UNHCR High Commissioner for Refugees urges
evacuation of people trying to leave Libya
28 February, 2011 | UNHCR (Press Release)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Geneva, 28 February 2011 – UNHCR High Commissioner for
Refugees, António Guterres is expressing his concern for tens of
thousands of refugees and other foreigners who may be trapped in
Libya.
"There are no planes and boats to evacuate people originating from
war-torn and very poor countries," Mr. Guterres said, urging
governments to consider the needs of all vulnerable people and not
just their own citizens. "Many of these people feel targeted, and
afraid and have no resources."
to be particularly at risk as they are being associated with foreign
mercenaries," said the High Commissioner. "We are very concerned
they are unable to move or access safety."
UNHCR is working at the Tunisian and Egyptian borders to help
the governments manage a dramatic influx of thousands of people
fleeing Libya. Over 110,000 people have crossed so far and
thousands more arrive by the hour. Most of those fleeing are
Egyptian and Tunisian nationals, though small numbers of Libyans
and other nationalities are managing to escape. UNHCR is
particularly concerned that only very few refugees have made it out
of Libya.
Meanwhile, UNHCR staff members in Tripoli are doing their best
to help refugees who manage to reach or contact our office.
IOM estimates that there are an estimated 1.5 million irregular
migrant workers in Libya from Africa and Asia. The High
Commissioner welcomes the significant efforts underway by
countries of origin to facilitate return of these stranded migrants to
their home countries with the support of IOM.
"UNHCR is appealing to all neighboring governments in North
Africa and Europe to maintain open land, air and sea borders for
people forced to flee from Libya," Mr. Guterres said. "All people
leaving Libya should be granted access to territory without
discrimination, irrespective of their background."
The High Commissioner expressed his gratitude toward the Tunisian
and Egyptian governments for their open border policy and again
appealed to the international community to come to their aid.
.Courtesy
Related Stories
Saving Ethiopians in the Middle East Should Get Priority
New Business Ethiopia
Gadhafi’s Mercenaries And The Plight of African Refugees
Tadias
Libyan mercenaries: captured Africans deny charges Bradenton
In Libya, African Migrants Say They Face Hostility NPR
Appeal for help for refugees stranded in Libya Asmarino
Racism rears its ugly face in Libya uprising live on TV
By Tedla Asfaw
evacuation of people trying to leave Libya
28 February, 2011 | UNHCR (Press Release)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Geneva, 28 February 2011 – UNHCR High Commissioner for
Refugees, António Guterres is expressing his concern for tens of
thousands of refugees and other foreigners who may be trapped in
Libya.
"There are no planes and boats to evacuate people originating from
war-torn and very poor countries," Mr. Guterres said, urging
governments to consider the needs of all vulnerable people and not
just their own citizens. "Many of these people feel targeted, and
afraid and have no resources."
- Libya has
traditionally been a
transit and
destination country
for refugees.
UNHCR has
recognized 8000
Palestinian, Iraqi,
Sudanese, Ethiopian,
Somali and Eritrean
refugees. Over 3000
more were seeking
asylum and many
thousands more who
lacked access to
to be particularly at risk as they are being associated with foreign
mercenaries," said the High Commissioner. "We are very concerned
they are unable to move or access safety."
UNHCR is working at the Tunisian and Egyptian borders to help
the governments manage a dramatic influx of thousands of people
fleeing Libya. Over 110,000 people have crossed so far and
thousands more arrive by the hour. Most of those fleeing are
Egyptian and Tunisian nationals, though small numbers of Libyans
and other nationalities are managing to escape. UNHCR is
particularly concerned that only very few refugees have made it out
of Libya.
Meanwhile, UNHCR staff members in Tripoli are doing their best
to help refugees who manage to reach or contact our office.
IOM estimates that there are an estimated 1.5 million irregular
migrant workers in Libya from Africa and Asia. The High
Commissioner welcomes the significant efforts underway by
countries of origin to facilitate return of these stranded migrants to
their home countries with the support of IOM.
"UNHCR is appealing to all neighboring governments in North
Africa and Europe to maintain open land, air and sea borders for
people forced to flee from Libya," Mr. Guterres said. "All people
leaving Libya should be granted access to territory without
discrimination, irrespective of their background."
The High Commissioner expressed his gratitude toward the Tunisian
and Egyptian governments for their open border policy and again
appealed to the international community to come to their aid.
.Courtesy
Related Stories
Saving Ethiopians in the Middle East Should Get Priority
New Business Ethiopia
Gadhafi’s Mercenaries And The Plight of African Refugees
Tadias
Libyan mercenaries: captured Africans deny charges Bradenton
In Libya, African Migrants Say They Face Hostility NPR
Appeal for help for refugees stranded in Libya Asmarino
Racism rears its ugly face in Libya uprising live on TV
By Tedla Asfaw
| Detained Ethiopians in Japan Released from Custody! 4 Sep. 2010 (SMNE) - "The Japanese government has now released the last of the 17 known Ethiopian asylum-seekers being detained at Japanese Immigration Detention Centers...More |
| All rights reserved. |
| Ethio Quest News Together We Can Make It! |
 | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  |
| Ethio Quest News: For latest Ethiopian News, views, Reviews and More |
| The Tragedy of Ethiopian Refugees "We believe that an inquiry by your office regarding the concerns we have raised will be the most important step in the search for a permanent...More Internal refugees deserve same rights.... The Untold Story of Ethiopians in Cuba |
| Previous Stories Yemen: Refugees unite to enhance mobilization efforts Yemen Times Reporter (Relief Web) Horn of Africa: migrate to Yemen or die trying William Spindler Kenya Must Stop Persecuting Ethiopian Refugees SMNE/OACC Ethiopian refugees say they are tricked, forced onto security force; families punished 7 Oct. 2010 (Katharine Houreld | CP) Former Ethiopian cadets stranded in Kyrgyzstan Peter Leonard |
| AP - In this photo released by China's Xinhua News Agency, suspected mercenaries sit in a room in a school as they are held by anti-government protesters Source |