Yet, an attempt to put together different accounts gathered from different sources and describe the exploitation and subjugation experiences of those who are “rescued” by the Libyan authorities might help us define some consistent trends in a scenario of continuous change and increased violence. The effects of the European policies blocking departuresĪn exhaustive analysis of the routes through Libya and the relocation of migrants following disembarkation is beyond the scope of this article. Not surprisingly, in the three segments mentioned above the highest numbers of physical and sexual abuses are registered together with exploitation, detention to extort money and enslavement. Furthermore, migrants depend on local militias for the organization of their sea crossing.ĭuring the different segments of the journey, migrants are generally unable to oppose abusive treatments. In the southern Libyan cities (Sabha, Qatrun, Kufra) groups of migrants are often ”handed over” (for gain) from one gang of smugglers to another and the same happens after they arrive in the Tripolitanian cities. This “ de facto domination” occurs especially during the journey across the desert, which extends along two main routes: Mali-Algeria-Libya and Sudan-Libya. Therefore people are totally dependent on their smugglers (also called gatekeepers) because they are the only ones with the necessary competencies, means and social contacts to continue the migratory journey. As of today, journeys to and across Libya are often divided into a series of segments (also called transit spaces ), each posing substantial obstacles – which are often politically driven – to the continuation of the journey. The increasing criminalization of irregular migration and the substantial lack of regular pathways to asylum in European countries have de facto undermined the chances of safe and autonomous migrations. According to the IOM, there were 663,000 migrants in Libya in 2019, almost 50,000 of whom were recognized as refugees or asylum seekers by the UNHCR.Īlthough Libya represents a particularly difficult step in the migration route, subjugation and abuse experiences are constant throughout the journey. The Libyan law on irregular migration itself provides for detention and, in various instances, for forced labour. In this context of “forced stalemate” for migrants, detention for an indefinite timeframe represents the core strategy to manage irregular migration flows both for traffickers (as a method to concentrate in one place the individuals to be “commodified”) and for the Libyan government (as a method to punish or neutralize irregular migrants). The drop in departures from Libya registered since 2017 following the introduction of policies to limit mobility has contributed to turn the country into an open-air prison.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |