In the deserts of Libya hundreds of Ethiopian and Eritrean refugees have been languishing in containers and other holding cells. With the crisis in Libya and the claims that mercenaries holding Ethiopian passports have been arrested in Benghazi and other places there is a strong fear that Ethiopian refugees may be targeted for mob violence. SOCEPP calls on the UNHCR to assure the safety of the refugees and asks the countries evacuating their nationals to do the same for the refugees in the desert prisons.
The Libyan regime has in the past proved to be a racist one and it has mistreated “black Africans” with contempt. The Libyan society shares the prejudice and the recent
claims that “African mercenaries” (including some with Ethiopian passports) have been
used by the Khadafy regime to kill protesters can possibly fuel a violent backlash against Ethiopian refugees in Tripoli, El Beida and other places.
SOCEPP calls on the UNHCR and Western countries to assure the safety of the
refugees in Libyan prisons and towns.
No comments:
Post a Comment