By: Dawda Baldeh
Gambian irregular migrant returnees from Libya have shared the experience of living in terrible conditions, especially in Libyan prisons, prompting a call for government intervention.
The returnees told The Fatu Network that Gambians in Libya are living in terrible conditions unlike migrants from other countries. They urge the government to intervene to rescue its citizens from gross human rights violations.
Muhammed Sanneh is a Gambian who resided in Libya for over four decades (42 years) and in the process raised a family of seven children. He said the condition of Gambians in Libya is totally unacceptable.
“I have been in Libya since the 80s and I know the country very well. Libya is not good for migrants. There is no stable government in Libya and the rule of law is not respected,” he noted.
“I returned with my family so that we can live peacefully. Their (Libya) prisons are ‘very bad’ sometimes prisoners will die in the prisons especially Gambians because we don’t have any diplomatic representation in Libya,” Sanneh said.
He further noted the government should send a representative to Libya to monitor the situation of Gambian migrants.
“We have returned home but our minds are with the people we left there because we know their conditions.”
Yahya Jambang a migrant who returned from Libya five months ago also called on the government to intervene in the situation of Gambians in Libya. He said many Gambians are stranded in Libya and they want to come back home but can’t come due to imprisonment.
“I was in prison for nearly one year,” he revealed.
Jalika Jarju, a mother of seven children who returned from Libya also emphasised that the situation in Libya is hard. She told The Fatu Network she travelled to Libya with her husband in the 80s and she had all her children there.
The 56-year-old woman said she voluntarily returned because The Gambia is her home.
“Your country is your country no matter what and there is no place like home,” she said.
She added that they were in Libya peacefully but urged the government to help those Gambians in prison so they can be free.
Abdou Njie Kinteh a migrant returnee said the government should help the undocumented Gambians in Libya, especially those who are working and willing to assist their fellow Gambians but lack the legal documentation that will guarantee them to do so.
“Many of the migrants are in prisons. They do not have access to health care and they are not given any opportunity to communicate with their families. Many will die in prison. All these are challenges we have gone through,” he said.
He also joined other migrants and appealed to the government to help stranded Gambian migrants who are willing to come back.
According to the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) many migrants especially women experience physical and psychological abuse, torture, rape and enslavement. Perpetrators include criminal gangs, smugglers, traffickers, border guards, police and fellow migrants.
