TUNISIA / LIBYA BORDER CROSSING

The Tunisian Government opened its borders for all nationalities attempting to flee the ongoing violence in Libya, with 6,602 refugees having been registered to date. More than 22,000 people have fled since 20 February. UNHCR

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:02:07
• Production Date: 25 February 2011
• Asset Language: Original
• Corporate Name: UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES - UNHCR
• Subject Topical: REFUGEES; DISPLACED PERSONS
• Geographic Subject: LIBYA; TUNISIA
• MAMS Id: U110225c

Description

STORY: TUNISIA / LIBYA BORDER CROSSING
SOURCE: UNHCR
TRT: 2.07
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: FRENCH/ NATS

DATELINE: 25 FEBRUARY 2011, CHOUCHA RAS DJIR, TUNISIA-LIBYA BORDER

Shotlist

1. Tilt down, buses and crowds at the border
2. Wide shot, people lining up
3. Wide shot, people walking in a line
4. Med shot, people carrying a food bag
5. Med shot, people registering
6. Close up, registration form
7. SOUNDBITE (French) Colonel Major Essoussi Mohamed:
“What we have noticed is that the majority of arrivals are Egyptians. The first day most were men but now families have started arriving.”
8. Pan right, people behind a rope waiting to be registered
9. Close up, man under blanket
10. Close up, man under tree
11. SOUNDBITE (French) Colonel Major Essoussi Mohamed:
“We noticed that some people were beaten.”
12. Close up, bags being unloaded from a bus
13. Wide shot, people
14. SOUNDBITE (French) Nabil Ferjani, Governor of Medenine:
“We are going to make buses available to carry people who are arriving. If people need medical assistance we are helping.”
15. Close up, Touareg man
16. SOUNDBITE (French) Nabil Ferjani, Governor of Medenine:
“UNHCR and other UN agencies are here in Ben Guardane and I am here to see how we can work together.”
17. Various shots, people with bags and goods
18. Close up, men flashing their passports

Storyline

The Tunisian Government has declared that its borders are open for all nationalities attempting to flee the ongoing violence in Libya.

At a military camp at the border of Choucha Ras Djir, eight kilometers from the border, large crowds of people arriving from Libya are being registered.

Colonel Major Essoussi Mohamed says that over 6,602 refugees have been registered to date. They include 852 Tunisians, 415 Libyans, 3500 Egyptians, 1282 Chinese, 208 Turks, 37 Moroccans, 23 Filipinos, 16 Syrians and 19 Austrians.

SOUNDBITE (French) Colonel Major Essoussi Mohamed:
“What we have noticed is that the majority of arrivals are Egyptians. The first day most were men but now families have started arriving.”

Exhausted arrivals are being registered and given assistance if in need of medical help.

SOUNDBITE (French) Colonel Major Essoussi Mohamed:
“We noticed that some people were beaten.”

Several dozens of Egyptians are preparing to go to the airport in Djerba, Tunisia, for a special flight organized to bring them back to their country. Others will be returned by bus.

SOUNDBITE (French) Nabil Ferjani, Governor of Medenine:
“We are going to make buses available to carry people who are arriving. If people need medical assistance we are helping.”

Although at this stage most people crossing into Tunisia are returning home, UNHCR and local authorities are treating them as refugees.

SOUNDBITE (French) Nabil Ferjani, Governor of Medenine:
“UNHCR and other UN agencies are here in Ben Guardane and I am here to see how we can work together.”

Until now, many of the arrivals have been hosted by the local community in youth centres, schools and hotels. A supply of tents and other relief items will be flown in by UNHCR on Saturday to equip the camp to receive up to 10,000 people, should the numbers of arrivals continue to rise.