By Gihan Hassanein
The airport in Djerba has hosted thousands and thousands of migrant workers in recent weeks – all have fled Libya into Tunisia and arrive at the airport waiting to be repatriated. Some are quickly allocated a seat on a plane while others, particularly thousands of Bangladeshi migrants, have had to wait a long time for a flight out. The situation has improved dramatically and people are now able to leave within 6 and 12 hours of arriving at the airport, with up to 2,200 people leaving each day.
After a recent visit to the airport, two delegates – Gwen Wilson from the British Red Cross and Héloïs Ellien from the French Red Cross – observed that Djerba airport is clean and orderly as departing migrants wait for flights home, despite some reports to the contrary. They put this down to the hard work and dedication of Tunisian Red Crescent volunteers.
An area has been cordoned off for those waiting to leave and volunteers distribute food and water, keep the floors and toilets clean, and manage in-kind donations from local people. “The generosity of the Red Crescent volunteers and of the Tunisian people is simply amazing,” Gwen remarked.
“This is genuine compassion.” A small first-aid post has also been established.
Many of the migrants have expressed their deep gratitude to the Tunisians at the treatment they have received since arriving in the country. Speaking to six Bangladeshi men about their experience getting to border, Gwen and Héloïs heard how they first hid before fleeing towards the border. They were stripped of their money, phones and computers along the way. Unfortunately, these stories are not unique and many arrive at the border with virtually nothing. After such an experience, to find food, shelter, safety and comfort means everything.
As Mahdi Ghozzi, a young Red Crescent volunteer at the airport, says “Better than food, better than mattresses, is to talk to people and listen to them.”
After the ordeal that many of the migrants have faced just getting to Tunisia and to safety, his words express a simple but fundamental truth.