Situation in Libyan detention centres deteriorates further. Refugees and migrants held in Libyan detention centres are struggling to access food and several centres have been hit by a tuberculosis outbreak , said Vincent Cochetel, UNHCR’s Special Envoy for the Central Mediterranean who recently visited some of the centres. “People are desperate, hungry, traumatised,” he said, noting that a case of suicide had recently been reported. Cochetel explained that UNHCR’s access to the detention centres was limited by bureaucratic requirements and security considerations. A briefing by Amnesty International released on Monday also found that conditions for refugees and migrants in Libya have “ largely deteriorated over the past year”, with armed clashes in Tripoli making the situation worse. UNHCR continues to advocate for the evacuation of asylum-seekers from detention centres in Libya. To date, the agency has managed to evacuate 2,344 people, including 261 who were flown to Niger on Monday night. | | |
| Rohingya refugees at high risk of rights violations if returned to Myanmar. UN human rights chief Michelle Bachelet on Tuesday urged Bangladesh to halt plans for the repatriation of more than 2,200 Rohingya refugees to Myanmar, warning that the returns would be in violation of international law and put their lives and freedom at serious risk . “We are witnessing terror and panic among those Rohingya refugees in Cox’s Bazar who are at imminent risk of being returned to Myanmar against their will,” she said. UNHCR has said it will not facilitate or provide assistance for return other than interviewing refugees on the list and assessing their willingness to go back. UNHCR Chief, Filippo Grandi, has called for repatriations to be based on “free and informed decisions ” by individual refugees. The Guardian reports that army, police and paramilitary troops have increased their presence in several of the camps in Cox’s Bazar, elevating a sense of panic among the refugees. Many of those on the list of refugees “approved” for return have reportedly gone into hiding. | | |
| Italian police evict refugees and migrants from Rome camp. The informal camp known as ‘Baobab’, where thousands of refugees, migrants and homeless Italians have taken shelter since it opened in 2015, was shut down on Tuesday. While some residents were offered places in reception centres, dozens were left with nowhere to go, reports Al Jazeera. The camp, which was run by volunteers, is one of many informal settlements in the Italian capital housing refugees and migrants who have fallen out of the official reception system. While some have been denied international protection, others are waiting for their asylum applications to be processed. Local authorities across the country have been asked to speed up evictions of occupied buildings. | | |
| Venezuelans live in shadows on Caribbean islands. The Guardian reports that an estimated 100,000 Venezuelans have fled to nearby Caribbean islands, a fraction of those who have crossed into Colombia and other South American nations, but a significant number for small countries that lack the infrastructure to cope with such an influx. According to the Guardian, island nations such as Trinidad and Tobago and Curaçao have responded by deporting those who arrive irregularly or who overstay tourist visas. Fear of deportation reportedly prevents people with strong asylum cases from even attempting to apply. Following the deportation of 82 Venezuelans by Trinidad and Tobago in April, UNHCR called on the country to abide by its obligations as a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention. | | |
| Migrant and refugee arrivals to EU set to hit five-year-low this year. The European Union’s border agency, Frontex, says 2018 is likely to see the lowest number of migrant and refugee arrivals in five years. Around 118,900 irregular border crossings into the EU were recorded in the first 10 months of the year, according to Frontex, around 31 per cent lower than the same period last year. Much of the decrease is due to the big drop in the number of migrants and refugees arriving in Europe via the Central Mediterranean. UNHCR noted last week that, despite the drop in attempted crossings, more than 2,000 lives have been lost in the Mediterranean so far this year. EU member states have yet to reach agreement on search-and-rescue operations and where to disembark rescued passengers. | | |
| The first Thanksgiving. The New York Times meets refugees preparing to have their first traditional Thanksgiving feast since resettling to the country. Faced with a multitude of unfamiliar flavours and methods, Syrian refugee Mayada Anjari has been working on adapting Thanksgiving dishes to her own tastes. Meanwhile, Russian asylum-seeker Dima King says he’s happy to cook for a holiday that celebrates the practice of treating strangers with generosity, charity and humanity. | | |
| Najmo was only 11 years old when she escaped a forced marriage in Somalia. She reached Iceland after a three-year journey and was given a new home with an Icelandic family and a chance to finish her education. She now makes YouTube videos to empower and inspire other Somali girls and women. | | |
An estimated 5,413 refugees and migrants are currently being held in government-run detention centres in Libya, of whom about 4,000 are persons of concern to UNHCR.
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