One year after Storm Daniel: Survivor stories expose ongoing human rights violations and government failures in Libya

"I live the life of an insomniac these days, living in a bad dream. In the blink of an eye we lost everything, including a part of ourselves.”

On the one-year anniversary of the devastating collapse of the Bou Mansour and Belad dams in Wadi Derna due to Storm Daniel, a new publication by Libya Crimes Watch (LCW) and Lawyers for Justice in Libya (LFJL) reveals the catastrophic failures of the Libyan authorities in the east and the Government of National Unity (GNU) in the west to protect and support the affected populations.

On 11 September 2023, the collapse of the dams in Derna unleashed a torrent of destruction, washing away entire neighbourhoods and infrastructure along the Jebel Akhdar coast of Libya. Thousands of lives were lost, with many swept out to sea, while others were buried under rubble. The coastal towns of Al-Bayadha, Batta, and several others were similarly devastated, with widespread damage and significant loss of life. One year on, the final death toll – between 4,000 and 11,000 – remains unknown, with many more missing, indicating the overwhelming incompetence and unwillingness of authorities to address the flood’s aftermath and the fundamental needs of those affected.

Grounded in the testimonies of 11 survivors from Derna and surrounding regions, ‘11 stories from 11 September: One year after the Derna tragedy, survivors tell their stories’ sheds light on the immense suffering, government negligence, human rights violations and lack of accountability that have exacerbated the distress of thousands of survivors.

Key findings include:

• Inadequate humanitarian response: The authorities failed to provide timely and adequate protection and relief to those affected. The lack of an organised response has left many without adequate shelter, access to healthcare, or support for the displaced, to this day.
  
• Discrimination and neglect: Vulnerable groups, including Libyan women married to non-Libyans, journalists, Palestinian residents, humanitarian workers, and civil society activists, have been deliberately neglected and discriminated against in the aftermath of the disaster.
  
• Lack of accountability and corruption: According to survivors, the financial resources allocated for reparations and compensation have been mishandled, with widespread corruption and a lack of transparency. Funds intended for victims have been allegedly diverted, leaving many without the support they were promised.

The survivors’ stories highlight the clear violation of numerous rights, including the right to know the fate of missing relatives, the right to adequate housing, education, health, and freedom of expression. These violations contravene both Libyan constitutional provisions and international human rights standards.

This report calls on Libyan authorities to urgently adopt a human rights framework that prioritises the needs of the most vulnerable and ensures accountability for those responsible for the disaster's mismanagement. Moreover, the international community including the relief organisations and the United Nations are urged to increase funding and monitoring of the situation in Libya, particularly concerning the protection of victims' rights and the implementation of mechanisms for accountability and reparations.

Read the report in English and Arabic.

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Authors:

LCW and LFJL are dedicated to advocating for human rights and justice in Libya. We work closely with survivors and affected communities to document human rights violations and hold those responsible accountable.

For more information or to schedule an interview, please contact:

Alexandra Azua, Communications and Public Outreach Manager – LFJL
Nour Khalifa, Communications Officer – LCW