NIGER: Thousands of refugees fleeing the war in Libya pass through the northern town of Agadez on their way to their villages or their countries of origins

Record ID: 234775

  • Title: NIGER: Thousands of refugees fleeing the war in Libya pass through the northern town of Agadez on their way to their villages or their countries of origins
  • Date: 17th September 2011
  • Summary: AGADEZ, NIGER (SEPTEMBER 16, 2011) (REUTERS) VARIOUS EXTERIORS OF INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE OF THE RED CROSS (ICRC) TRANSIT CENTRE WITH REFUGEES IN FRONT OF IT, SIGN READING "REFUGEES WELCOMING CENTRE" VARIOUS OF REFUGEES INSIDE THE CENTRE VARIOUS OF REFUGEES LYING DOWN INSIDE A HUT (SOUNDBITE) (French) CARITAS DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATOR, ABOUBACAR SANI SIDO SAYING: "I think we've seen 1,500 foreigners and 400 Nigeriens arrive. We have another 38 Nigeriens who arrived recently and I think in the second wave there are another 200 or more who will arrive tonight or tomorrow." VARIOUS OF REFUGEES WASHING THEIR CLOTHES (SOUNDBITE) (French) CARITAS DEVELOPMENT WORKER, INTI AG ALHER SAYING: "Firstly we take care of their sleeping arrangements, this site is where we host them. We give them food for the day when they spend the day here. Of course we give them food for the day, when they stay here with us. We assume they've arrived with nothing. We need to give them what they need. After we sort them out, we arrange the departures depending on their destinations." VARIOUS OF REFUGEES COOKING (SOUNDBITE) (English) GABRIEL OJII, NIGERIAN REFUGEE, SAYING: "They promised nothing. They promised nothing. Even the food they give to us is not our food. We appreciate because here isn't our country. They are trying to support us. You understand? We appreciate but this is not our kind of food, how we eat. Because we are very hungry, all the way, for how many weeks we've been in the desert. No food, nothing, no water, no shelter." VARIOUS OF REFUGEES LEAVING IN TRUCKS (SOUNDBITE) (English) GABRIEL OJII, NIGERIAN REFUGEE, SAYING: "Secure a job for us. That is the most important thing for us. Because a lot of characteristics of humans - if things are not being done, by the time we get to Nigeria, they will pollute Nigerians. You will see bad, bad things. The crime rate will increase, instead of reducing. I don't know if you understand. Because an idle mind is a devil's workshop." VARIOUS OF VEHICLES WITH PEOPLE AND LUGGAGE LEAVING
  • Embargoed: 2nd October 2011 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Niger, Niger
  • Country: Niger
  • Topics: International Relations,Politics,People
  • Reuters ID: LVA5QM85RAS6R1WF6JEUVMH3OGHZ
  • Story Text: Thousands of refugees fleeing the war in Libya finally made it to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) centre in northern Niger on Friday (September 16) after travelling thousands of miles to escape the war in Libya.
    Some of the most vulnerable refugees had been on the road for weeks, and spent a few nights in the centre in the northern desert town of Agadez before continuing their journey.
    So far over 150,000 people have fled Libya into the northern part of Niger, mostly covered by desert. Nigeriens and other sub-Saharan Africans have for years sought work in oil-rich Libya, where average income per head is 20 times Niger's.
    They are now returning home, some back to Niger, while others have to continue their journey several more days before they can reach their countries of origins.
    They arrived in 11 trucks late on Thursday and more are said to be en route and amassing at the Libya-Niger border.
    "I think we've seen 1,500 foreigners and 400 Nigeriens arrive. We have another 38 Nigeriens who arrived recently and I think in the second wave there are another 200 or more who will arrive tonight or tomorrow," said Aboubacar Sani Sido, the head of an NGO dealing with the free transport of refugees between Dirkou and Agadez in northern Niger.
    Nigerien authorities are trying to deal with the influx of refugees in a country already marred by economic woes, which perennially suffers from famine due to severe droughts.
    The ICRC-run centre hosts the most vulnerable, where they can rest for a couple of days before carrying on with their journeys towards their villages in Niger or their countries of origins. Doctors Without Borders provide the healthcare for the refugees in need of medical attention.
    "Firstly we take care of their sleeping arrangements, this site is where we host them. We give them food for the day when they spend the day here. Of course we give them food for the day, when they stay here with us. We assume they've arrived with nothing. We need to give them what they need. After we sort them out, we arrange the departures depending on their destinations," said Inti Ag Alher, a worker from the NGO Caritas Development.
    Gangs of local Tuareg nomads who were hired to fight on Gaddafi's side have in the past weeks been spotted returning to their encampments in northern Niger too.
    While the numbers so far are small, Niamey's main worry is that a final capitulation of Gaddafi forces will drive thousands more of his Tuareg fighters back over the border to a country where they have for years led a string of rebellions.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register