- Title: Libya urges international community to help with detained migrants
- Date: 2nd December 2016
- Summary: GHERYAN, LIBYA (DECEMBER 1, 2016) (REUTERS) GUARDS OUTSIDE DETENTION CAMP IN GHERYAN, LIBYA SIGN READING (Arabic): "INTERIOR MINISTRY, ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION DIVISION" VARIOUS OF MIGRANTS SITTING IN ROWS ON GROUND OF DETENTION CAMP VARIOUS OF MIGRANTS BEHIND DOOR OF DETENTION HUT (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) INTERIOR MINISTRY OFFICIAL, BEHLOOL IBRAHIM, SAYING: "This centre was built in 2006 under an agreement between Libya and the European Union and the agreement was to provide it with all necessary equipment. But as you know after what the country has been through, the supplies have become insufficient. We also face challenges with financing; each person's aid is estimated at 10 dinars a day, but the companies responsible for our financing have not received any funds or aid, and have threatened to cut us off. But if they cut us off, how will we deal with the situation?" VARIOUS OF MIGRANTS BEHIND BARRED DOOR OF DETENTION HUT MIGRANTS SITTING DOWN INSIDE DETENTION HUT VARIOUS OF MIGRANTS BEHIND BARRED DOORS / MIGRANT CAN BE HEARD SAYING (English) "WE ARE TIRED OF STAYING HERE" VARIOUS OF MIGRANTS SITTING INSIDE DETENTION HUT VARIOUS OF INTERIOR MINISTRY OFFICIALS STANDING GUARD / MIGRANTS SITTING ON FLOOR OUTSIDE HUT MIGRANT STANDING BEHIND BARRED DOOR OF DETENTION HUT (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) INTERIOR MINISTRY OFFICIAL, BEHLOOL IBRAHIM, SAYING: "The challenges we face are mainly related to the health factor because you have this number of migrants held under such circumstances, and who mostly are in poor health. Some cases have infectious diseases and carry epidemics, their situation is very bad, and we tried several times to make contact and communicate (with the international community) but it was only the International Organization for Migration who answered our calls and provided some assistance, but the medical front is still neglected." ROAD INSIDE DETENTION CAMP / HUTS ON EITHER SIDE MIGRANTS' HANDS FROM BEHIND BARRED DOOR VARIOUS OF MIGRANTS SITTING ON KERB ON SIDE OF ROAD IN CAMP (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) DOCTOR, ABDEL AZIM DABOOS, SAYING: "In the beginning we were asked to perform general check-ups and give treatment accordingly, but when we got here we found that the situation was much worse. There are around 1,800 cases, but we were only able to perform check-ups and take blood samples from around 40 people. Many of them had low hemoglobin levels, between 3 and 7, so we took four patients to a facility where they spent a week and received blood transfusions. One more case died today, and he was supposed to have been taken to hospital before he died." VARIOUS OF DECEASED MIGRANT WRAPPED IN BLANKETS ON FLOOR VARIOUS OF FEMALE MIGRANTS INSIDE CENTRE (SOUNDBITE) (English) AFRICAN MIGRANT, ABU BAKR, SAYING: "I'm here for five months, I'm here in this camp for five months but there is no problem, but some people are not well. People are sick here, there is no good medicine here, so we are just trying to find people to help us to go home now, because we are in a big confusion. Our people don't know where we are now, we spent almost 3,000 Euros on the way coming, 3,000 Euros on the way, car by car, car by car, country by country, coming in the place here to Libya. 3,000 Euros we are spending on the road coming." VARIOUS OF MIGRANTS PREPARING FOOD IN DETENTION CAMP FOOD BEING STIRRED IN POT VARIOUS OF MIGRANT DIVIDING FOOD BETWEEN POTS VARIOUS OF FOOD BEING GIVEN TO PEOPLE BEHIND BARRED DOORS IN HUTS BANNER READING (Arabic): "INTERIOR MINISTRY, ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION DIVISION" OUTSIDE OF DETENTION CAMP
- Embargoed: 17th December 2016 18:30
- Keywords: Libya migrants crisis refugee detained Gheryan
- Location: GHERYAN, LIBYA
- City: GHERYAN, LIBYA
- Country: Libya
- Reuters ID: LVA0015B70GUF
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: EDITORS PLEASE NOTE: THIS EDIT CONTAINS GRAPHIC IMAGES
Libya appealed to the international community on Thursday (December 1) to provide assistance with migrants who have been detained by authorities in recent months while trying to get to Europe.
Around 1,796 African migrants have been taken into custody by the Libyan coast guard at sea in the past four months alone. The migrants have been held in a Libyan compound in the city of Gheryan, 60 km outside of the capital Tripoli.
The compound is run by the interior ministry's illegal immigration division, which accused the international community of doing very little to support Libya's efforts in the crisis.
Interior Ministry official, Behlool Ibrahim, told Reuters that the health conditions of some of the migrants is critical. Some suffer from infectious diseases, such as HIV, and many others have diabetes but with no access to insulin shots.
The lack of medical care has resulted in the deaths of a total of 10 people in the past four months.
At least 4,690 migrants have died in the Mediterranean Sea this year while trying to reach Europe, compared to 3,777 in 2015. Most have died while crossing from North Africa. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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