GENEVA Oct 3 (Reuters) - More than 1,200 African migrants who have been
stuck in the southern Libyan desert town of Sabha for weeks in dire
conditions have been evacuated and are on their way to Chad, the
International Organization for Migration (IOM) said on Monday.
The group, half of whom are Chadian, were among up to 3,000 migrants
stranded in Sabha due to fighting, the agency said. Interim government
forces overthrew forces loyal to deposed leader Muammar Gaddafi there nearly
two weeks ago.
"A convoy of 15 trucks with 1,206 migrants left Sabha on Sunday for Gatroun
and is now en route to Chad," IOM spokeswoman Jemini Pandya told Reuters.
"This is the first really big group. We have negotiated safe passage for
them," she added.
Libyans ended Gaddafi's 42-year rule in August when rebel fighters stormed
the capital. Gaddafi and several of his sons are still at large and his
supporters hold Sirte and the town of Bani Walid, south of Tripoli.
The sub-Saharan migrants, who feared being caught in the crossfire in Sabha,
had also been victims of harassment and discrimination, sometimes accused of
being foreign mercenaries backing loyalist forces, according to the
Geneva-based agency.
Those evacuated include a large number from Nigeria, as well as migrants
from nine other countries -- Burkina Faso, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Mali,
Morocco, Senegal, Somalia and Sudan, she said. Women and children are among
the group.
The migrants will be taken to Zouarke, along the Nigerian-Chadian border, a
trip that will take a week before going to Faya-Largeau in Chad. It is not
possible to go directly from Libya into Chad as the border area is heavily
mined, the spokeswoman said.
Non-Chadian migrants will be brought to their home countries or their
intended final destinations.
"They had been caught in the middle of this conflict for control of Sabha.
The fighting had prevented us from getting supplies into our centre in the
town and in getting the migrants out," said IOM Chief of Mission in Chad,
Qasim Sufi.
"The migrants are extremely relieved that they will now be able to get home
and put this experience behind them," he said.
At least several hundred more migrants still in Sabha are seeking
evacuation, but hundreds of Somalis appear to be moving north on their own,
possibly heading for Tunisia, Pandya said.
The operation is financed by the European Community's Humanitarian Aid and
Civil Protection Office (ECHO), as well as the U.S. and German governments,
the IOM said.
(Reporting by Stephanie Nebehay; Editing by Shaimaa Fayed)
C Thomson Reuters 2011 All rights reserved
------------[ Sent via the dehai-wn mailing list by dehai.org]--------------
Received on Tue Oct 04 2011 - 17:32:16 EDT