March 8, 2011
Eritrean Refugees in
Tripoli Report on
Conditions, Concerns
The America Team spoke today
with a representative of 80 refugees stuck in Tripoli since the eruption of
civil war in Libya in mid-February. Some items:
·
Italian rescue
teams are assisting, and about 50 Eritrean refugees are to be evacuated today
·
The group of 80
has continued to try to contact the embassy of Sudan in Tripoli but so far has
not gotten through
·
Conditions in
Tripoli have improved a bit – calmer, food more readily available – as the
regime makes efforts to make areas in the city better for loyalists there, with
some semblance of normalcy
·
The group states
that once rebels enter the city or if the regime is attacked by third countries,
conditions and safety for the refugees will become acutely dangerous – and that
during this time of relative calm is the best opportunity for safe evacuation.
It is fully expected that rebels who might enter the city will exhibit no
consideration for black Africans who are presumed to be mercenaries fighting for
the regime.
·
The group
continues to have cell phone contact with other Eritrean refugee groups in
Tripoli, in order to build a network, as encouraged by The America Team
www.EritreanRefugees.org
|