- Title: LIBYA: Sabrata city hosts detention centre workshops
- Date: 13th November 2009
- Summary: SABRATHA, LIBYA (NOVEMBER 10, 2009) (REUTERS) WORKSHOP POSTER OFFICIALS SITTING ON STAGE, KHALED AL-HAMEDI, PRESIDENT OF INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR PEACE, CARE AND RELIEF IN THE MIDDLE LIBYAN OFFICIALS AND REPRESENTATIVES EL HAMEDI AND UNHCR OFFICIAL LISTENING OFFICIALS FROM LIBYAN UNIVERSITIES IN AUDIENCE AUDIENCE SEATED ARABELLE BERNECKER, PROGRAMME MANAGER F
- Embargoed: 28th November 2009 12:00
- Keywords:
- Topics: Crime / Law Enforcement
- Reuters ID: LVAE0KJ87138NLTWI7NU8C52HYI8
- Story Text: The International Organization of Peace, Care and Relief (IOPCR) based in the Libyan city of Sabratha hosted a workshop on improving standards in the management of detention centres for illegal immigrants.
In the past, high numbers of immigrants made their way to Libya. The north African country is a major transit nation for residents of the rest of the continent, with people risking their lives in sub-standard boats to make the Mediterranean crossing from Libya to Europe.
But officials have been quoted by the media as saying that fewer than 2,000 immigrants are now being held in 12 detention centres across the country, because of its policy of repatriation.
The IOPCR, headed by Khalid al-Hemedi, set up the two day event in conjunction with the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD), the Italian Centre for Refugees (CIR) and the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR).
It was attended by police officers, detention centre officials and experts in the field of illegal immigration.
The workshop focused on upgrading the management of all centres and discussed methods and ideas for improvement and provision of various services to illegal immigrants held in the centres for an interim period.
Arabelle Bernecker, the Programme Manager for Capacity Building and Operations at the International Centre For Migration Policy Development, said: "It is supposed to be a dialogue, it's supposed to be on the one side, hand, familiarising the managers in Libya with European, with our standards. Bringing them also to Europe that will be a study visit to Italy, where they can meet with counterparts in European countries and see how centres are managed there. And at the same time also listen to our Libyan counterparts and learn from them and understand their priorities."
The IOPCR has established four detention centres and four medical centres so far to provide quality medical treatment and care for those in need.
Dakhla, an Eritrean illegal immigrant at a detention centre in Garabulli, said, "We were given good treatment by the Libyans in this centre. They provide us with food, drinks and also medicine."
Work is underway to build a medical clinic in every detention centre. However the aim of Libya and International agencies is to reduce the immigration flow by going to the heart of the problem and establishing development projects in the countries of origin.
Many immigrants are from Somalia and Eritrea, and have fled after witnessing war and violence. It is very difficult for these immigrants to return back to their country, as they may face danger on their return. Some immigrants who have committed a crimes in their countries of origin face torture or even death sentences by the authorities.
"I came through Sudan and Libya, smuggled in cars used for that purpose. The gangs brought us through the desert. In the desert the sun is really hot and burns, and the road is not good. We stayed on the road for about one month and half, or two months," said Dakhla.
Libyan officials and international agencies try to find solutions for some of the more complicated immigrant cases.
"The other role of the organisation is the deportation of those who have the ability and desire to return back to their countries. In this case we send them back through arranging general lists. Also we deport those who have desire to go to other countries in Europe and some European countries agree to take them in, so we try to resettle them in a third country. This humanitarian work tries to alleviate the suffering and the ordeal," said Khaled al-Hemedi, President of IOPCR.
But not all immigrants find humane treatment in Libya.
In a deal with the Libyan government, Italy has been intercepting African migrant boats in international waters since May this year and returning them, without screening for asylum applications, to Libya, which has not signed international treaties on refugees.
In a 92-page report published in September, Human Rights Watch said that migrants had testified to brutal beatings and overcrowded and unsanitary conditions during their time in Libyan camps. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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