Revolution redux: Libya to celebrate 2 years post-Gaddafi

Get short URL

Published time: February 14, 2013 14:38
Edited time: February 14, 2013 18:38

Libyan protesters hold the flag of the eastern Cyrenaica region during a demonstration calling for greater autonomy in the eastern city of Benghazi (AFP Photo / Abdulah Dohma)

Trends

Libyan conflict

Tags

Anniversary, Gaddafi, Libya, Military, Opposition, Politics

Libya is set to celebrate two years since the start of the uprising that ended with the death of longtime ruler Muammar Gaddafi. But this anticipation is marred by an expectation of mass protests, a lack of reform and a resurging secessionist mood.

While no official commemoration is planned, many cities in Libya are raising flags and colored lights. In some places, festivities will begin on Friday and culminate on Sunday, February 17.

As the date of the celebration approaches, the government in Tripoli is stepping up security in the parts of the country that are under its control. The eastern city of Benghazi, the cradle of the anti-Gaddafi revolution, recently saw an influx of troops and military vehicles. The government also ordered restrictions on international flights and closure of borders.

The preparations come as a popular movement calls for the “correction of the path” of the revolution, and for supporters to take to the streets on Friday. The rallies are supposed to be peaceful, but authorities are concerned that they may turn violent like those in neighboring Egypt.

The dissent stems from a lack of visible progress in solving the country’s problems, including the government's failure to author a new constitution – or even start a commission to do so – create jobs, disarm the local militias, and other issues.

“Nothing has been accomplished, no security, no infrastructure, no housing. It’s been two years,” longtime activist Fathia Gadoura told the Libyan Herald newspaper. “When someone tells you they need a house and shelter and you give them handouts, that does not solve the problem. It just postpones it. We have heard of huge budgets being allocated but it seems there are no priorities. Instead there are serious mistakes and no accountability.”

Italian Army soldiers stand by some of the twenty military vehicles during an handing over ceremony by Italy to Libya at a Libyan Navy Base on February 6, 2013 in Tripoli (AFP Photo / Mahmud Turkia)

Gadoura is one of many Benghazi residents planning to attend the rally. Some of them want the government to perform better. Others want Libya to become a federation of historic regions, each governed semi-independently. In March 2012, local tribal and military leaders declared Cyrenaica to be semi-autonomous from Tripoli, and have since called for reviving the old article in the constitution that made both Benghazi and Tripoli co-capitals of the country.

Cyrenaica's role in kick-starting the uprising is hardly surprising: The region is the place where most of Libya's oil reserves are located. However, under the Gaddafi government, it constantly complained of underdevelopment. The desire to redistribute incomes from oil exports in a more just fashion was among the key factors in the revolution.

Yet two years on, many people in Benghazi are again accusing Tripoli of cheating them. The disaffection has been aggravated by economic hardships natural for a country that used to be a socialist autocracy and violently became a weak and undeveloped democracy – degraded standards of living and unemployment, ravaging corruption and social injustice.

There is also southern Libya, which is ruled by tribal militias and Islamists with little regard for the country’s coastal authorities. The de facto independence of those areas contributes to the problems in neighboring countries. The occupation of northern Mali and the massive hostage crisis in Algeria in response to the French intervention both came about with the help of fighters and arms from Libya.

Some believe that unrest in Libya portends the start of a second revolution – a leaflet circulated in Tripoli calls for bringing down the ruling regime through a "popular revolt" and civil disobedience. It also advises people to stockpile food and fuel in anticipation of rioting. Libyan officials and some organizations have claimed that the leaflets were disseminated by the remaining Gaddafi loyalists.

Aleksandr Antonov, RT

Comments (19)

WayKnower! (unregistered) 15.02.2013 17:11

Putin (unregistered) wrote in #7
WayKnower ! (unregistered) wrote in #6
Gaddafi was no saint>> That's an understatement.

However he must be judged on what he did for the general well being of the people of Libya ... First housing, then free electricity and running water ...
>> True, but in exchange for that he forced on the people of Libya a dictatorship controlled by his clan.

Against the might of NATO the people of Libya with an out of date military and almost no surface to air defences, held out for over 8 months. NATO and the other deranged psychopaths believed the Jamahiriya would be defeated in 2 weeks.>> NATO could have defeated Gaddafi within days. The problem was that only certain military spots were legitimate targets. NATO was not trying to bomb Gaddafi but rather to incapacitate his military.

This man's death was not just a tragedy >>> It was his choice to go on a killing spree so he just got his comeuppance. Sad but true.

@put in like most people these days you seem to have missed the part where your way of life is morally, spiritually, intellectually and financially banrkrupt. Gaddafi didn't slaughter anyone, there was unrest and 110 people died in it, many of whom were security forces at the hands of armed terrorists.
The Tauregs and their terrorist allies at the time who were in the vacinity of Benghazi agreed to fight against Gaddafi for enough support from the US and other states to take over northern Mali, which of course they did.
From the very begining what happend in Libya was regime change, it's what the CIA and MI5/6 do, in fact it's the main reason they exist. The people of Libya did not need to do the whole retarded voting thing, it means nothing!
The people of Libya were involved in the running of the country by law they all had a say. Go read the green book by Gaddafi and learn the truth, the western way of life has two choices, change or go to hell.
Putin have you been paying attention over the last 50 years and has the GOD called TV informed you that Iraq didn't have any WMD's? GENIUS!!!

Undo

This is the handiwork of RT's more retard Shill. Anything for that paycheck Tomasz. (unregistered) 15.02.2013 12:01

alpha and omega (unregistered) wrote in #16
We are Americans, we are alpha and omega, we are the beginning, and the end, so move out of the way, you bunch of worms.... else we will rain a terror on you all.. beware... almighty has spoken............ .................... .................... .................... .................. Who would dare to oppose the best military force ever assembled ? We can put any country we want back into a stone age ( Bush ) So go along or die alone. That's a promise..>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>> Listen up , we have hundreds of drones, soon stealth, we can fly over any country we choose, and kill anyone we wish....That's what power is about....worms....no more screwing around ...

I t's so funny the way you swap your aliasis around too.

Undo

Rubin Schmidt (unregistered) 15.02.2013 03:40

alpha and omega (unregistered) wrote in #17
We are Americans, we are alpha and omega, we are the beginning, and the end, so move out of the way, you bunch of worms.... else we will rain a terror on you all.. beware... almighty has spoken............ .................... .................... .................... .................. Who would dare to oppose the best military force ever assembled ? We can put any country we want back into a stone age ( Bush ) So go along or die alone. That's a promise..>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>> Listen up , we have hundreds of drones, soon stealth, we can fly over any country we choose, and kill anyone we wish....That's what power is about....worms....no more screwing around ... Are you saying that drones flying over your head dont represent a threat to you.? Are the FEMA camps for us.? What is going to be the target of the DHS's massive stockpile of Dum-Dum bullets. US, I think so.!!!

Undo

View all comments (19)