MSF calls for new humanitarian corridors for migrants stranded in Libya

Western countries must be evacuatedurgentThe most vulnerable migrants are left in Libya, claims the French “Doctors Without Borders” (MSF) NGO in a report published on Monday, June 20, which in particular proposes to open a new one.humanitarian corridors«.

Several legal outlets set up by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)restrictive և slow“, Justifies the author of the report Jerome Tubiana. «The vast majority of deportees in Libya are subjected to arbitrary detention, torture, and violence, including sexual violence. Their opportunities for physical and legal protection are extremely limited and fragile. As a result, the often deadly migration route through the Mediterranean is sometimes their only salvation.“, Condemns the NGO, the publication of which coincides with the World Refugee Day.

MSF therefore calls for the generalization of the mechanism established with Italy, where “The humanitarian corridor has already been opened է allows a certain number of people in a very vulnerable situation to come out.«. «This type of mechanism should be duplicated– considers one of the rare non-governmental organizations interfering with migrants in Libya, calling:urgently accelerate»Their evacuation. «Organizations do not consider migrant vulnerability criteria. The device is absolutely not suitable for those who are most at risk, who are trying to cross the sea to escape.says Jerome Tubiana, referring to the migrant registration system, which is largely governed by UNHCR, which takes into account only nine nationalities.

600,000 deported to Libya

Of the 40,000 people on UNHCR lists, only 1,662 were able to leave Libya in 2021, the so-calledresettlement«. And 3000 people used “voluntary returnFrom IOM. «Some of the first ones listed in 2017 are still there“, – emphasizes Jerome Tubiana. The report estimates the number of deportees in Libya at 600,000.

In this situation, the NGO sees a solution in the humanitarian corridors. “faster բաց more open“, with”fewer selection criteria“, Continues Jerome Tubiana. To build this protocol, it joined forces with Sant’Egidio, which has been building a humanitarian corridor between Lebanon and France since 2017 to relocate Syrian or Iraqi refugees. A total of 550 have so far been confirmed by Sant’Egidio President Valerie Regnier, who said: “lace“WHO”to walk«:»It is a proven protocol in terms of integrationWith people spread across 43 French departments և «who stay there«. MSF և Sant’Egidio claims to be discussing these corridors with dozens of countries, including France, Canada and the United States. The medical NGO also insists that EU countries suspend their political or financial support for the system of forced return to Libya when migrants are detained at sea.