LIBYA: Libyan officials say they have arrested hundreds of African migrant workers apparently sailing to Europe, although the detainees say the boat's captain may have set them up

Record ID: 348496

  • Title: LIBYA: Libyan officials say they have arrested hundreds of African migrant workers apparently sailing to Europe, although the detainees say the boat's captain may have set them up
  • Date: 6th December 2011
  • Summary: TRIPOLI, LIBYA (DECEMBER 5, 2011) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF AFRICAN MIGRANTS IN PORT AREA, SITTING ON THE GROUND IN A GROUP WATCHED BY ARMED GUARDS MAN SLEEPING ON THE GROUND UNIFORM ARMY TALKING TWO MEN WITH GUNS WALKING (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) HEAD OF OPERATION, KHALID BESSEAR, SAYING: "The subjects, as you can see are illegal immigrants, and with help of God and the revol
  • Embargoed: 21st December 2011 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Libya, Libya
  • Country: Libya
  • Topics: International Relations,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVACNE5JE74ZNNMQJ4EB9GVEFB9V
  • Story Text: Libya's government said on Monday (December 5) it had intercepted hundreds of Africans bound for Italy on a fishing boat, but the migrants said they were tricked and a Libyan official said the skipper cooperated with the authorities.
    The boat, moored in a port in Tripoli, offloaded up to 500 migrants allegedly on their way to Europe.
    Head of operations at the port, Khalid Bessear, described what had happened at the port in Tripoli.
    "The subjects, as you can see are illegal immigrants, and with help of God and the revolutionary effort and security forces, we have managed to arrest them," he said.
    Some of the migrants said they had paid more than 1,000 U.S. Dollars each for the trip, and many believed the boat's captain had had no intention of ever making for the European coast, but had handed them straight to the Libyan authorities.
    Many thousands of sub-Saharan Africans left Libya during the war when work dried up.
    Some also found themselves targeted by rebel forces, who accused them of fighting for Gaddafi.
    Anthony Agiexeri, 32, from Nigeria, said he and others had been approached in Libya and told they would be expelled by the end of the year but could buy their way to Europe instead.
    "We have been working and we're working well. They instigated us, they instigated us. They told us if we have some some money we can go out of the country since we've been repatriated until the 31st of this month (Q: And now you know this was a lie?) And now we know this is a lie, now we can see because like every one of us we've been deceived. We've been deceived, not like. We've been deceived. I don't know, we don't know, just please, we don't know if, I think I am exhausted," he said.
    Speaking at a news conference after the arrests, Interior Minister Fawzi Abd al All told a news conference it showed the new interim government was serious about tackling illegal migration to Europe, despite its limited means following months of civil war.
    Libya under Muammar Gaddafi was a muster point for sub-Saharan Africans hoping to enter Europe illegally in search of work, with suggestions that the late leader used a threat of letting migrants sail for Europe as a way to "blackmail" Western governments.
    Gaddafi's government secured financial and other benefits from the European Union, and Italy especially, in return for helping stem the flow of people making the short but perilous journey.
    During this year's Libyan revolt, tens of thousands of migrants reached the Italian island of Lampedusa, barely 100 km (70 miles) off the African coast. Some drowned in the attempt.
    Abd al All said Libya would no longer suffer the same problems with migration.
    "The proof of that is that yesterday we were able to prevent the emigration of more than 400 or 500 emigrants. They were supposed to head for Italy," he said.
    The announcement was unexpected in a country where the central government is still weak and faces a significant challenge in disarming the many local militias that still roam the land and continue, occasionally, to clash with one other.
    Deputy Interior Minister Omar Hussein al-Khadrawi, who arrived at the port shortly before the migrants were loaded onto buses, denied there had been a pre-arrangement to hand them over directly to the authorities.
    He said the Interior Ministry had, however, received information on the vessel before it set sail, and he also added that the captain had cooperated with the operation.
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