During 2011, social unrest spread across many countries in North Africa and the Middle East. Violent unrest overtook Libya on the 15 February 2011, deteriorating into a fully-fledged non-international armed conflict by March. The fighting has left scores of people dead and thousands wounded and has caused damage to homes, health facilities, and water and electricity infrastructure. Several hundred thousand Libyans and foreign residents, abandoned their homes to seek refuge in safer areas within the country or abroad, mainly Egypt or Tunisia. While late September saw the ending of armed hostilities, the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement remains active across the country ensuring that it delivers effective humanitarian services in a neutral and impartial manner.
International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement Response
From the initial unrest in Libya, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), and the International Federation, alongside the Libyan, Egyptian and Tunisian Red Crescent Societies responded to the humanitarian situation by providing assistance on health, emergency relief and re-establishing contact between families.
The LRCS distributing ICRC Hygiene Kits to sub-Saharan migrant workers stranded in a makeshift camp in Tripoli. ICRC J Bjorgvinsson
As the only local humanitarian organisation operating within Libya, the Libyan Red Crescent Society (LRCS) plays a vital role in assisting conflict-affected people. The ICRC established a fixed presence in Libya on 27 February, initially in Benghazi and, subsequently, also in Tripoli to manage its humanitarian operations in cooperation with the LRCS to alleviate the plight of civilians affected by the conflict.
Since the violence started, Red Cross and Red Crescent relief efforts have distributed some 80,000 food packages and 85,000 kits containing essential goods to over 300,000 vulnerable people mainly internally displaced persons and stranded foreigners. Through Red Cross Red Crescent family-links services, these groups also received help to locate or contact dispersed relatives in Libya or abroad.
Benghazi. A young woman talks to relatives. ICRC has facilitated over 23,000 phone calls enabling people to restore contact with their families after being left with no news because of the conflict. ICRC / R Waudo
To help ensure the weapon-wounded received adequate care, the ICRC provided medical and surgical supplies to 68 hospitals and conducted war-surgery seminars to enhance local surgical capacities.
Together with the Libyan Red Crescent over 100 wounded patients were evacuated to safety for urgently needed medical treatment.
ICRC staff evacuates patients from Sirte for further medical treatment. Photo Credit: ICRC
As the conflict evolved, the ICRC developed dialogue with all parties involved to foster their support for International Humanitarian Law (IHL), particularly in reminding them of the need to avoid harming those not or no longer participating in hostilities, including the wounded and sick and medical and humanitarian personnel.
Meanwhile, to prevent injuries by mines/explosive remnants of war (ERW), the Red Cross launched a public risk awareness / education campaign with LRCS twinned with weapon-clearance activities clearing over 2,000 unexploded devices in areas at risk to permanently remove the threat.
Future Red Cross Activities
While armed conflict has now ended, clashes continue to occur sporadically in the country. Thousands of people remain in detention, individual lives and communities continue to be threatened by unexploded devices, and many families are still trying to find out what happened to their loved ones.ICRC continues to organise emergency water supply and help local water boards to repair and maintain critical water and power infrastructure to ensure water supply for up to 500,000 people.
- In efforts to minimise the threat to civilians posed by mines / ERW, awareness and education activities will continue to be implemented within communities living in areas at risk.
- Restoring family-links services will continue to be offered. In addition to facilitating the exchange of news by phone or in writing between separated family members, Red Crescent National Society volunteers and ICRC staff will take care of unaccompanied / separated children and other vulnerable people and facilitate family reunifications.
- In accordance with its mandate, the ICRC will continue to formally engage with all parties involved in the hostilities asking them to comply with International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and expressing its readiness to help them in doing so.
