Libya: Tough gateway to Europe

Libya's proximity to Italy means it has long been a destination for
migrants from sub-Saharan Africa seeking a better life. But the journey
overland to Libya and then onwards to Europe is costly and full of risks,
as the BBC's Mohammed Adow found out.

Smuggling people is a big and lucrative business for the cartels in Libya
which specialise in transporting Africans through the Sahara desert and
then across the Mediterranean sea.
But it is also a very dangerous venture for the migrants from West Africa,
and increasingly from places like Somalia and the Democratic Republic of
Congo.

Survivors of the desert ordeal have harrowing tales of watching their
friends die slowly of thirst and hunger after walking hundreds of miles in
the scorching desert sun.

"I've drunk my own urine because there was no water," Suleikha Mohammed
from Kenya told me in Tripoli.

Suspicion

And for those who succeed in crossing the Sahara, their problems are far
from over.


They are greeted with animosity by some Libyans.
Ghanaian Michael Isaac came to seek employment in Libya and is hoping to
save enough money to finally migrate to Italy.

Two years after he first arrived, the 20-year-old is far from achieving
his dream.

The problems he has faced have made him totally change his perception of
Libya.

"Libyans are very dangerous people. They look on us as monkeys. They treat
us bad. They beat us up. I was chased by a car for sport," he said.

Boats

These experiences influence many migrants to attempt crossing the
Mediterranean even at times of high winds when it is extremely dangerous
to travel.


If I die, I die. If I succeed, I succeed
Former prisoner Madey Mohammed
They find this a better option than having to return home via the Sahara
desert.
However, many too have died in the course of the voyage through the
Mediterranean sea.

The boats are often in poor shape and are overloaded.

The crew are generally inexperienced sailors, mostly drawn from the
migrants themselves.

Despite the conditions, getting a ticket is not easy.

The desperate migrants often fall into the hands of unscrupulous middlemen
who swindle them off their hard earned cash promising to put them on a
boat to Italy.

Said Abdel Hamid from Ghana fell victim to the middlemen.

"I had $1,100, but the middleman ran away with all my money," he said.

Crackdown

The Libyan authorities have now started to take action against the human
smugglers and the migrants.

The government has set out heavy punishments for both parties involved in
the illegal trade.


Already many Africans are serving in Libyan prisons.
More than 400 Somalis are awaiting deportation after they were arrested by
Libyan authorities while trying to illegally migrate into Italy.

Madey Mohammed, a Somali migrant has just been released from the Jansuur
Prison in Libya where he served four months after his dream journey to
Italy was foiled.

"I was arrested and taken to prison along with 30 other Somali migrants.
Life in prison has been very hectic. I am not in a position to tell you
how the conditions were as I fear for my life. I can only say we faced
lots of problems while in hands of the Libyan authorities," he said.

But these harrowing tales still do not deter Said.

"If I die, I die. If I succeed, I succeed. But I don't want my brothers to
suffer as I have done."


Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/africa/3341373.stm

Published: 2003/12/30 06:39:28 GMT

© BBC MMIV

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