Emergency Telecoms Being Deployed Along the Tunisia-Libya Border for Refugees

Published on: 1st Jan 1970: 1:33am

­The emergency telecoms charity, Telecoms Sans Frontiers (TSF) says that it has deployed a team of workers on the border between Tunisia and Libya, at the Ras Jedir border post and in the transit camp of Choucha.

Since February 25th TSF has been conducting humanitarian calling operations at the entrance to the transit camp in collaboration with the Tunisian Red Crescent and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). Refugees are able to use TSF satellite phones to make phones calls to reassure their loved ones who have been left without any news, and above all to receive personalized assistance.

For example, Masi and Mohamed are from Bamako in Mali; they arrived on 25 February evening at the border post. Thanks to TSF, they were able to call the Malian Embassy in Tunis who reassured them that they would receive official assistance.

From February 25th to March 2nd, more than 3,000 calls were offered to the displaced populations, mainly for Egypt and Bangladesh, but also for Vietnam, Mali, Ghana and the Philippines. In one day on March 2nd, 708 calls were provided to those people in great distress. On other days, the need is just as great. There are long lines of people waiting for the chance to make a short free phone call.

Meanwhile, TSF has opened an internet satellite connection in the Red Crescent settlement at the Ras Jedir border post to be used by the various aid organisations. On Saturday, over ten thousand people crossed that main border point. To ensure better coordination, TSF has also established a Wi-Fi connection in the transit camp for all emergency workers.

TSF is also preparing to offer free communications in the coming days to the refugees staying in the military camps in Ben Guerdane and the temporary camps at the border post.

On the web: Telecoms Sans Frontiers

 

Tags: [telecoms sans frontiers]  [emergency]  [emergency]  [military]  [Tunisia]  [Libya]