As the North African nation continues to battle with a maelstrom, the Indian government perseveres with efforts to rescue its own from the dangerous grounds. MiD DAY caught up with three of the 'survivors' and their families in different cities, on their return. We share with you their experiences
As the North African nation continues to battle with a maelstrom, the Indian government perseveres with efforts to rescue its own from the dangerous grounds. MiD DAY caught up with three of the 'survivors' and their families in different cities, on their return. We share with you their experiences
Pic/AFP/GETTY
'Can't believe I am safe'
A medley of emotions was playing inside the mind of Feroz Khan as he walked out of the Delhi airport on Monday night - comprising in particular relief and mystification. "I still can not believe it. At one point of time it seemed we will never be able to come back," said Khan.
For the past ten days, he and his family were stranded at a place called Tajura in Libya. "My wife and kids were with me. At times, it was really difficult to even look at their faces. We were somehow managing to survive. Shops were shut, milk supply had been cut and there was an acute shortage of items of daily need," he added.
Khan, who is employed with a Malaysian firm, was engaged in construction work in Tajura, which is around 15 kilometres from Libya's capital Tripoli. He has two children - ten-year-old daughter Sabina and two-year-old son Hamid.u00a0 "I have lost all my life's earnings there. I left behind my car. I had a well-furnished house will all the amenities. We could not do anything," he said.
"Sometimes TV broadcast was being stopped. Telephone lines were cut and mobile networks were jammed. Initially, things were not that bad. But slowly they took a turn for the worse," said Ramoza, Feroz's wife.
"There was often exchange of fire on the streets. Nights were scary as electricity supply would be turned and there were sudden noises of gunshots and war cries. We did not hear of any bombings though,"u00a0 she added.
'Fear for those left behind'
As 51-year-old ophthalmologist Dr Mohammed Anwar Ahmed walked out of the aircraft on Monday night and met his family, he was a relieved man. For he had just returned from Libya after enduring a week-long nightmare there.
"It was exhausting and tiring, but it is a big relief to return home," said an emotionally exhausted Ahmed. "But I am worried about the Indians who have been left behind in Libya." Ahmed was one of the 20 persons from Karnataka who were brought back to Delhi from the strife-torn country. He was stuck up at Al Badnan Medical Centre, Tobruk, where he had been practising for nearly a decade. Tobruk was one of the first cities in Libya where the government rule had collapsed.
Talking to MiD DAY, Ahmed said that the Indian embassy in Libya refused to provide an escort to their contingent of 67 Indians who wanted to leave the city and go to Egypt. "They asked us to travel on our own to Tripoli and Benghazi from where they said we would get an armed escort," said Ahmed. Finally, with the help of the medical centre director Dr Saad Agoob, a Libyan, he along with other Indians travelled to the Egyptian border in 10 cars.
"We were driven to the Egyptian border by the Libyans. The Indian authorities were helpful only after we crossed into Egypt. Our stay, food and travel was taken care of and we were well looked after," said Ahmed.
Rescue act
Of the estimated 18,000 Indians in Libya, almost 20 per cent have been evacuated so far. The Indian government has received landing clearance for three special flights daily to Tripoli up to March 12.
"Arrangements have since been finalised with Libya to receive three special flights daily from India at Tripoli over the next 10 days. In addition, we are exploring possibilities of establishing air bridges with Sirte and Sebha in Libya. This should appreciably speed up the process of evacuating our nationals from Libya," the Ministry of External Affairs said on Tuesday.
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