18/08/2017

United Nations AGENCIES and HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATIONS must act NOW.
The continuing disregard for the fate of tens of thousands of migrants in Libya , men, women and children in conditions of semi-slavery, detained and harassed by criminal gangs with no sense of human life, often colluded if not confused with the same forces they are supposed to guarantee order and protection, requires an acceleration in the decisions of the international community.
Understandable security reasons have so far prevented the creation of protected centers in Libya to welcome migrants and prevent them from continuing to be exploited, abused and criminally trafficked . This prudence must be overcome today. Several times in its history, the UNHCR, High Commissioner for Refugees, has found itself in situations with serious risks for the safety of humanitarian workers but has always managed to find a way to be there, to welcome and protect tens, hundreds of thousands of people. In Libya, the time has come to overcome any hesitation.
This is an urgent humanitarian commitment, to be implemented immediately . There is no shortage of experience and skills to be able to do it. It is a question of giving life to open centres, respectful of people’s freedom of movement but safe and welcoming for all those who need protection, assistance, guidance and support in identifying decisions confirming their own migration project or alternatives to it.
In them, health care and protection must be provided, with particular attention to minors, women, those traumatized by the violence suffered, reunifying families, migrants must be helped to identify needs and expectations, offer advice, guidance, support in the identification and implementation of possible choices: from staying in Libya in the face of real job opportunities, to returning with dignity and assistance to the countries of origin, to verifying the conditions for applying for international protection, in compliance with any other autonomous free choice . The important thing is to get them out of the hands of their captors .
IOM , International Organization for Migration, UNHCRto consider the requests for protection and asylum of those who cannot return to their countries, UNICEF for the particular attention due to the mother-child sector and unaccompanied minors, the RED CROSS-RED CRESCENT and  specialized humanitarian NGOs , can be the main and real alternative to traffickers in human beings and irregular entries , together with the adoption of rules that open up regular entries in Italy and Europe.