The Golden Geese in limbo
Even with UN, US, EU sanctions on him, Nato bombings and US missiles falling on military targets, Col. Gaddafi lives on. He unleashed his war machine in full fury on Libyans who, he claims, "love him." According to the UN Secretary-General, to date half a million migrants from the oil rich country have crossed into neighbouring states for safety.
35,600 Bangladeshis returned home shattered and in tears, falling victim to organised looting by Gaddafi's hoodlums while fleeing into neighbouring countries. Nobody knows the fate of the 30,000 left behind in war zones. Our hearts go out to them, particularly to those in Misrata which is under relentless shelling, and the Bangladesh Embassy staffs in Tripoli.
The returnees crossed the border empty-handed, which was but natural under the prevailing civil war. Most of the migrant workers went to the oil rich country on borrowed money. Half-way through their term they were forced to return home. Life must go on for them and families, but how? Gaddafi is fighting an open-ended war with his people. There is no immediate prospect for the workers to go back.
There seems to be a silver lining in the horizon for the destitute returnees. The Ministry of Expatriate Welfare and Overseas Employments requested the World Bank Dhaka Office on March 28 to advance a loan of $30 million to reimburse airfare of 10,000 migrant workers to IOM, which will cost $10 million. As a member country Bangladesh is meeting its obligation to IOM. The Organization, in fact, lifted nearly 27,000 out of the estimated 35,000 returnees. The balance amount -- $20 millionis expected to be disbursed among the returnees as subsistence allowance.
A few observations in this context come up here. Out of approximately Tk. 4000 crore in the Expatriates Welfare Fund, about Tk.1000 crore has been diverted to float the Expatriates Welfare Bank. With Tk.3000 crore in the reserve fund what is the rationale behind borrowing money from the World Bank with interest?
Although the initial response of the World Bank is positive, the Bank obviously will take its own time to decide and allocate the requested fund. Secondly, the Bank wishes to channel the loan through the IOM for the sake of transparency, proper accountability and urgency to assist the migrants. The lead ministry, however, holds the other view, which is to distribute the money through the Expatriate Welfare Bank that will be formally launched on April 20.
It would be a good idea to start the Bank with a bang, but won't the new government bank have teething problems? How will a new institution with no branches reach out to the returnees? Subsistence allowance to the returnees can be provided immediately from the amount readily available under the Welfare Fund through the networks of selected banks. In that event the waiting time to get the World Bank loan can be minimised to benefit the affected migrants. The World Bank loan received, as and when, can replenish the Welfare Fund if it is exhausted in the process of meeting the returnees' needs.
Ministries may need to turn to the Gulf War repatriation and compensation process. Perhaps it would not be out place to refresh the memory of the decision makers of today on how the sudden human crisis was addressed in 1990.
The Ministries of Overseas Employment and Foreign Affairs had before them experience of the Gulf War repatriation of 1990 and compensation to the migrants. In a nutshell, a comprehensive list of 65,000 refugees was made in Amman camps through assistance of about 100 educated migrants, while flights were worked out and arranged by IOM. Migrants did the job enthusiastically under the supervision of a three member Foreign Office Team, of which the writer was the group leader.
Each flight captain was given a passenger list. At the end of the repatriation the whole list was sent to the Labour Ministry and Foreign Office. Thereupon, a case for the migrants was lodged with the United Nations Compensation Claim (UNCC). After skilful and delicate negotiations, hard work and thorough verification, each worker was compensated with $3,000 to $4,000 according to the criteria set by UNCC. In the whole process of repatriation no ministerial visits with retinues were called for. Foreign Minister Anisul Islam Mahmud and A.F.S. Mustafizur Rahman guided the team from the headquarters.
The repatriation is still not over. More migrants are crossing borders. The Libyan National Council (LNC) has been exempted from the UN sanctions, and efforts are underway to provide LNC access to Libyan Sovereign Fund frozen abroad to meet its expenditure as well as to export oil from regions under its control.
The UN Security Council Resolution 1973 was adopted to protect civilians from Gaddafi's forces, but the secretary-general admitted that half a million have been forced out of Libya already. It would be legitimate for the affected migrants' countries to ask for compensation from the Libyan Sovereign Fund under UN, US and EU administration, or from any other fund.
The Golden Geese will have to wait until their habitat is cleared of Gaddafi's men before they can lay eggs in Libya.
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