 people were evacuated from Tripoli and a further
58 migrants from Misrata, where the IOM chartered boat made a short
stop-over during the night. The boat is due to arrive in Benghazi
later today. In total, the Organization has assisted nearly
1,600 people on three boat evacuations. Only a handful of
Sub-Saharan Africans have numbered among the evacuees from
Tripoli.
For further information, please contact Jean Philippe
Chauzy, Tel: + 41 22 717 9361/+41 79 285 4366, Email: jpchauzy@iom.int or Jemini Pandya, IOM Geneva,
Tel: + 41 22 717 9486/+ 41 79 217 3374 Email: jpandya@iom.int or Jumbe Omari Jumbe Tel: + 41
22 717 9405/+ 41 79 812 7734 Email: jjumbe@iom.int
