Michael Cousins TRIPOLI – Conditions remain unsatisfactory in detention centers but humanitarian organizations are providing internally displaced people with food vouchers, according to the latest report from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Humanitarian visits were made to two detention centres during August. These found that conditions for refugees mainly of sub-Saharan origin, detained in both places, continued to be unsatisfactory. A visit to the detention center in Khums, Sabratah, established that it held 545 persons, from ten countries; Chad, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Mali, Nigeria, Niger, Pakistan, Senegal, Somalia and Sudan. Most of the detainees, who include 44 women and two children, are survivors intercepted by the Libyan authorities while attempting to travel illegally to Europe by sea. Together with the International Medical Corps, UNHCR gave medical assistance to 20 detainees. The visit concluded that there was no evidence of abuse. The UNHCR also sent a mission to the Kahboura camp in Misrata, to assess the living conditions of 260 detained people from sub-Saharan Africa, Egypt and Pakistan. As well as receiving some reports of mistreatment, the humanitarian workers found that the general living conditions were substandard, resulting in some detainees developing serious medical conditions. However, military officials confirmed their willingness to cooperate with both UNHCR and the Somali embassy to organise the release of some female and vulnerable detainees. According to the Libyan Humanitarian Agency (LibAid) there are currently approximately 72,000 internally displaced persons (IDPS) throughout the country. Food vouchers continue to be distributed to IDPS in Tripoli and Benghazi by both LibAid and the World Food Program. Food vouchers have also been provided for 75 Syrians who have recently registered with UNHCR. – Libya Herald
