Tripoli— “Libya will not be a haven for illegal migration, and the security and stability of the Libyan people are a red line,” warned the head of the Government of National Unity (GNU) Abdulhamid Dbeibeh during an emergency meeting on Thursday that brought together top officials, according to a statement on GNU’s Facebook platform.
Facing an increasing public pressure demanding a swift action by the government against the ever-growing illegal migration crisis, Mr. Dbeibeh denied rumors circulating around of government’s intention to resettle migrants in municipalities involving the International Organization for Migration (IOM). He categorically rejected any such attention or resettlement plans, calling on EU to share the responsibility.
Dbeibeh reviewed efforts by the government aimed to pressure the international community to cooperate and shoulder responsibilities of the crisis. He emphasized that that Libya will not bear the burden of border control alone, calling on the European Union to provide the necessary support to combat this phenomenon, the statement said.
There is a large social media campaign ongoing in Libya calling for organizing demonstrations to protest governmental inaction in the face of the dangers of illegal migrants on national security. Videos and freelance reporting showing the huge numbers of illegal migrants who have established communities within and around the main cities that are become hotbeds for crime, drug dealers and violence.
The Prime Minister affirmed that Libya “would not submit to any pressure or compromises regarding the migration issue”. Taking note of the intensifying public frustration, he “called on the Libyan people not to be drawn into malicious rumors, and affirmed the government’s commitment to protecting the country’s security and stability,” added the statement.
During the meeting, the government decided to take urgent measures to tackle the problem including enhancing security on the southern border, combating smuggling and human trafficking gangs tightening controls on main roads and city entrances, deporting illegal immigrants in coordination with countries of origin and establishing clear policies to regulate legal labor.
However, as long as the Libya has not overcome the problem of lack of a unified strong central government and as long as the UN and the international community remains unwilling to help in holding national elections, the illegal migration in the country and its negative consequence will only continue to deepen.
The security and management of borders constitute to be “a key challenge for government authorities,” according to UNSMIL, and it is especially so given the fact that Libya has approximately 4,300 km of land borders and 1,800 km of sea borders.
