their country of origin. The lack of distinction between refugees and migrants under Libyan law and the absence of an asylum policy mean that people are effectively denied the right to seek asylum in Libya and lack adequate protection. They suffer from unclear state policies towards refugees, which leave many with an irregular or ambiguous legal status, adding to their sense of vulnerability. For at least some, their experiences in Libya push them to continue their journey and seek a more secure and stable life elsewhere, specifically in Europe.
Yet, arrival in Europe does not ensure adequate levels of protection. For instance, Italy’s policy of returns of alleged irregular migrants to Libya, without an adequate screening process, means that there are no guarantees that those in need of international protection are not deported. And since Libya cannot be considered a safe country for many returnees, they face return from Libya to their countries of origin.
How does Libya’s geography encourage smuggling?
The Libyan coastline, forming the country’s northern border, runs for over 1,700km, much of which is used as points of departure for boats heading to Italy. The adjacent land is one of the most populous with the country’s main cities, including Tripoli and Benghazi, and provides a stretch of cultivable land, housing numerous farms which are used to accommodate those waiting to depart for Italy. The largest concentration of those seeking to travel by boat depart from Zuwarrah, some 100km west of the capital Tripoli, close to the Tunisian border. Zlitan, some 100km east of Tripoli, was also regularly patronized by other smugglers. Others points of departure include: points on the coast near or in Tripoli itself, such as Janzur; Sabratha, located between Tripoli and Zuwarrah; and Benghazi, in the north-east.
Western coastal areas, such as Zuwarrah offer a more direct and shorter route to Europe and are therefore more popular.
Most refugees and migrants who take the boat from the Libyan coast arrive in the small Italian island of Lampedusa, some 300km from Libya, and to a lesser extent at other points along the southern Italian coast. Since 2002, Malta has also received many refugees and migrants who have set off from Libyan shores, probably heading for Italy but finding themselves on Maltese territory by accident.
“The voyage itself was hell!” Tony flamed.
He definitely had an awful experience.
The irregular situation of refugees and migrants alike exposes them to great risks as they have little choice but to travel along difficult routes using dangerous means of transport, organized by smugglers, whose priority is financial gain rather than ensuring safe passage to Libya.
The journey itself is characterized by the long desert crossing in treacherous conditions, often facing starvation and thirst leading to death. Others are abandoned by smugglers supposed to be ensuring their safe passage, who have also been reported to steal their belongings and to swindle their ‘clients’.
The passage to the EU is riddled with dangerous and life-threatening situations at various stages of their lengthy journey. The journey typically comprises three stages: a desert crossing to the Libyan border, traveling within Libya from the frontier to the northern coastal towns and cities, and a boat trip across the Mediterranean Sea to Italy. At all stages of the journey, they must resort to smugglers to enable them to arrive at their intended destination.
“The pick-up truck carried up to 45 people squeezed into the open back.” Tony started.
In a state of severe overcrowding, struggling to find enough space to sit and piled on top of one another, we travelled for about 10 days. The drivers, one Sudanese and a Chadian, drove by night and rested during the day. While the truck is stationary, I vied for a place under the car to profit from its meager shade from the burning sun.
The basics of food and water are severely rationed, primarily due to the lack of space on the truck to transport large quantities of food and water for each passenger. We were advised to consume the strict minimum of food and water since too much of either can be harmful to the health on such a journey. At a point, the smugglers mixed the water with petrol to discourage people from drinking too much.
When we got to Sudan, we were transported out of sight to a location just inside the desert where we waited for additional passengers to be gathered before setting off.
Within three days, we ran out of food and water supplies. We only survived after a passing car offered some of its provisions.
At certain point on the journey, the truck was faced with enormous sand dunes that form “big mountains”. At this juncture, there were two options: the driver either stops the car, asks the passengers to descend and push the car to the top of the dune and walk the rest of the way themselves to rejoin their vehicle on the other side at the bottom of the dune; or the driver continues with the passengers remaining in the open back. In the latter scenario, passengers often fall out of the back as the truck descends the sand dune, sometimes becoming injured as a result. In some cases, the driver does not stop for those who have fallen out.
In any case, there is danger. As we climbed the mountain ahead, as expected, the back door of our truck flung open and a passenger fell out of the truck. He was run over by another vehicle travelling behind us. The vehicle did not stop and the man was abandoned to his fate in the desert. “Probably more people have died in the desert than those that survived but of course there are no statistics” He concluded.
While I understand and sympathize with Tony’s plight as a victim of ruthless implications of well meaning voyage, I do not believe it is all that exists within the context of youth migration. Other stories exist that describe migration as a productive experience.
“The truth is not found in the thesis or antithesis, but in an emergent synthesis that reconciles the two” – Martin Luther Jr.
A.Y, my childhood friend migrated with his family to the United Kingdom for need of better education. Today, he is a Master’s student of Computer Science in the University of Lancaster. “I found things more interesting here. And I am ready to contribute my quota to change the educational system in Nigeria when I come.” He told me.
Mrs. B S, a nurse in a State Hospital in Nigeria won a chance to travel to the United States in 2006. She took off immediately. Today, she’s successfully flown her family to the US and they live peaceably. She is also building a hospital in my neighbourhood. According to her, the hospital is her way of paying homage to what good life has brought her.
I have also had remarkable experiences of travelling beyond the walls of my nation, and continent. Last year, I made two trips to two countries in South America (Brazil and Argentina) and was completely startled with the quality of life I witnessed and learnt. I had travelled following my feat as winner of an international competition.
It was a complete turnaround for me. I understood life from another perspective, a clearer one: We must commit to community development and that creation of sustainable green businesses and projects are vital to building our societies. Good ideas cannot thrive in failed societies. Soon after I returned, I completed two social projects through my non-governmental organization. Today, I have created two new sustainable systems: An Academy and a Foundation.
Consequently, it is possible to be carried away by the melodious rhythm of Tony’s predicament and sing only blasphemy and discouragement to youth migration. Howbeit it is not incorrect, it is incomplete. Tony’s story is true, but it portrays a deficient message of migration.
However, one thing is fundamental to all these experiences, everyone wants to attain physical safety and socioeconomic security and avoid the feelings of despair and frustration of marginalization, poverty and unemployment in the countries of origin.
Thus, to address the issue of irregular migration through Libya, as elsewhere, the European Union (EU), Libya and country of origin governments must work towards tackling the political, economic and social factors in the countries of origin, as well as in countries of transit and of asylum, which lead people to migrate.
The need to tackle root causes is wide
ly recognized, as is evident from the EU’s policy to link migration and development as a central means of dealing with migration issues. Yet, the EU and other governments currently only pay lip service to this policy without seriously implementing effective schemes to this end within a reasonable timeframe. Instead, the preference has been to increase border control and surveillance, to clamp down on smuggling networks, and to advocate information campaigns about the risks of travel through irregular channels.
While these methods are valid, as long as they are carried out in conformity with international human rights standards, they are superficial and will do little to stem the flow of people attempting to reach the EU. Thus, people will continue to undertake the dangerous journey to Europe, knowing in advance that this might cost them their lives.
As for Libya, as well as other countries experiencing similar problems, the government should take a number of urgent concrete steps to address the lack of a human rights framework in handling irregular migration through its territory:
1.Significant amendments should be made to Libyan legislation to ensure that the specific legal category of a refugee is recognized by law.
2.National asylum legislation should be developed in compliance with international