Amnesty International said on Friday that Khalifa Haftar’s forces “must immediately lift all undue restrictions imposed on journalists and facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid to affected communities in the flood-ravaged city of Derna”.
Amnesty International added that Haftar’s forces increased last Monday restrictions on journalists after thousands of people took to the streets in Derna to demand accountability for the devastating loss of life in catastrophic flooding after two dams in the city burst on 11 September.
According to the report, Amnesty said protesters called for support for reconstruction and rehabilitation efforts, and for the resignations of local and national politicians.
Witnesses told Amnesty that protesters and other critics of the Haftar-loyal authorities were arrested, while Amnesty International’s Middle East and North Africa Deputy Director, Diana Eltahawy, said that instead of focusing on facilitating humanitarian access to all affected communities, Haftar’s forces were resorting once again to their well-honed machinery of repression to silence criticism and evade responsibility.
“The Libyan authorities and those in control of affected areas must refrain from reprisals against critics. During times of crisis, a vibrant civil society and independent media are vital to secure survivors’ rights to life, safe housing, food, health and access to information.” Eltahawy added.
She indicated that in the absence of any meaningful prospects for accountability at the national level, there was an urgent need to establish the facts and circumstances surrounding the staggering loss of life and destruction in the wake of Storm Daniel.
“This includes examining whether the Libyan authorities and those in control of affected areas, failed to protect the population’s rights to life, health and other human rights.” She reiterated.
Storm Daniel and ensuing floods hit eastern coastal cities, especially Derna, Al-Bayda and Al-Marj, on September 10 and 11. Two dams collapsed in Derna valley – an area locally known as Wadi Derna -, washing away entire neighborhoods and killing a number of entire families. The flood torrent obliterated around a quarter or the Mediterranean city of Derna, leaving thousands dead and missing.
