The UN is investigating reports of two mass graves of what are believed to be migrants in the desert along the Tunisia-Libya border.
Human Rights chief Volker Turk denounced documented abuses against migrants and refugees in Libya “perpetrated at scale, with impunity” – by both state and non-state actors – including crimes such as human trafficking, torture, forced labour, extortion, starvation, detention and mass expulsions.
“I urge the authorities to respond swiftly to our inquiries, and to investigate these crimes fully,” he said during a session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on Tuesday.
“The loved ones of those who died have every right to know the truth and the responsibility to investigate these crimes falls squarely with the Libyan authorities.”
Mr Turk addressed during his speech Libya’s worsening treatment of migrants over the past year and what he described as “disturbing developments” in the North African country.
In March, the UN’s migration agency IOM reported that they were “profoundly shocked and alarmed” after the discovery of the bodies of at least 65 presumed migrants at a mass grave site in Libya’s southwestern region of Al Jahriya valley, located about 420km south of Tripoli.
“The circumstances of their death and nationalities remain unknown, but it is believed that they died in the process of being smuggled through the desert,” IOM said in a statement on March 22.
“The cost of inadequate action is evident in the increasing human deaths and the disturbing conditions migrants find themselves in,” the same statement read.
Mr Turk said, without providing further details, that another mass grave site has been recently discovered along the Tunisia-Libya border.
Libya’s representative at Tuesday’s Human Rights Council meeting, Justice Minister Halima Ibrahim Abdel Rahman, refuted some of Mr Turk’s comments – which she described as something that does not align with reality – but did not give a direct response to Mr Turk’s mass grave accusations.
Ms Abdel Rahman stressed her country’s commitment to its human rights obligations, stating that “Libya gives special importance to the rights of refugees”.
Meanwhile, Tunisia’s ambassador, Sabri Bachtobji, gave no response to the UN Human Rights chief’s statement during his speech in front of the council.
Tunisia and Libya have been facing several accusations of migrants’ ill treatment from UN organisations, as well as human rights organisations, including Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International.
The two neighbouring North African countries are major transit points for migrants from sub-Saharan African countries seeking to take the dangerous Mediterranean route to Europe.
Tunisian president Kais Saied, said at a meeting of the National Security Council in May, that his country has expelled about 400 sub-Saharan African migrants from its eastern border with Libya.
Tunisia’s continuing clampdown on sub-Saharan African migrants comes amid a rapprochement with Italy’s right-wing government, led by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
Throughout the past year, the European Union and Italy have been signing controversial pacts with African countries, including Tunisia and Libya, to strengthen these countries’ ability to limit and stem the migration flow to Europe.
Bundesliga fixtures
Saturday, May 16 (kick-offs UAE time)
Borussia Dortmund v Schalke (4.30pm)
RB Leipzig v Freiburg (4.30pm)
Hoffenheim v Hertha Berlin (4.30pm)
Fortuna Dusseldorf v Paderborn (4.30pm)
Augsburg v Wolfsburg (4.30pm)
Eintracht Frankfurt v Borussia Monchengladbach (7.30pm)
Sunday, May 17
Cologne v Mainz (4.30pm),
Union Berlin v Bayern Munich (7pm)
Monday, May 18
Werder Bremen v Bayer Leverkusen (9.30pm)
The bio
Date of Birth: April 25, 1993
Place of Birth: Dubai, UAE
Marital Status: Single
School: Al Sufouh in Jumeirah, Dubai
University: Emirates Airline National Cadet Programme and Hamdan University
Job Title: Pilot, First Officer
Number of hours flying in a Boeing 777: 1,200
Number of flights: Approximately 300
Hobbies: Exercising
Nicest destination: Milan, New Zealand, Seattle for shopping
Least nice destination: Kabul, but someone has to do it. It’s not scary but at least you can tick the box that you’ve been
Favourite place to visit: Dubai, there’s no place like home
if you go
The flights
Etihad and Emirates fly direct to Kolkata from Dh1,504 and Dh1,450 return including taxes, respectively. The flight takes four hours 30 minutes outbound and 5 hours 30 minute returning.
The trains
Numerous trains link Kolkata and Murshidabad but the daily early morning Hazarduari Express (3’ 52”) is the fastest and most convenient; this service also stops in Plassey. The return train departs Murshidabad late afternoon. Though just about feasible as a day trip, staying overnight is recommended.
The hotels
Mursidabad’s hotels are less than modest but Berhampore, 11km south, offers more accommodation and facilities (and the Hazarduari Express also pauses here). Try Hotel The Fame, with an array of rooms from doubles at Rs1,596/Dh90 to a ‘grand presidential suite’ at Rs7,854/Dh443.
UAE%20PREMIERSHIP
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
What is the FNC?
The Federal National Council is one of five federal authorities established by the UAE constitution. It held its first session on December 2, 1972, a year to the day after Federation.
It has 40 members, eight of whom are women. The members represent the UAE population through each of the emirates. Abu Dhabi and Dubai have eight members each, Sharjah and Ras al Khaimah six, and Ajman, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain have four.
They bring Emirati issues to the council for debate and put those concerns to ministers summoned for questioning.
The FNC’s main functions include passing, amending or rejecting federal draft laws, discussing international treaties and agreements, and offering recommendations on general subjects raised during sessions.
Federal draft laws must first pass through the FNC for recommendations when members can amend the laws to suit the needs of citizens. The draft laws are then forwarded to the Cabinet for consideration and approval.
Since 2006, half of the members have been elected by UAE citizens to serve four-year terms and the other half are appointed by the Ruler’s Courts of the seven emirates.
In the 2015 elections, 78 of the 252 candidates were women. Women also represented 48 per cent of all voters and 67 per cent of the voters were under the age of 40.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The%20Beekeeper
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How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
