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No man's landRefugees from Libya in

Text and pictures by Jordi Ruiz Cirera

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The displaced from Libyan conflict are settled in Tunisian Ras Ajdir refugee camp before flying to their countries. However, many of them are unable to go there due to armed conflicts or political repression, and they hope to find asylum on a a western country. Waiting for the international community to give them a solution they are trapped in no man’s land.

No man's landRefugees from Libya in

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A somalian mother with her childrens just arrived to Tunissian land, and is waiting for the bus to go to the refugee camp

It’s difficult to see the camp in the distance. Tunisian land is almost completely flat and is not until we’re very near that we start seeing the white tents conforming Shusha camp, one of the three of Ras Ajdir complex. As the car approaches it looks like a greenhouse in the middle of Sahara desert, white tents all along the road shaken by the wind, and as we enter we see the dusty green tents that are being used now as the population of the camp has recently decreased.

When the Libyan conflict started in February a huge number of displaced people arrived on

Tunisian land, and where settled in a temporary camp created by UNHCR in Ras Ajdir border crossing. The displaced were mainly migrant workers from several countries, who were then moved back to their home-countries as it was possible by the Internation Office for Migration. It hosted more than 16000 people when the crisis started but now there are around 6000. Many flights had been prepared to bring back the people to their countries.

However, the refugees remaining on the camp now are mainly from conflict countries, such as Somalia, Eritrea, Sudan or Ivory

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Refugees settling in Ras Ajdir refugee camp, in Tunisia

Coast, and they are literally stuck in the camp as they cannot go back due to political issues or armed conflicts. They are in no man’s land, and their future situation is uncertain. UNHCR is working to find a solution for those people, trying to find asylum in third countries for those who it is possible. However, the waiting lists can be long, and no one seems to know when his situation is going to be resolved.

The initial emergency situation has passed, now the refugees are settling here for at least several months. The camp is changing everyday, adapting to new needs

and the pass of the weeks. Tents are being enlarged or moved from one place to the other, due to noisy neighbours, strong wind or just by being closer to someone. As well, some tents are being reconditioned to host little shops <<supplying this changing commulity with food and produce not available from canteen. Makeshift cafes are also appearing giving the people a chance to relax and smoke some shisha>>. European football league is followed here maybe more than in many European coutries, and is easy to find a satellite TV to watch the next Champions League match.

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Improvised business appear at the camp, as refugees find themselves in economical difficulties. the boredom and the lack of motivation are amongst the main issues for the refugees

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Somalian haridresser.↑

Afternoon chat at the shade. ↑ Sand board game

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The camp is settled in the Sahara desert, in Tunissian land. The strong sun, the wind and the sand are big problems for daily life.

↑ An Eritrean refugee in front of his tent↑

Food ration card at the lunch queue↑

Water collecting

explains to us how the different organizations are dividing the duties in order to give better conditions to the inhabitants. In their tent-office located next to the rest of NGOs they give psychological support and reproductive health assistance to those who want to come along.

But despite the work done by the different organizations in the camp most refugees we talk with feel forgotten by world community. As they explain, the fact of not knowing what the situation will be, or where they will be conducted is leading to a lack of expectations and strong depression amongst the

The camp is structured through national identity, and as we walk through the Eritrean zone we start hearing people singing and clapping. It’s Good Friday, and the Christian community of the camp is celebrating Easter in a self-made church hosting more than a hundred people. They explain us how difficult it was in Libya to celebrate Christian events, and how proud they feel about the new church. “It’s open to anyone, anytime”

There’s a military hospital, a school has recently been constructed, and several NGOs are working here. Shible Sahbani, chief of UNFPA in the camp

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Christian refugees explain us how difficult it was for them to process their religion once in Libya.The Eritrean community had buildt a church for all christians on the camp

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population. They see their coming future uncertain, and some of them are thinking in leaving the camp and cross to Europe.

Abdirissaq left Somalia four years ago with the only idea of crossing to Europe, he had tried to cross three times already and despite the conflict is thinking in going back to Libya to try to cross again. “As soon as my uncle send me the money I’m going to leave” says. He explain us how his three previous colleagues on the tent left to Libya two weeks ago, and how they all died in their way to Italy. “The price of the boat is really cheap now, just 200$, when

I tried to cross the first time it was around 1000!”. When asked if he’s affraid of the conflict and the trip he answers simply, “I’ll go to Italy, either dead or alive. Only God knows”. The lack of expectations and the boredom are the main motivations that make him willing to leave.

Abdrisisaq story is shared by many of the refugees here. Robel, a young man from Eritrea is as well thinking in leaving the camp and crossing to Italy via Tunisia. He tried to cross four times already, and after one of the trips we was sent to prison for being an illegal immigrant. He spent

After flee from Eritrea Robel had crossed the desert to Libya, tried to cross four times to Italy by boat, and spend two and a half years in prison in Libya just by being illegal immigrant.

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A somalian family in their tent. They escaped their country due to conflict, and are waiting to get asylum in some third country. UNHCR Refugee certificate

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Abdulrazaak, from Somalia is thinking in going back to Libya for crossing by boat to Italy, with three other from the camp

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two and a half years there until he managed to escape. “There’s no future here, I spent too long time in prison, I can’t stay in this place any longer. The summer is coming, there’s no water, too many people, nothing to do...”.

Almost all refugees we spoke with have been in prison in Libya for no other reason than being illegal immigrants. They also explained to us the situation when the crisis started: the soldiers went to their homes to persuade them to fight for their adopted country. The idea of easy money convinced many to fight in Gadaffi lines, but as Abdrirssaq says, “If I have to fight I’ll go back to my country, cause

also there’s civil war there” . Others find themselves robbed when general confusion aroused on the first weeks or days of the conflict, all the earnings saved working in Libya had gone and they came here without anything else than the clothes on their back.

There are no statistics about the people leaving the camp, they leave at night and not usually tell it to anyone but the closest friends. As Abdirisisaq explains, “I’ll do it at night, at 4am, and not tell it to anyone. By 7 am you can be in Libya, and then to Zuwarah. From there, Lampedusa, Malta, Sicily... Anywhere. One day I’ll get there, I know”

A refugee from Darfur explains us how he has been sick since arriving the camp, claiming is due to the food and the sand that’s all around. He doesn’t know what his situation will be in the future, as he has no civil status here.

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Great One in his tent. He had lost his wife and son on the Libian conflict, and had lost everything when stolen by Libian robbers who attacked him with a long knife. He says cannot go back to Nigeria without anything, and feels lost in the camp.

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A girl walking on the camp after a sand storm

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