Survivors of strikes on Tajoura migration center cause crisis inside a UNHCR facility

The Irish Times newspaper has published a report on how immigrants and refugees have ignored UN recommendations that say they should not return to Tripoli.

Irish Times said that days after a migrant detention centre bombing in Tajoura in eastern Tripoli on July 02, hundreds of survivors walked out in protest at their treatment, seizing a rare moment of opportunity as Libyan guards and staff from the United Nations Refugee Agency watched on.

Surviving immigrants told The Irish Times that they had helped clean up in the aftermath, accusing the Government of National Accord (GNA) of using them as human shields, by locking up thousands of immigrants and refugees directly beside weapons stores in multiple detention centres.

“Some of the bombing survivors hadn’t left the Tajoura centre in two years. Their eyes strained in the sunlight and their limbs were weak, yet they marched tens of kilometres last week until they reached a centre run by the UNHCR, where they were admitted, believing they had finally reached safety.” The Irish Times explained.

Horros and Worries

On last Sunday, the UNHCR ordered them to leave the centre, saying they would not be helped there and must return to Tripoli’s streets, while survivors indicated they are terrified and are worried they are at risk of being detained by the authorities again, or being kidnapped by smugglers.

A man told The Irish Times through social media messages that most of the people are demoralised because they have seen airstrikes, killing and so many tortures, saying he would try to cross the Mediterranean again as it is the only choice because living in the city is the same as sinking in the sea.

Another man from Sudan, who rejected an offer of cash from UNHCR in exchange for leaving, said nobody wants to leave the place, adding that they are playing with their lives and that they deserve to live like anyone else on this planet.

“I told them I don’t need your cash, take me to a safe place, I can make my own money.” He explained.

Offers v.s. Threats

A spokeswoman for the UNHCR in Libya, Paula Barrachina, said the offer to leave the UNHCR centre was made on a voluntary basis and there was no threat to use force.

She added that the UNHCR centre was overcrowded and over capacity, adding that they are fully supportive of the Tajoura survivors and they do want to find solutions for each one of them.

Nonetheless, The Irish Times said it had obtained a video showing a UNHCR staff member telling refugees that Libyan authorities would take them back to detention centres if they didn’t agree to leave.

UNHCR warned on Sunday of the consequences of the current crowdedness of refugees and immigrants at the Gathering and Departure Facility (GDF), saying there are over 1000 persons at the GDF, while the capacity of the facility is 700 persons.

UNHCR added that following the airstrike on Tajoura detention centre on July 03, over 400 illegal immigrants who were kept there arrived by foot to the GDF in Tripoli.

“The serious overcrowding prevailing at the GDF also means that UNHCR is no longer able to transfer vulnerable refugees out of Libya, which is a source of great distress to many languishing in detention centres.” UNHCR added.

The GDF was set-up in December 2018 to serve as a transit centre for arbitrarily detained refugees who have been identified as most vulnerable and for whom a solution outside Libya has already been found, according to UNHCR.