UNHCR/ A.Branthwaite
A new camp full of UNHCR tents, has sprung up close to Tunisia's
border with Libya to provide shelter to thousands of migrant
workers desperate to get hope. The UNHCR-run facility is already
full, with 15,000 people from around Africa and Asia who have fled
from Libya.
Most of the new arrivals are penniless and have no hope of
making it home on their own. Many of the sub-Saharan Africans
arriving at the camp say they fled because of threats and abuse,
with some being attacked and robbed in their homes as well as at
the checkpoints that have sprung up along many roads in
Libya. Non-African arrivals also report having their
belongings taken at the checkpoints, but say they have not been the
victims of racism and threats.
With people continuing to arrive daily, UNHCR and other agencies
are bracing themselves for what could be a large-scale humanitarian
disaster if the fighting worsens and if large numbers of Libyans
try to flee their country.