By Enyichukwu Enemanna
Police in Tunisia have forcefully destroyed make-shift shelter housing sub-Saharan African migrants camping outside UN buildings in the country’s capital, Tunis for several weeks.
Several Africans in the troubled country, have been seeking repatriation, following recent remarks by President Kais Saied, who has threatened violence on the migrants.
The president has denied inciting hatred but insists that the Sub-Saharan migrants were part of a conspiracy to change the demographic composition of the North African country, which has a predominantly Arab-Muslim culture.
The president had in recent times, launched a crackdown on Migrants, with many subjected to detentions, abuse and evictions from their houses.
Several African countries have evacuated their citizens from Tunisia, for fear of attacks and detention.
Ivory Coast, Guinea and Burkina Faso; were among the first to evacuate their nationals.
Journalists who visited the UN refugee agency, (UNHCR) office said a camp where migrants had gathered has been completely destroyed.
“Police have arrested many people, and having spoken to one migrant, he says he cannot find his wife and child now,” tweeted freelance journalist Elizia Volkmann, adding that many of them were registered refugees.
“Lawyers are investigating where those arrested have been taken,” she said.
Teargas was reportedly fired and batons used to remove people.
“Devastation here. The camp’s destroyed, with people’s goods being taken away as rubbish,” another freelance journalist Simon Cordall tweeted.
