Libya: Migration Crisis by Nicole Tung

African migrant workers wait to...of Misurata on April 18, 2011.

African migrant workers wait to be evacuated from the besieged city of Misurata on April 18, 2011.

A migrant smokes a cigarette in...uthern Libya on March 7, 2012.

A migrant smokes a cigarette in a detention facility in Kufra, southern Libya on March 7, 2012.

Migrants prepare for evening pr...thern Libya, on March 6, 2012.

Migrants prepare for evening prayers at the detention facility in Kufra, southern Libya, on March 6, 2012.

Migrants assist in moving a bus...in the north on March 7, 2012.

Migrants assist in moving a bus stuck in the sand on the road from Kufra, southern Libya, to Ajdabiya, in the north on March 7, 2012.

Muslim migrants gather for even...uthern Libya on March 7, 2012.

Muslim migrants gather for evening prayers off the side of the road en route to Ajdabiya, from Kufra, southern Libya on March 7, 2012.

Migrants, mostly from African n...the lack of access to lawyers.

Migrants, mostly from African nations, waiting to return to work, or to be evacuated, at a fishing port in Tripoli on September 18, 2011. Many black Africans faced discrimination during the Libyan revolution, accused of fighting as mercenaries for Gaddafi's forces. Many were imprisoned merely because of the color of their skin and human rights groups have decried the abuses committed against them, including incidences of torture by rebel fighters and the lack of access to lawyers.

A woman and her baby wait to cr...rs hefty sums to get to Libya.

A woman and her baby wait to cross the sea at a fishing port in Tripoli on September 18, 2011. Many migrants, fleeing war or persecution, are desperate to reach Europe despite the risks of crossing the Mediterranean Sea in rickety boats. Most migrants are from Sub Saharan African nations and have paid traffickers hefty sums to get to Libya.

Young men at a fishing port in ...rs hefty sums to get to Libya.

Young men at a fishing port in Tripoli on September 18, 2011. Many migrants, fleeing war or persecution, are desperate to reach Europe despite the risks of crossing the Mediterranean Sea in rickety boats. Most migrants are from Sub Saharan African nations and have paid traffickers hefty sums to get to Libya.

A sandstorm blows through Ajdab...rigade who were heavily armed.

A sandstorm blows through Ajdabiya where African migrants were being held in a facility on March 9, 2012. Over 300 migrants were moved from Kufra in southern Libya the day before. Transportation was facilitated by IOM whilst the Libyan National Army provided security for the six-bus convoy for the 24 hour trip. After arriving at the temporary facility, migrants were guarded by a separate brigade who were heavily armed.

African migrants, at another te...rigade who were heavily armed.

African migrants, at another temporary facility in Adjabiya on March 9, 2012 after being moved from Kufra in southern Libya. Transportation was facilitated by IOM whilst the Libyan National Army provided security for the six-bus convoy for the 24 hour trip. After arriving at the temporary facility, migrants were guarded by a separate brigade who were heavily armed.

Graffiti of a dove and the word...en kept in isolation for days.

Graffiti of a dove and the words 'I love Somaliland, and I die for it' [sic] mark a wall of the Ganfuda detention facility in Benghazi on March 11, 2012. Already at capacity, over 500 migrants are being held in this detention facility, some of whom have been there for over two months without anywhere to go or work. Those who have been tested positive for HIV have been kept in isolation for days.

Somali and Eritrean women gathe...ce their journey on to Europe.

Somali and Eritrean women gather in a room at the Ganfuda detention facility in Benghazi on March 3, 2012. Some have been there for approximately two months after being held in Kufra, southern Libya. Most people paid at least $2000USD to get from their home countries to Kufra, crossing the Chad-Libya border illegally to seek work in Libya, or to advance their journey on to Europe.

African migrants, at another temporary facility in Adjabiya on March 9, 2012 after being moved from Kufra in southern Libya. Transportation was facilitated by IOM whilst the Libyan National Army provided security for the six-bus convoy for the 24 hour trip. After arriving at the temporary facility, migrants were guarded by a separate brigade who were heavily armed.

Bangladeshi migrant workers car...e uprising. February 28, 2011.

Bangladeshi migrant workers carry their belongings towards the port as thousands were evacuated from Benghazi in the second week of the uprising. February 28, 2011.

African migrant workers wake at...long trip to the eastern city.

African migrant workers wake at dawn on the IOM (International Organization for Migration) chartered ship evacuating migrants and the injured from Misurata to Benghazi on April 28, 2011. At least 700 passengers were on the boat for the nearly day-long trip to the eastern city.

Migrant workers, the majority o...he Egyptian border in the east.

Migrant workers, the majority of whom were Bangla and Sub-Sahara African, wait at the gate of the port in Misurata, western Libya, to be evacuated on April 18, 2011. At least one million migrant workers from dozens of nations were thought to have fled from Libya during the revolution from February to October. Many from Sub-Saharan African nations were undocumented workers without papers and many refused to be repatriated after having fled their own home countries for various reasons. Some took fatal boat trips across the Meditteranean, whilst others fled to Tunisia in the west, and the Egyptian border in the east.

An African migrant worker gathe...t and wounding several others.

An African migrant worker gathers the few belongings he had and moves out of the destroyed section of a tent camp near the port of the besieged city of Misurata on April 26, 2011, after a shell from pro-Gaddafi forces landed in the camp, killing one migrant and wounding several others.

Nicole Tung

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