As violence escalates in a refugee camp on the Tunisia-Libya border, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is alarmed about the situation of refugees stranded in temporary camps and exposed to violence.

Hundreds of thousands of refugees have passed through Shousha camp since the start of the Libyan conflict, but some 4,000 people – mainly sub-Saharan Africans – cannot be repatriated due to the situation in their country of origin and so face an uncertain future.

Tunisia © Michael Bates/MSF
Joseph, an Ivorian, stands by the remains of the tent he shared with others in the Shousha camp. On May 22, four refugees died when a fire spread through the camp.

“Over the last days, we have seen a progressive escalation of violence, with ongoing incidents between groups of refugees of different nationalities,” says Mike Bates, head of mission for MSF. “They are stuck in the camp – which was built as a temporary and transitional area – for an indefinite duration of stay. Most feel they are in a deadlock situation, with no future in sight.”

On May 22, four refugees died when a fire of unknown origin spread through the camp at night, destroying more than 20 tents. As tensions continued to rise, there was further violence between refugees of different nationalities living in the camp. Local residents were also involved. On May 24, at least two people died, while many people were injured and 300 to 400 tents were burned down.

Since early March, MSF has been running a mental health program for people who have fled the conflict in Libya, providing more than 9,000 mental health consultations. Many people have had traumatic experiences, either witnessing or directly experiencing violence in the course of their escape from Libya. In addition, thousands of sub-Saharan African refugees are survivors of persecution and ill-treatment that took place in Libya prior to the conflict.

Tunisia © Michael Bates/MSF
Some 4,000 refugees in the Shousha camp – mainly sub-Saharan Africans – cannot be repatriated because of the situation in their country of origin and so face an uncertain future.

The conflict in Libya has put these people in further life-threatening danger. Since the conflict began on Feb. 17, 800,000 people – mainly non-Libyans - have fled the country, the majority towards Egypt and Tunisia. Thousands have risked their lives by fleeing north across the Mediterranean to Europe; more than 11,000 have reached the Italian island of Lampedusa. More than 60,000 people have also fled south through the desert to Niger and beyond.

In an open letter on May 19, MSF alerted the leaders of the European states involved in the war in Libya to the dire situation faced by migrants fleeing the conflict towards Europe, and criticized inconsistent European migration policies.

“The latest developments in Shousha camp illustrate the absence of safe options for people fleeing Libya, in particular sub-Saharan nationals, whose journeys in search of a better living are like a never-ending nightmare,” says Bates.

MSF has been assisting the victims of the Libyan conflict since February, with medical teams working in Libya (Misrata, Benghazi and Zintan); along the Tunisia-Libya border; Italy (Lampedusa); and in Niger.

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