Afrique-Europe-Interact and the signatory organizations support the mobilization of the Choucha refugees and all their claims. The ordeal that these people have been suffering for two years of must stop immediately and the situation solved in the respect of their rights.

For two years, refugees from the Libyan crisis languish in the Shusha camp in the indifference of governments and international organizations. Tunisia lacking an asylum system, some of them were resettled in Western countries. Others returned to their country of nationality or have sailed for Europe, risking their lives, as many Tunisians do every day. Others have left to Libya, where the rights of migrants are seriously violated every day. For two years, no legal status was given by Tunisia to guarantee rights to these populations. For two years, no country counting with an asylum system has decided to take the responsibility to protect all refugees without distinction, who have fled yet all the same war. Instead, the international community has preferred to leave the UNHCR to distinguish between “real” and “fake” refugees and the IOM provide assistance to those who decide to turn back, this in spite of the political, economical or social reasons that pushed these people to leave their contry to seek for a better life.

Today, about 200 people have been denied refugee status and are deprived of food and basic services in the Shusha camp. They have no legal status in Tunisia or opportunity to return to their countries of nationality due to political reasons and express fears of persecution upon return. Pushed to the limit, they chose to go to Tunis to carry their demands to the European Union, the High Commissioner for Refugees, the UN and the Tunisian authorities as well as those of any country may provide them protection. Their claims are:

• To grant international protection to all those who have fled the war in Libya
• To resettle all the Shusha camp refugees in safe countries, counting with effective systems of protection

Press contact: Nicanor Haon +216 52 70 18 71

First signatory organizations: Article 13 (Tunisia), Forum Tunisien pour les Droits Economiques et Sociaux (FTDES), Flüchtlingsrat Hamburg (Germany), Flüchtlingsrat Niedersachsen (Germany), All Included Amsterdam (Netherlands), Afrique-Europe-Interact, Welcome to Europe, GADEM (Morocco)

Signatories: Borderline Europe; AK Asyl Göttingen; Zuflucht e.V. Bremen; Jo van der Spek (Migrant to Migrant Foundation) Amsterdam; ASKV/ Steunpunt Vluchtelingen, Amsterdam; Irma Bloemraad, Amsterdam THE NETHERLANDS; Janna Kodde, Leiden, THE NETHERLANDS; ASTRID ESSED, AMSTERDAM; Jasper Teunissen, Nijmegen, the Netherlands; ARACEM (Mali); Ria Bovenkerk, Zaandam, Netherlands; Suzanna van der Meer, Wageningen, Netherlands; No Border Network Netherlands; Le Collectif des Communautés Subsaharienne au MAROC (CCSM); Comitato Antirazzista Cobas Palermo; Le Conseil des Migrants au Maroc; L'ATMF (Association des Travailleurs Maghrébins de France); GISTI (Frankreich); ARCI (Italien);