He is back home, safe. But gunfire bursts in distant Libya dominate his thoughts. Bijy Thomas, hailing from Anayara here, was one of the 301 Indians to be evacuated from Misurata, 210 km from Libya's capital Tripoli, in a ship to Malta on Saturday. They were flown to Delhi on special flights via Kuwait.
Though relieved to be reunited with his family on Monday night, Mr. Bijy is anxious about his friends trapped in the North African country, where protest against leader Muammar Qadhafi is raging. “I cannot help but think about Thomas who could not join us as he is a chronic diabetic, Naim, the Pakistani cook who had just returned from a visit to his country after 22 years and another Malayali family, forced to stay back,” Mr. Bijy said.
He was informed about evacuation last Thursday, but had to wait till Friday for confirmation. “The 6-km journey from the camp to the port was risky. The runway of Misurata airport is strewn with sand to prevent landing of military aircraft. We were told that the international airport at Benghazi has been destroyed. To reach Tripoli airport, we had to cross a lot of security points set up by the police. Looting is rampant. Three Indians who went to Tripoli by road last week were robbed of everything except the clothes they had on,” he said.
Shortage of food and drinking water looms. Communication channels have been hit. “Telephone cards are not available. Their price soared. Luckily, the government recharged all phones by $100 and it lasted till we reached Delhi on Monday.”
Mr. Bijy, an engineer with Global Steel Holdings Limited, and his 83 Indian colleagues — most of them highly qualified professionals and engineers — were in a dilemma when the government announced evacuation of Indians.
“The options were either to forego our hard-earned money or to stay back in the camp risking our lives to get the arrears settled. After the news came in The Hindu that the company owed us $1.7 million, they acted swiftly and paid salary up to October. That hastened our return,” he said. Mr. Bijy is all praise for the Indian embassy officials, including three Malayalis in the Italian ferry. A separate enclosure was set up for the evacuees at Delhi airport. “We were provided food first. Immigration formalities were initiated later,” he said.
“Libya was a good country to live in. Local people were good to us. But, things have changed. Still, many are willing to return once the situation becomes normal,” he added. Mr. Bijy, though, has put in his papers. For his wife Lizy Mathew, Assistant Professor in Medical College and daughters Rachana and Anna, an agonising wait ended on Monday.
