Libya nabs ‘suspect’ in murder of 30 migrants

ONE of the “main suspects” in the murder in Libya of 30 mostly Bangladeshi migrants last year was arrested on March 1, authorities in Tripoli said.

In May last year, the family of a human trafficker killed by migrants for unknown reasons allegedly avenged his death by killing 26 Bangladeshis and four migrants of African origin.

The massacre took place in May in the city of Mezdah, more than 150km south of Libya’s capital. Eleven other migrants were wounded.

One of the alleged killers, 23, was arrested on March 1 in Gharyan, around 100km southwest of the capital, the unity government’s interior ministry said in a statement.

Wanted by the authorities, “he confessed his crime” under questioning, the ministry said, without revealing his identity.

Minister of Interior Fathi Bashagha said: “Just after the tragic attack of May 2020, I ordered the local authorities in Mezdah to issue arrest warrants against those responsible for the murders.

“The arrest of the main suspect is a major victory,” he said, calling it “proof” that such crimes could not be committed with impunity in Libya.

The affair had caused outrage in Bangladesh, which demanded Libyan authorities investigate the murders, bring the perpetrators to account and compensate relatives.

A Bangladeshi accused of heading a trafficking ring with “links to international traffickers implicated in this incident” was arrested in the Asian nation’s capital Dhaka in June last year.

The episode highlighted the trafficking of young people from Bangladesh, via Libya and onwards on death-defying boat journeys towards Europe.

Tens of thousands of Bangladeshis have attempted to cross the Mediterranean in recent years, giving Libyan smugglers a large market for extortion.

Years of chaos following the 2011 ouster and killing of dictator Moamer Kadhafi have made Libya a key launchpad for migrants from Asia, East Africa and the Sahel seeking to reach Europe.

Several thousand are stranded in deplorable conditions in Libya.

Tripoli’s Government of National Accord has for years vied of control of Libya with a rival administration in the east.

A multitude of armed groups and foreign forces exercise considerable clout on the ground.

Both are in the process of being replaced by a new interim government selected in a UN-backed process and mandated to lead the country to elections in December.

LAOS’ National Taskforce Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control is requiring all foreign citizens entering the country to purchase Covid-19 insurance through the Ministry of Health.

Covid-19 insurance is now mandatory in addition to other travel documents and requests for permission to enter the country, which must be submitted to the ministry.

A senior ministry official told Vientiane Times that non-Lao citizens wishing to enter Laos must contact their embassy concerning Covid-19 insurance, which will cover the cost of any medication prescribed in the event that the policyholder contracts the virus.

The most comprehensive policies will also insure policyholders against any losses incurred as a result of illness due to the virus.

The special cover is now required because ordinary health and travel insurance policies do not provide cover against pandemics, including any incidents relating to Covid-19.

Given the cost of hospital treatment and the possible need for repatriation, especially when considering quarantine requirements, the government is concerned that it could be responsible for unpaid hospital bills if foreigners contract the virus and are unable to pay for treatment.

Unlike mandatory health insurance for retirees, Covid-19 insurance may be issued by an international insurance provider or a Laos-based insurance firm.

It is possible to obtain inbound travel insurance that covers Covid-19. A Covid-19 insurance policy typically covers the cost of self-isolation, quarantine, testing and treatment, and repatriation of a victim’s body in the event of death from the virus while in Laos.

It should also cover any additional, unforeseen out-ofpocket expenses that arise as a result of infection with the virus. This could include lost travel bookings, flights or other expenses resulting from travel disruption or curtailment.

Meanwhile, everyone is required to abide by government guidelines to ensure effective control of the coronavirus and prevent its spread. Members of the public must continue to comply with Prime Minister’s Orders and the guidelines issued by the National Taskforce Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control, even though there are positive signs that Laos has succeeded in containing the virus.

Everyone entering Laos has their temperature checked, although no one has showed signs of fever to date. Laos’ 35 quarantine centres currently house 3,216 people.

Uniform standards of selfmonitoring and quarantine are required for the staff of international organisations, business executives, and general workers after entering Laos.

A 14-day period of self-monitoring is required for everyone entering the country even if they have no symptoms of Covid-19.