Libya: Thousands of Refugees in Life-Threatening Situation

The following is a statement from the Human Rights League of the Horn of Africa (HRLHA) on the killing of an Oromo political prisoner, Eng. Tesfahun Chemeda, at the Abyssinian/Ethiopian prison of Qaallittii on Aug. 24, 2013. HRLHA is a nonpolitical organization (with the UN Economic and Social Council – (ECOSOC) Consultative Status), which attempts to challenge abuses of human rights of the people of various nations and nationalities in the Horn of Africa.

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HRLHA Urgent Action

September 24, 2013

For Immediate Release

The Human Rights League of the Horn of Africa (HRLHA) has learnt through its correspondents that hundreds of thousands of refugees in Libya, most of whom were from the Horn of African countries, such as Ethiopia and Eritrea, are in a very dangerous situation after they had been evicted from their original refugee camps in Benghazi, Libya, where they stayed for the past three years. The eviction took place following the infiltration and assault of the refugees by those who were described as workers of the Libyan Red Crescent on the 13th of September, 2013. The assault included beating and stabbings by knives. Those who broke out of the shelters to run away from the assaults were met with the Libyan armed forces, that were stationed around the camps, prior to the starting of the assault. Then, the refugees were forced out of the camp on allegations that they attempted to instigate disturbances in the city, and taken to a remote area known as Alshatti.

According to HRLHA correspondents, about 500 refugees are now held in what was known to be a private detention centre in Alshatti, located on the Sahara Desert border with no adequate supply of basic necessities. HRLHA has also learnt that the very adverse weather condition at Alshatti has worsened the situation to the refugees. Even two expecting women, who delivered after arriving in Alshatti and their newly born infants, were not treated differently. The fact that the refugees are now held in isolation where they are not visited by international agencies like the UN High Commission for Refugees and the ICRC until this Urgent Action is documented, as they used to when they were sheltered in Benghazi, added to the very unfriendly living condition has raised their frustrations. The refugees, who were contacted by HRLHA, also mention that there have been detachments and disconnections among refugees who had acquaintances and/or relationships with each other. Most of the refugees, who were taken to Alshatti, are originally from Ethiopia and Eritrea, HRLHA correspondents have added.

The HRLHA managed to obtain the names of the following 33 refugees:
[* for the list of names, please visit HRLHA's website @ http://humanrightsleague.com * ]

HRLHA is highly concerned about the safety and future fates of those asylum seekers and refugees in such an isolated and disconnected socio-political environment. Therefore, HRLHA calls up on the Libyan Government, first of all, to ensure the safety and well being of the refugees and asylum seekers by providing full protection against any kind of attacks from any side or angle, and allow access to the new location to the representatives of regional and international UN and humanitarian agencies as well as media organizations so that they could receive all the supports they need, especially to bring their refugee lives to an end.

The HRLHA also urges all national, regional and international human rights groups, donor countries and organizations to join hands in putting pressure on the Libyan government so that it abides by the international norms, the 1951 International Convention of the Refugees and Asylum Seekers and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights Article 14 (1) “Everyone has the right to seek and to enjoy in other countries asylum from persecution.”

Recommendation:
Please send appeals to the Libyan Government, concerned Libyan officials and to diplomatic representatives of Libya who are accredited to your country as swiftly as possible, in English, in Berber or Libyan Arabic language, or in your own language expressing:

Your concern regarding the mistreatment of asylum seekers and refugees in Libya, and they should be treated according to the 1951 International Convention of the Refugees and Asylum Seekers, and other international norms of refugee and asylum seekers rights.

Appeal to:

1. His Excellency Dr. Ali Zidan, Prime Minster of Libya
Tel: +218(21) 444 3700
Fax: +218 (21) 360 0889

2. His Excellency Mr. Mohamed Abdul-Aziz, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Libya
Tel: 22 – 2921 340 21 218

Copied To:
- UNHCR Main Office Geneva, Switzerland
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Case Postale 2500
CH-1211 Genève 2 Dépôt
Suisse.
Tel: +41 22 739 8111

- Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)
Palais Wilson, 52 rue des Pâquis
CH-1201 Geneva, Switzerland
Tel: +41 22 917 9656
Mail: civilsocietyunit@ohchr.org

- African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR)
48 Kairaba Avenue, P.O.Box 673, Banjul, The Gambia
Tel: (220) 4392 962 , 4372070, 4377721 – 23
Fax: (220) 4390 764
E-mail: achpr@achpr.org

- Office of the Commissioner for Human Rights Council of Europe
F-67075 Strasbourg Cedex, FRANCE
Tel: + 33 (0)3 88 41 34 21
Fax: + 33 (0)3 90 21 50 53

- U.S. Department of State
Laura Hruby
Ethiopia Desk Officer
U.S. State Department
HrubyLP@state.gov
Tel: (202) 647-6473

- Amnesty International Secretariat – London
Tel: 44 20 74135500
Fax: 44 20 79561157
1Easton Street
London, WC1X0DW, UK

- Human Rights Watch – New York
Tel: +1-212-290-4700
Fax: +1-212-736-1300
Email: hrwnyc@hrw.org