The ongoing migration crisis in Tunisia and Libya has reached a critical juncture, with thousands of people from Sub-Saharan Africa fleeing their homes due to conflict, economic collapse, and political repression. As European nations tighten their borders, these migrants find themselves caught in deadly limbo, facing inhumane conditions in makeshift camps. In an exclusive interview, David Yambio, co-founder of Refuge and Libya, shares the harsh reality on the ground, calling for urgent international action. Since 2021, Refugees in Libya has worked tirelessly to advocate for refugees and migrants, originally focusing on Libya. However, over the last year and a half, the crisis in Tunisia has intensified, extending Refugees in Libya’s mission beyond borders.
Yambio explains, “The situation in Tunisia is deadly—a deadly situation for refugees, migrants, vulnerable women seeking safety, and even for some Tunisians. People are fleeing because they are forced to, not just from West or East Africa, but also Tunisians themselves. Difficult circumstances have pushed many to migrate to Europe.”
The situation has been dire since July 2023, when graphic images surfaced of refugees being left to die in the Tunisian desert. Thousands were forced out of urban areas, pushed back into the desert by security forces. Yambio recalls, “It was a very brutal situation. Many were left to die, and Europe shares part of the responsibility. Italy’s support for Tunisia's repressive policies, driven by the Giorgia Meloni plan, has only worsened things.”
These policies, Yambio claims, have led to the systematic exclusion and persecution of migrants within Tunisia. Migrants, particularly those of sub-Saharan descent, are often scapegoated by local authorities and communities. According to Yambio, the treatment has escalated to a point where migrants are unable to rent homes, use public transportation, or even access hospitals. They are marginalized and forced into makeshift camps like those in El-Amra and Sfax.
As Yambio described, “Black people cannot survive in Tunisia. It’s very difficult. They’ve been evicted from their homes. They can’t rent a house or access basic services like hospitals. Now, the migrant community is pushed to the margins of society, isolated in desperate conditions in a perfect example of concentration camps.”
The camps themselves are a humanitarian disaster. Yambio paints a grim picture: “Migrants living in informal camps outside Al-Amra are facing a health crisis. They have no access to running water, toilets, or primary healthcare. The camps are unsanitary, and waste is piling up near where people live, spreading diseases.”
According to the migrants living in this makeshift camps, more than 80,000 migrants are stranded in these camps known as (Kilometers) from km19 - km38, and about 1,500 stranded at the Libya-Tunisia borders daily and about 2,000 more to the Algerian border with many facing dire conditions, including a lack of food, water, and medical care. At least 300 have died this year after being dumped in desert or due to medical negligence in the makeshift camps.
Amnesty International has called the treatment of migrants in Tunisia “a violation of basic human rights,” highlighting the arbitrary arrests and pushbacks as evidence of state-sanctioned abuse. “The migrants in these camps are living in conditions that amount to torture,” says Human rights watch
Despite the overwhelming challenges, Yambio has taken it upon himself to provide some relief to those in need. “I have been trying to do my part and take responsibility,” Yambio explains. “I’ve organized a fundraiser which has so far accumulated 3,000€ to help with medical needs for these people. On the ground are medical volunteers who themselves are migrants. I send them the donated money, and they smuggle medicines into the camps. There’s proof that many men, women, and children are benefiting from this drop in the ocean.”
Yambio stresses that while his efforts are small, they are vital to the survival of many. “We cannot solve the entire situation immediately, but at least we can help cure those suffering at the moment,” said one of the volunteer doctors. “But every day, it’s a race against time. We have mothers giving birth in the dirt, young men bleeding from machete wounds, and no clean water to offer them.”
“I was seven months pregnant when I was pushed back into the desert,” says Fatouma, a 25-year-old migrant from Nigeria. “There was no water, and my baby died before I could reach any help.”
European governments, particularly Italy under Giorgia Meloni’s leadership, have made deals with Tunisia’s President Kais Saied to prevent migrants from reaching Europe, Yambio says. “These agreements directly result in the mass deportations and deaths we’re witnessing today.”
Yambio calls on other NGOs and private donors to help alleviate this humanitarian crisis. “I am doing this out of necessity, but more organizations need to step up. I urge private donors to contribute to this cause because the situation is dire, and time is running out.”
Beyond the squalor, violence against migrants is also rampant. Yambio draws a parallel to past atrocities, saying, “We can recall the genocide in Rwanda, where people were hacked to death with machetes. The same thing is happening now in Tunisia—migrants are being cut to pieces, women are burned, tortured, raped, and their belongings are confiscated.”
The vulnerability of women and children in these camps is particularly devastating. Many women suffer from sexually transmitted diseases as a result of rape by local gangs and garde nationale police, while newborns often face life-threatening illnesses shortly after birth due to lack of medical care. Yambio reveals, “These women don’t even have the choice to continue their pregnancy or not. Some don’t know the father, and they are left to give birth in the forest, without any medical help.”
This ongoing crisis has caught the attention of international organizations, but Yambio is critical of their limited impact. “Organizations like MSF (Doctors Without Borders) and IOM (International Organization for Migration) are almost inactive. Their small mobile clinics are no longer operational, and local Tunisian volunteers who try to help are often arrested or incarcerated.”
Yambio is particularly frustrated with Europe’s role, emphasizing that the European Union and individual countries, such as Italy, are fueling this humanitarian crisis. “The Italian government sends funds and resources to Tunisia, not to help, but to strengthen border controls, send back migrants, abandon them in the deserts, and punish them as if they are a bunch of terrorists. It’s a violation of human rights on a massive scale.”
The testimonies of these people do not only shed light on the inhumane treatment they are experiencing in Tunisia but also calls into question the broader policies of European countries that contribute to these crises.
As Yambio emotionally stated, “No one deserves to live like this. No one.”
Yambio's account, stresses the desperate need for change. Beyond the policy frameworks and international politics, it is essential to remember the human lives at stake. Tunisia and Libya have become epicenters of a humanitarian disaster, and without urgent international intervention, the suffering of migrants will only worsen.
For more information, see recent articles produced by The Guardian on the situation of migrants in Tunisia and how the EU is responsible:
This article has been produced by the affected communities who every day sacrifice their time to follow and document these human rights violations and crimes against humanity happening in Libya and Tunisia. Our work is entirely self organised but with limited resources. Should you want to help us please donate to: PayPal.me/Refugeesinlibya
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