A group of some six Libyan expatriates, who came to Malta from Cairo to coordinate humanitarian efforts, are working with the GRTU and other humanitarian aid missions to coordinate aid shipments to Libya.
The Malta Independent on Sunday spoke to one of them, Ousama Abushagur, who is a Libyan American living in Abu Dhabi and who, like many others, felt he should do something to help his fellow Libyans in this time of turmoil.
Nearly two weeks ago, Mr Abushagur set up the Tawasil Aid Agency. ‘Tawasil’ is an Arabic word that means delivering something, similar to the Maltese word ‘twassal’.
“Libya has never really had a formal aid organisation, so we can say that Tawasil is the first Libyan humanitarian aid organisation,” he said.
Mr Abushagur went to Cairo on 21 February with funds that he had managed to collect through donations.
“We raised money from all over the Middle East and on 22 February we managed to organise our first truckload of medicine. People at the border between Egypt and Libya helped us to make sure the aid went across. The Egyptians were extremely helpful. With some other volunteers, we bought more medicine, which we sent to Libya as soon as we could,” he said.
Last Tuesday he sent another shipment of medicine via Cairo to Benghazi, just when the shooting started and refugees started flowing across the Egyptian-Libyan border.
“When we arrived in Malta, I started checking what humanitarian efforts had been started here and I came across Mr Debono’s number on news websites. We are working towards the same aim and therefore it is only natural that we work together. I am one of a group of Libyans from all over the world, now gathered in Malta and working with Maltese businessmen. I believe the Libyan community worldwide has come together in this time of need and I pray that my country’s situation improves soon,” said Mr Abushagur.
“Our work involves trying sort out the logistics of collecting aid from all over Europe and shipping it to Libya,” he said.
Meanwhile, Mr Abushagur has kept in touch with his extended family, who live in a city to the west of Tripoli, Gahryan.
“The West of Libya is in desperate need of food and medication. We need to put pressure on the authorities to allow humanitarian aid into this area. There is a huge need for the basics of life and the international community is turning to us to find ways of delivering the aid,” he concluded.
GRTU organising national
collection day on 13 March
Meanwhile, Mr Debono confirmed that the GRTU is organising a national collection on Sunday, 13 March.
The event will be held at the Malta Fairs and Convention Centre at Ta’ Qali.
Mr Debono told this newspaper that the union will be collecting funds through the bank accounts set up but also tinned food – obviously no pork products – and baby formula.
“Many members have been badly affected by the crisis in Libya. GRTU was the first to tell the Prime Minister and Finance Minister that there was a problem, as we started receiving several warning signs from banks. We are working closely with Malta Enterprise to identify ways of helping our businesses. Some will have to fire people but others, like me, prefer to get employees working on gathering humanitarian aid for Libya,” said Mr Debono. “We hope the situation in Libya gets back to normal soon, but we have to wait and see”, he concluded.