136 migrants from Griyana prisons in Libya, have been returned to the Gambia through the assistance of the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
By MUHAMMED S. BAH
These migrants 90% of who are between the ages of 18-35, were received in the early hours of Wednesday 16th August 2017, at the Banjul International Airport.
Almost all the migrant returnees spoken to, said they were subjected to torture and harassment and that they received poor food.
Most of the returnees have scars and scratches on their bodies and almost all of them said they have been imprisoned for more than one year.
Griyana is said to be accommodating hundreds of Gambians who are yet to return.
The officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the International Organisation for Migration, the Gambia Immigration Department, the Ministry of Youth and Sports, Red Cross volunteers, National Youth Council team of psychological first aiders, were all present to receive the returnees upon arrival.
Ebrima Jobe, Deputy Permanent Secretary Ministry of Foreign Affairs, explained that the returnees decided to come home at their own will and none has been deported or forced to return.
Mr. Jobe said about 815 Gambian migrants previously returned and that, a good number of the returnees are traumatized as a result of the difficult moments they have experienced on their way to Libya and while in Libya; that this is why they will be given phonological help.
Mr Jobe said, an EU funded project in the Gambia, in consultation with government, has catered for young people and returnees and some of the returnees will be trained with skills and given money to help them get back on their feet.
He said the two Libyan warring factions are trying to negotiate a solution to put an end to the ‘back-way’.
He advised young people that they cannot forsake their country because of poverty and underdevelopment. He said EU countries spend lots of monies on migrants and that as at now, there are about 26,000 undocumented Gambian migrants in Italy.
He advised young people to contribute in their own way, towards the development of the country to make it look like any other developed European country. “People need to face the reality and sacrifice in order to become productive. Irregular migration is a concern and every family member or parent is affected as young people are no longer focused on their education,” he said. "Some Gambians want to get money without earning it, but most well-off Gambians made it in the country, and did not travel outside," he said. "You hardly see a homeless Gambian compared to other countries in the sub-region."
Amadou Jawo, Liaison Officer in charge of Libyan Affairs, commended the Gambian Association in Libya for the great job they are doing for Gambian migrants in the North African country.
Hon. Henry Gomez, Minister of Youth and Sports said it was with mix feelings that they were receiving their fellow countrymen.
“As the Minister for youth, I have to be with youth during your hard and good times and this is the reason why I am here,” he added. Mr. Gomez said the Barrow government will do all it can to support them and to settle down as well.
He appealed to all and sundry to join hands and work together because Gambia has change and "we all fought for the change". He appealed to all to give a helping hand to the returnees so that they can get back on their feet.
According to Minister Gomez, some of the returnees will be given opportunities of entrepreneurship, apprenticeship training among others so that they can learn a profession and move on with their lives.
“The way I saw them they are all friendly and healthy with no bad intention in them,” he said of the returnees.
Kawsu Jaiteh, a 47 year old native of Kuloro village in West Coast Region said he worked as a security guard and a farmer before venturing into the ‘back way’ journey.
“Libyans are now bankrupt and are surviving on migrants,” he said adding that he has seen people killed for not being able to pay monies demanded from them; that he was detained for 6 months because he was sold and couldn’t pay the money that his new agent demanded but which was eventually paid by his family back home.
He advised young people to desist from the journey and find a way out to make it in the country, saying, all of them regretted venturing into the journey and thank God to be fortunate to return with skills.
He called on government to support them, saying, he intends to venture into business now that he has returned and will continue to work hard to earn a living like he always did, before leaving.
He admitted that it was difficult for him to communicate with his family back in the Gambia.
Jaiteh also blamed our Gambian brothers working as agents in Libya and in the Gambia, as the biggest obstacles because they deal with Libyan agents.
According to him, Gambians detained in Libya are more than those that have returned and this is as a result of our Gambian brothers (agents) who are making it difficult because of money.
Abdoulie Bojang, a resident of Bundung and another returnee, said he left the Gambia at the end of 2015 but described Libya as very hard, saying their prisons are filled with Gambians.
Bojang indicated that people die in Libyan prisons on a daily basis and that this include Gambians.
He further explained that his friend he used to share the same bed with, was dropped at the last minute before they departed for the Gambia and appealed to government to help facilitate the return of the rest of the Gambians in Libya, in the earliest possible time.
He advised young people to find other options and never think of venturing into this type of journey.
The returnees were later taken to a lodge at Tranquil Brusubi, where they received bath and were given food.
In the afternoon they were given €65 each by the IOM as transportation to their various homes.
Mr. Famara Njie, IOM Reintegration Officer told the returnees that his Organisation will provide them with an opportunity in cash, amounting to €1000 Euro. This he said will not be given to them directly but rather as an investment for them to invest in their various skills of interest.
136 more Gambian migrants return
The Point, 17.08.2017
One hundred and thirty-six Gambian migrants in the early hours of Wednesday 16 August 2017 returned to The Gambia from Libya.
The returnees where received at the Banjul International Airport upon arrival by officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Organisation for Migration, Gambia Immigration Department, Minister of Youth and Sports, red cross volunteers, young groups among others.
Ebrima Jobe, deputy Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said the returnees returned at their own will and were not deported neither forced to return.
He said 815 Gambian migrants had previously returned, adding that a good number of the returnees are traumatized as a result of the difficult moments they have experienced on their way to Libya and while in Libya and would need help.
Mr Jobe said that an EU-funded project in The Gambia in consultation with government has catered for young people and returnees, adding that some of the returnees will be trained with skills and given some amount of money to help them get back to their feet.
The two Libyan factions are trying to negotiate a solution to put an end to the back-way, he stated.
He advised young people that they should forsake their country because they feel it is a poor country.
He said he does not see much hope for the majority of Africans traveling to Europe.
EU countries are spending a lot of monies on migrants on their housing, feeding as well as their stipend, he said adding that there are about 26,000 undocumented Gambians migrants in Italy.
He advised young people to try to contribute to the development of the country in making it look like France or any other develop European country.
“People need to face reality and sacrifice to become something productive,” he noted.
“Irregular migration is a concern and every family member and parent is affected as young people are no longer focusing on their education,” he further said, adding that the reason behind taking the journey is no more about poverty but about curiosity.
Some Gambians want to get money without earning it, he said, adding that most well-off Gambians made it in The Gambia.
“You hardly see a homeless Gambian compared to other countries in the sub-region, therefore the need not to risk their lives on the journey,” DPS Jobe said.
He also called on government to track down smugglers, and urged security officials on border posts to double their efforts and crackdown on acts of trafficking.
He also said that people need to be sensitised on the suffering migrants face while in Libya and shown graphic images and has invited returnees to reveal their ordeal.
He said both parents should always consent and sign an affidavit in the event one of them want to travel with their child to ensure he is she is not using the child as a bate to travel and apply for asylum.
Amadou Jawo, Liaison Officer in charge of Libya Affairs who also liaises with the Gambian Association in Libya, commended the association for “the great job they are doing for Gambian migrants in Libya”.
Hon. Henry Gomez, Minister of Youth and Sports, said it was sad feeling receiving young people from such traumatic situation but on the other hand it was a happy feeling that they all returned home safely.
“As a youth minister I have to be with the youth during their hard and good times which is why I am here,” he said, adding that he had a lengthy discussion with the returnees, showing them that President Barrow’s government “will do all it can to support them to try to settle down as well as feel comfortable” as there is no place like home.
He appealed to all and sundry to join hands and work together because “The Gambia has changed and we all fought for the change”.
He also appealed to all to give a helping hand to the returnees so they can reintegrate and restart life at home.
According to Minister Gomez, some of the returnees will be given opportunities of entrepreneurship, apprenticeship, among others so they can learn to get a profession through which they can survive.
Kawsu Jaiteh, 47, and a native of Kuloro in West Coast Region who travelled to Libya over two years ago through the back-way leaving his wife and four children behind, said he worked as a security guard and a farmer before venturing into the journey.
He said the left the sources of The Gambia with 600CFA and hustled for some money while in Senegal, Mali, Niger and Libya.
“Libyans are now bankrupt and are surviving on migrants,” he said, adding that he had seen people being killed for not being able to pay monies demanded from them.
Jaiteh said that last year he was detained for 6 months because he was sold and couldn’t pay the money the agents demanded, but added that his family finally paid and he was released.
According to him, he paid 4 times for the boat to cross to Italy and was always captured and returned to Libya.
He advised young people to desist from taking the journey and rather find a way out to make it in the Gambia, saying that all of them that left regretted venturing into the journey but are also fortunate to have returned with some skills.
He called on government to support them, saying he intends to venture into business now that he has returned and would continue to work hard to earn a living like he used to do before leaving.
He admitted that it was difficult for him to communicate with his family back in The Gambia.
Jaiteh blamed “our Gambian brothers working as agents in Libya and in The Gambia” as the biggest obstacle as they deal with Libyan agents.
For stance, he said, “when Libyan agents demand 3500 Dinar from migrants our Gambian brothers working with them will jack the fee up to get something from it”.
According to him, “Gambians detained in Libya are more than those that have returned and this is as a result of our Gambian brothers (agents) who should help us but are the ones making it difficult just because of money.”
Abdoulie Bojang, a resident of Bundung and another returnee, said he left The Gambia at the end of 2015 but said “Libya is very hard”, adding that Libyan prisons are filled with Gambians.
“There are certain prisoners in Libya if you are detained there, they only give you half bread every 24 hours,” Bojang narrated, saying people die in prisons on a daily basis (Gambians included.)
He further explained that his friend he used to share the same bed with was dropped off the boat at the last minute before they departed for The Gambia, and appealed to government to help facilitate the return of Gambians in Libya in the soonest possible time as they are seriously suffering there.
“While in Libya even to go to the shop you have to sneak out, as there are people with guns waiting for migrants to go out and they kill you,” he went on.
He also explained that he was detained more than 5 times while in Libya with his family spending huge amounts of money to facilitate his release, and therefore thanked them.
He advised young people to find other options of making a better life and never think of venturing into the back-way journey.
Author: Cherno Omar Bobb