Evacuation to speed up

With international bodies suddenly waking up to calls for repatriation of the stranded migrant workers at Choucha, aid workers here said massive repatriation programmes are scheduled to begin today.
Other aid agency sources said 113 more Bangladeshis have crossed into Tunisia from Ras Jdir border till 6:00am today.
“If the response of international bodies remains so spirited, we hope to clear the camps within a very short time,” said an official of the UNHCR.
The Dutch Minister for International Development visited the Choucha camp today to oversee repatriation and welfare of the stranded migrant workers.
The United Arab Emirates yesterday opened a camp with modern facilities and a field hospital readily accommodating over a 1,000 people from Choucha camp. This has also eased the pressure on the existing facilities and resources.
Meanwhile, gusty wind blowing 70 km an hour since this morning and temperature falling sharply hampered movement of general people as well as aid workers.
Bangladeshi stranded workers mostly preferred to remain in their tents but they had to come out and stand in long queues for food despite the inclement weather.
While aid workers saw relief from suffering of the stranded people, others said it was a lull due to fighting at Zouara in Libya, 25 km from the Tunisian border of Ras Jdir, where Gaddafi forces are trying to take over the town from rebel fighters.
“The fighting on the main road at Zouara has definitely slowed down the exodus of migrant workers from Libya,” said an official. "The situation may take a turn for the worse if the fighting is over there, paving the way for easier movement.”
According to Bangladeshi migrant workers, hundreds of families with children, and female nurses are stranded in Libya unable to make a dash for the border fearing attacks by armed hoodlums in uniform.
“As they stop you on the way, you do not even know which group they belong to, all look the same,” Abdur Rahman of Chadpur at the Choucha camp said. “You do what they ask you to do.”
Reports reaching here said Gaddafi forces are asking all foreigners, camping around the Tipoli airport for repatriation, to leave the country as soon as possible.