Chaotic Scenes AT Border Crossings In Libya

March 4, 2011 - PRLog -- Observers from an international refugee agency were especially concerned  "That a large number of sub-Saharan Africans are not being allowed entry into Tunisia.” This can only increase the horrendous bottleneck at the border crossing.

With only between 10-15,000 people being able to be processed into Tunisia daily, an estimated 30,000 impatiently wait to leave Libya.

Authorities in Tunisian estimate that 70,000 have been processed already, with a similar number being processed at the Libyan Egyptian border.

From Egypt most have been able to continue their journey on, but with about 2,000 people crossing into Tunisia every hour, many have nowhere to go.

Being mostly fit young men, the migrant workers include many Egyptians, but also some Chinese and Bangladeshis.

"We can see acres of people waiting to cross the border. Many have been waiting for three to four days in the freezing cold, with no shelter or food," said Ayman Gharaibeh leader of the UNHCR emergency response team at the border. "Usually the first three days of the crisis are the worst. This seems to be getting worse by the day".

On Monday, UNHCR erected 500 tents close to the border in a new transit camp. A further 1,000 tents were expected to go up on Tuesday, providing shelter to a total of about 12,000 people. Two airlifts were planned for Thursday with tents and supplies for up to 10,000 people.  UNHCR distributed relief items and food prepared by the Egyptian Red Crescent, which is also due to transport a consignment of UNHCR medical supplies and food into eastern Libya.

Tunisian civilians, the Tunisian Red Crescent and the military have all been unstinting in their support, but are seriously outnumbered. Water supplies and the hygiene situation at the border crossing remains unstable. Sanitation is reported to be a disaster and many of the migrants are sleeping in car parks and roads.

For more information about "Chaotic Scenes AT Border Crossings In Libya ", visit website http://www.tropicpost.com/border-crossing-crisis/

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