Latest update: 07/03/2011 

- Egypt - immigration - Libya - unrest


Egyptian migrant workers continue to flee Libya

Egyptian migrant workers continue to flee Libya

Once considered a land of opportunity by neighbouring countries, mounting violence in Libya has forced thousands of Egyptian workers to give up their dreams, with 400 refugees alone fleeing the country Saturday to return home.

By Marie VALLA (text)
 

The air and sea evacuation of Egyptian workers who fled Libya for Tunisia hasn’t stopped. Four hundred of them left the port of Zarzis Saturday aboard the Egyptian frigate el Nasser.

The Nasser sailed to Zarzis loaded with 25 tons of food. It is due to leave again on Saturday night with 400 Egyptian refugees on board for a two or three-day journey back to Egypt. 
 

The passengers waiting to board have the somber look of those who don’t know what the future holds. 

 
"I return poorer than when I left,” says Mohamed Abd el Rabou al Sayeh, originally from the Egyptian province of Kana. 
 
Dragging their last bundle of earthly possessions, the men tell of flying before Libyans’growing hostility. As a consequence of Muammar Gaddafi’s speech on February 24, Egyptians were suspected of “handing out drugs to the resistance fighters,” explained Ahmed Hazou, a native of the city of Al Mansoura. 

Checkpoint thieves
 
The 250-kilometer of road stretching between the border post of Ras Jdir and Tripoli is filled with about 30 checkpoints. 
 
All along the way, the men were searched and robbed. Ahmed Hazou had to relinquish the last of his savings worth $2000, his three mobile phones and his tools – he is a ceramist by trade – or risk being beaten up otherwise. 
 
According to these men, Libya is no longer the gold mine it used to be for young Egyptians wanting to escape unemployment and demographic pressure at home. Neither Mohammed, nor Ahmed ever want to go back.
 
Egyptian diplomats supervising the evacuation on Zarzis port say that 500,000 of the estimated 1.5 million Egyptians working in Libya have already left. 1,200 Egyptians are still likely to cross the border to Tunisia in the next few days if the situation in Libya keeps getting worse
 
On top of the 400 men being evacuated by the Nasser, 600 more are scheduled to be airlifted on Saturday. This would mean that there won’t be anymore Egyptian refugees at the border camp of Choucha by Sunday.  

 

The story of an evacuation
The Egyptian frigate el Nasser docked in the Tunisian port of Zarzis. (Photo: Marie Valla)
To make room for passengers, crew members unload the 25 tonnes of food destined to the refugee border camp of Choucha. (Photo: Marie Valla)
The first group of Egyptian refugees arrives at the port where el Nasser is docked around 1 pm. (Photo: Marie Valla)
(Photo: Marie Valla)
Men drag along makeshift bundles with the last of their possessions.(Photo: Marie Valla)
Waiting to go through passport control. (Photo: Marie Valla)
Tunisian dock workers and port administration come to check on the evacuation's progress. (Photo: Marie Valla)
An Egyptian man protects his head from the glaring sun with a Tunisian flag. Some of the men told FRANCE 24 that they were grateful for the help they had received from Tunisian citizens. (Photo: Marie Valla)

The climb up the gangway can be hazardous. The Nasser isn't likely to set sail before nightfall. (Photo: Marie Valla)
"The Zarzis park of economic activities, the commercial port and all the people involved wish the best of trip to their Egyptian brothers". (Photo: Marie Valla)

     

    Date created : 05/03/2011 
    Comments (2)

    i think im the pharaoh

    by antonio poole (not verified) - 19/05/2011 - 06:46

    I over looked the green book it relates to the things going on in my head.I was born halloween my son died on fathers day i have a daughter 4 yr my orange and white kitten has bleeding eyes in certian point of view, never mine that tell everyone around the world that im here in it will istantly stop shooting.this is my own theory Z-GreatA.P.My heart was hardend by society in its bulling is enough to kill teenagers right.what happens when its an adult gamer\who enjoys matrix,dragon ball z,star wars,what kind of man would you have before you.Z.G.A.P I dont belong to a group but i still beleive. My favorite color is green !!!!!

    Eygpt

    by Michael (not verified) - 09/03/2011 - 08:16

    In general I think that the international community should be concerned about the Muslim Brotherhood taking any control in Eygpt as they say one thing but behind closed doors it has been reported by other countries that they hold radical views. The last thing the world needs is for history to repeat itself like it did in 1979 as how radicals ended up taking over Iran and to this day Iran is a threat to world peace. I hope that things in Eygpt will change for the better and the economy will improve to help those who are hurting have a better life.

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