Public Project
Sous les Oliviers, nous attendons le départ
Sfax, Octobre 2023
Entre les villages de El Amra et Beliana, sur la route qui relie Sfax à Jebeniana, on trouve des champs d'oliviers à perte de vue. C'est sous ces arbres que des milliers de personnes originaires pour la plupart de l'Afrique subsaharienne ont trouvé refuge. Cette zone est devenue depuis le début du mois de septembre 2023 le point de départ des bâteaux vers l'Italie et l'île de Lampedusa.
Toute la journée les personnes exilées ( majoritairement des hommes seuls), ne quittent l'ombre de leur arbre que pour aller se laver ou pour aller trouver quelque chose à manger dans les quelques boutiques des environs.
La relation avec les locaux est compliquée, certains leur viennent en aide alors que d'autres exploitent la misère comme lorsque certains habitants faisaient payer l'ombre d'un arbre 5€ la journée me raconte Wahid, journaliste local.
Les tensions sont également fortes avec les cultivateurs qui doivent bientôt entamer la récolte des olives et qui pour cela sont donc obligés de chasser les personnes abritées sous les arbres.
La situation est un vrai désastre humanitaire, parmi les personnes présentes ce matin là, il y a un nourrisson et quelques enfants, presque tous les habitants que je rencontre souffrent de douleurs à l'estomac, conséquence de l'insalubrité de l'eau non potable qu'ils boivent chaque jour.
Depuis le mois de juillet et les violences à Sfax, la situation est devenue de plus en plus compliquée pour les exilés subsahariens et certains racontent qu'ils marchent du matin au soir; la journée pour éviter d'être statique et donc d'être contrôlés et la nuit pour se réchauffer car malgré des températures frôlant les 35 degrés la journée, les nuits deviennent de plus en plus froides.
Under the Olive Trees, We Wait
Sfax, October 2023
Between the villages of El Amra and Beliana, on the road connecting Sfax to Jebeniana, fields of olive trees stretch as far as the eye can see. It is under these trees that thousands of people, mostly from sub-Saharan Africa, have found refuge. Since the beginning of September 2023, this area has become the departure point for boats heading to Italy and the island of Lampedusa. All day, the exiled people (mostly single men) leave the shade of their tree only to wash or try to find something to eat at the few nearby shops. Relations with the locals are complicated. Some offer help, while others exploit the misery, like when certain locals charge €5 per day for the shade of a tree, as Wahid, a local journalist, tells me. Tensions are also high with the farmers who will soon begin harvesting olives and are therefore forced to chase people away from under the trees. The situation is a true humanitarian disaster. Among those present that morning, there is an infant and a few children. Almost all the people I meet suffer from stomach pains, a consequence of the unsanitary, undrinkable water they consume every day. Since July, when the violence erupted in Sfax, the situation has become increasingly difficult for sub-Saharan exiles. Some recount walking from morning until night: during the day to avoid being stationary and thus controlled, and at night to stay warm because, despite temperatures nearing 35°C during the day, the nights are becoming increasingly cold.
Sfax, October 2023
Between the villages of El Amra and Beliana, on the road connecting Sfax to Jebeniana, fields of olive trees stretch as far as the eye can see. It is under these trees that thousands of people, mostly from sub-Saharan Africa, have found refuge. Since the beginning of September 2023, this area has become the departure point for boats heading to Italy and the island of Lampedusa. All day, the exiled people (mostly single men) leave the shade of their tree only to wash or try to find something to eat at the few nearby shops. Relations with the locals are complicated. Some offer help, while others exploit the misery, like when certain locals charge €5 per day for the shade of a tree, as Wahid, a local journalist, tells me. Tensions are also high with the farmers who will soon begin harvesting olives and are therefore forced to chase people away from under the trees. The situation is a true humanitarian disaster. Among those present that morning, there is an infant and a few children. Almost all the people I meet suffer from stomach pains, a consequence of the unsanitary, undrinkable water they consume every day. Since July, when the violence erupted in Sfax, the situation has become increasingly difficult for sub-Saharan exiles. Some recount walking from morning until night: during the day to avoid being stationary and thus controlled, and at night to stay warm because, despite temperatures nearing 35°C during the day, the nights are becoming increasingly cold.
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