‘Thousands’ of migrants still stranded in Tripoli — IOM

GENEVA — Thousands of migrants stranded in Tripoli are unable to be evacuated as they cannot safely reach the port or register with their embassies, the Inter-national Organization for Migration (IOM) yesterday said.

“There are many thousands who want to leave, but the exact figure is not clear because they cannot get to the port and

there are no embassies they can register with,” IOM spokesman Jemini Pandya said.

She added “many nationalities” were represented in the migrant community, but that Sub-Saharans represented the most vulnerable group, many of whom do not have diplomatic representation in the country.

Around a thousand Egyptians, Jordanians and Filipinos were boarding a passenger ferry last Sunday to escape continuing instability and shortages in the battered Libyan capital.

“Although migrants are scattered around the city, with Sub-Saharan African predominantly living on the outskirts of Tripoli, the (IOM) is aware of groups of migrants camped out along a stretch of the coast and on farms inland and in need of help,” the IOM statement said.

“In addition to not having food, water, shelter and medical care, the migrants have reportedly expressed significant fear of harassment and targeting,” it added.

Pandya said it was difficult to assess the total number of migrants in the country’s capital, which is still reeling from the ouster of Moammar Kadhafi.

She added that unconfirmed reports put the number of migrants in Tripoli at around one million, a quarter of them Egyptian.

Pandya said a third IOM evacuation boat left Tripoli last Wednesday, stopped in Misrata before the end of the day, and is expected to land in Benghazi Thursday with 451 migrants and vulnerable Libyans.

“Everybody who has been offered a safe passage (to the port) has been evacuated,” she added. AFP

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there are no embassies they can register with,” IOM spokesman Jemini Pandya said.

She added “many nationalities” were represented in the migrant community, but that Sub-Saharans represented the most vulnerable group, many of whom do not have diplomatic representation in the country.

Around a thousand Egyptians, Jordanians and Filipinos were boarding a passenger ferry last Sunday to escape continuing instability and shortages in the battered Libyan capital.

“Although migrants are scattered around the city, with Sub-Saharan African predominantly living on the outskirts of Tripoli, the (IOM) is aware of groups of migrants camped out along a stretch of the coast and on farms inland and in need of help,” the IOM statement said.

“In addition to not having food, water, shelter and medical care, the migrants have reportedly expressed significant fear of harassment and targeting,” it added.

Pandya said it was difficult to assess the total number of migrants in the country’s capital, which is still reeling from the ouster of Moammar Kadhafi.

She added that unconfirmed reports put the number of migrants in Tripoli at around one million, a quarter of them Egyptian.

Pandya said a third IOM evacuation boat left Tripoli last Wednesday, stopped in Misrata before the end of the day, and is expected to land in Benghazi Thursday with 451 migrants and vulnerable Libyans.

“Everybody who has been offered a safe passage (to the port) has been evacuated,” she added. AFP