The refugee crisis in North Africa continues to worsen. One of the most preoccupying situations is that of African foreign workers who were in Libya at the time the revolution broke out. Subjected to racism, discrimination, and lacking support from their own governments they are trapped.
Some of the foreign workers in these areas are desperate enough to risk their lives at sea to try and get to Europe.
“The North African refugee crisis dramatically worsened yesterday as a boat-load of Tunisian migrants sank in rough seas killing 35 on board, while a ferry carrying 1,800 people fleeing unrest in Libya was turned away by authorities in Malta and Italy,” reports The Independent which also ran an editorial calling on Europe to help. “Fortress Europe has closed its gates. […] To turn back boats of desperate people is an act that shames our entire continent.”
The Italian island of Lampedusa is overwhelmed with migrants. The local detention facility is designed to house 850 people, some 2,500 immigrants are currently crammed in there.
Eyeing next year’s presidential elections, French far right politician Marine Le Pen visited Lampedusa to call for tougher action against migrants.
The UN called for the safe passage of refugees who were escaping the conflict in Libya.
Here is a photo slideshow of the 250,000-person Libyan refugee crisis