(en) France, Organisation Communiste Libertarie (OCL) - Courant Alternatif #243 - Libya, a company on the verge of breaking (fr, pt)

[machine translation]

How to understand what is happening in Libya? The multiplicity of interests, and internal 
and external influences creates confusion that puts the country with fire and sword. The 
end of the dictatorship offered the opportunity to build a free and equal society. The 
uprising of the population in February 2011 would have been a revolutionary situation that 
is instead turned into threat back of a military dictatorship or Islamic. ---- The 
political situation in Libya is Kafkaesque. The shortest popular uprising in the 
history-10 days, to the day, 27 February 2011-du17 came the National Council of 
Self-proclaimed Transition. It will be supported by the Western coalition forces led by 
France. From March 17, the Security Council of the United Nations has decided on the 
establishment of an exclusion zone in the Libyan sky (resolution 1973). It also authorizes 
"all necessary measures" which means, in diplomatic language, military actions. On March 
19, it was France that starts the ball rolling bombing of Libya, barely a month after the 
first street demonstration; NATO does not drag and the following 10 days takes over 
American and British French forces (27 March 2011).

After Gadhafi's death on Oct. 20, it's the end of operations October 31, 2011, leaving 
people stunned in indescribable social chaos. Today the Democratic attempt imposed by 
force of NATO bombers turns hoax if not a nightmare. The first structure elected July 7, 
2012, the National General Council, based in Tripoli with his government, the second 
structure elected June 25, 2014, the chambers of deputies 'parliament' seat with a second 
government near Benghazi in a Greek ship off Tobruk. So everything is duplicated, that 
means the beginning of a division of the country.

As with many structures in the form of armed militias used to suit different interests, 
they will face a Libyan army being trained by a retired general who wants to try to 
restart a failed career as a dictator. The first free elections in the history of Libya, 
after more than forty years of totalitarian rule, elected in July 2012, the General 
National Congress (CGN Parliament) representing the highest political and legislative 
authority and replaces the CNT (board national transitional) self appointed 27 February 
2011, however, the CGN has been accused of contributing to the development of corruption, 
the squandering of the country's wealth, have encouraged the proliferation of armed groups 
of all kinds and having failed to build anything, not even a school, a road or a bus. CGN 
this was a factor of instability, but it also contributed to the resurgence of a sense of 
regional or tribal community or in the terminology of the French journalists belonging; 
all this because of power struggles between liberals, Islamists and opportunists of all 
stripes, supported by armed militias and embassies of various states within a country 
struggling to find its way.

The political authorities and the Islamists

The CGN is controlled by the ruling Justice and Construction, which is not yet the 
majority, but has the support of other individuals and bands, and is an Islamic right, 
capitalist, reactionary and obscurantist. The Prime Minister of this parliament, Ali 
Zeidan, a liberal pro-Western capitalist, never, neither he nor his ministers, exercised 
real power. After several attempts, the Islamists succeeded March 11, 2014 in the hunt to 
replace it with the defense minister, Abdullah al-Thne?. This power struggle rather 
traditional caricature mask of course other more serious problems, because this government 
or future has only symbolic power on the actual politics, which itself is elsewhere ... 
The power of the state is in Tripoli and elsewhere are different types of power that 
overlap form alliances, conflicts or ignorance. The state, which includes a government 
appointed by the CGN to control the entry of oil money; distributes wages and sign checks, 
buys protection and support to armed groups.

But this power to dispose of the money is restricted by the National General Council 
signing and adopting the budget, hence the struggle between different groups to control 
the Council, real headquarters of the Libyan business! The presence of the Muslim 
Brotherhood in Libya dates back to the fifties, they arrived in Egypt as teachers and 
intellectuals fleeing repression Nasser. They formed a kind of school of thought, never 
truly structured party. Under Gaddafi, they were the main opposition forces with the 
support of the USA, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, etc. Since Mustapha Abdeljelil formed the CNT in 
2011, the Islamists have not left power in Libya but failed to fully control. We wonder 
why the Islamists not managed to take all powers, legislative, and executive? Part of the 
explanation lies in structuring their political party. In Libya, an Islamic party does not 
make sense because all existing political parties of both right and left, East or West, 
integrate Islam in various forms, in their ideological and political structure program . 
It is not possible or imaginable that a party may deviate from Islam as a moral and social 
base, or demand the separation of state and religion, it would be political suicide.

Libyans do not see the value that a party gets an overall concept and monopolizes its 
advantage: it's a bit similar to the idea of ecology in Europe. Until 21 July 2014, date 
of publication of voting results for the chamber of deputies, there was a sort of 
consensus between Islamists who control the CGN and the Liberals who appoint the prime 
minister, this agreement is due to balance of forces of militias in Tripoli, but also 
external pressures from different countries who do not want the Islamists are too visible 
in the front line. For Islamists is a screen for external relations with Europe prefers 
speaking the same language and it does not end in a meeting to his prayer partner. But the 
prime minister and his government will not stray too far from the line Islamists, if they 
want to maintain their positions. Libyan Islamists have neither the political experience 
nor the social and popular base to seize political power or assume, as in Egypt or 
Tunisia. Knowing that they will never be a majority in the electoral process, they adopted 
a strategy of control by force with armed groups, using the "democratic" structures to 
maintain the illusion of plurality and democracy. Libyans have lived 40 years under the 
authoritarian regime of Gaddafi and necessarily have incorporated some ideological aspects 
when they are not in contradiction with the popular common sense. One of the slogans that 
the Libyans have seen posted anywhere for 40 years is "Belonging to a party is a betrayal."

Since then, political parties distrusted. In Libya there has never been a political party 
actually coming from the company; most of the current ones are formed after 2011 to seize 
power artificial groups, led by virtually all businessmen returning from Europe and the 
USA with no social base. Gaddafi could stay in power for forty years through its total 
control over the army and weapons arsenals but also by fierce repression against 
Islamists. It will eventually completely remove the military while keeping a huge 
contingent of several "armies" controlled by his son and his family and remaining master 
of everything related to the armament and its use. But he has failed to eradicate the 
Islamists, on the contrary, under international pressure, his son Seif al-Islam has signed 
an agreement with them and was released from prison in 2010.

The return of the army

Today, the attempt to establish a Libyan army on the ruins of Gaddafi's army to take over 
the affairs of the country to end the "anarchy", "terrorism", to create a device capable 
to act and intervene at any time, is a bigger and more dangerous than the hundreds of 
amateur militias seeking money and gain immediate threat. This is Khalifa Haftar, officer 
of the Libyan army of the former regime of Gaddafi, who is the initiator. He led the war 
in Chad where he was jailed March 22, 1987 with thousands of soldiers and some officers. 
It was during his stay in prison he puts up with his military inmates armed opposition to 
Gaddafi because he thinks that he has let them down. The Americans eventually smuggle 
general and 350 of his soldiers to the United States. It appears in Benghazi in 2011 with 
the ambition-or the missionaries to lead the revolution, but the former interior minister 
of Gaddafi, Abdelfatah Younis, who also participated in the takeover with Gaddafi 1969 
does not leave her room. When Younis was assassinated in July 2011, General Haftar is 
suspected of having ordered and steps back. His past that combines both a proximity to 
Gaddafi and the CIA does not preach in his favor.

The National Transitional Council (CNT), dominated by Islamists, it is wary of him, 
fearing his boundless ambition, his lust for power and authoritarianism pronounced, 
already experienced in Chad. In mid-February 2014, the situation in Libya is on the verge 
of explosion, around the country many demonstrations demanding the resignation of the 
government and the National General Council. Ali Zeidan, the Prime Minister at the time, 
failed at least three important ways: first disarm the militias, dissolve the various 
brigades and units and integrate them into the regular army, the other free ports and oil 
installations controlled by the Federalists and finally stop the bombings and 
assassinations in Benghazi. Taking advantage of this climate, as a last gesture to get a 
place in the sun, Khalifa Haftar made a sensational statement on Saudi television. He 
announced on behalf of the Libyan army, the suspension of government and parliament, the 
transfer of power to the Supreme Court and the establishment of a roadmap. Although before 
the attempted coup by proxy television Haftar has received much support from 
personalities, leaders and businessmen, its final action had no effect on the ground if 
not the threat of arrest.

It is amazing that this henchman of Americans did not play a larger role in political life 
in Libya, but it must be said that the Islamists do not let him easily. The only 
explanation is that this man is hated by Islamists, as Abdelfettah Younis and all who have 
the capacity to reconstitute the military; it is a historical divorce between Islamists 
and army initiated divorce there half a century by Nasser pursued by Gaddafi. At the head 
of a self-proclaimed military force "Libyan National Army," General Haftar launched its 
second operation, called "Al-Karamah or dignity." It's Friday, May 16, 2014 in Benghazi he 
launched his attempt to seize power, saying the fight against "terrorism", particularly 
against the jihadist group Ansar al-Sharia. The group is accused of being behind a wave of 
killings of the past two years members of the security forces, judges and former officers 
of the army of Gaddafi, journalists, men and politicians; they say also responsible for 
the attack against the Consulate of the United States and the murder of the American 
ambassador.

Khalifa Haftar, which received air support of some army units, also clashed with soldiers 
in the brigade of 17-February, one of the first armed groups established in 2011 against 
the Gaddafi regime, which remains faithful the Islamists. Result: nearly 100 dead and many 
injured. Operation Al-Karamah du16 May 2014 gives it to the heart of the fight waving 
Libya Muslim brothers, radical Islamists on one side and the military, liberals on the 
other. Haftar, it is supported by Egypt General Abdelfatah al-Sissi, who made a similar 
scenario in Egypt some time ago. Islamists have denounced the coup claiming that former 
Gaddafi regime are back on the tanks Haftar. They fought back after the last election saw 
that they were losing control of the new parliament, by launching the operation "Fajr 
Libya" or Dawn of Libya, supported militarily by militias from Misrata to control Tripoli.

If elections. ...

The parliamentary elections of June 25, 2014, were presented as the silver bullet to stop 
the corruption and violence, assassinations, bombings, kidnappings, ... that shook the 
country for three years, but did not they say in France, if the elections could change 
anything, they would be banned! Although the elections were banned for forty years, 
Libyans have realized in a short time they were useless. So very low turnout, only 630,000 
people came for a population of 6 million; only 1.5 million Libyans had registered for 
voting against more than 2.7 million in 2012 to 3.4 million potential voters, for a 
turnout of 42%, according to preliminary estimates of the High Commission Election (CET). 
If all of the 3.4 million voters are taken into account, participation would be 18%, which 
is very little for a regime that considers the ballot as the main reason and justification 
for the thousands of dead and the total destruction of infrastructure. Another reason for 
the low participation is the boycott call by the Imazighen (Berbers).

These are challenging the voting procedure of the articles of the constitution within the 
committee to write the constitution and denounce the insufficient number of Berber 
representatives (6/200). So there was material to contest these elections, and those who 
do, it is the Islamists who lost the election by becoming the minority. Indeed, the 
current situation in Libya is that of a country divided schematically into two entities 
not defined by the existence of two parliaments, two governments, two prime ministers, two 
presidents of parliament, in two different regions. The new House of Representatives, 
which should include 200 members has only 184, 6 seats for the Berbers remained empty and 
ten other seats because the polling stations were damaged or closed by armed groups or 
people. The head of the parliament in Benghazi, the first meeting was held in a boat off 
Tobruk location deemed calmer and less risky, and instructed Abdullah al-Thne?, the former 
prime minister, to form a government . The parliament considered legitimate is supported 
by France and the UN but also by General Haftar and movement. Across the country, in 
Tripoli, the Islamists, refusing the election results on the grounds that the head office 
under the constitution should be in Benghazi, called for reconstituting the old parliament 
(CGN) and appointed Omar Al Hassi to form a government.

The Islamists have, in addition to its armed forces, supported by the city of Misrata and 
its commercial and industrial bourgeoisie; they have a powerful army that succeeded after 
many fierce battles for a month to recover Tripoli airport, at least what's left, and to 
release the control of the forces of Zintan and the official army, which cost 2 billion 
dollars in damage and left more than 100 dead. But this division between East and West is 
not completely successful, at least not entirely, because in the East, there has yet 
another rift between the House of Representatives and Islamist groups. The House of 
Representatives, elected in June, is certainly minimized by the boycott of Islamists but 
it remains legal, legitimate and supported by the military and the general Haftar and the 
majority of the population and international forums. Ansar al-Sharia only and various 
jihadist groups affiliated roughly Jihad International, another political and social 
project for the region of Benghazi and are a constant source of violence and the risk of 
war in the war, especially around Airport Bnina. The scenario is the same for Tripoli 
where Islamist militias of Misrata and control almost all cities, however the presence of 
law Zentan who lost the battle of the airport, but remain armed and have a very large pool 
of weapons and ammunition, is a constant source of opposition to the Islamists with the 
support of other smaller groups such as the cities of Ouercheffanah region - an area to 
the west of Tripoli that dates back to the foot of South Mountain Nefussa.

Multiple interference

Several international conferences have been held about Libya with the participation of 
French, American and other governments to help the current regime can not manage the 
crisis. Insecurity prevents firms and foreign companies to continue investing: oil 
production is at its lowest level in nearly a year, terrorist attacks and political 
assassinations continue to multiply, the smuggling of weapons into the Egypt, Tunisia, 
Mali did not stop despite the presence of many experts and American, Italian and French 
responsible for border control and boats of illegal workers officers continue to capsize 
on European shores of the Mediterranean. The concerns of Americans and Europeans are 
reflected in the proliferation of conferences, meetings and meetings at the highest level 
and without results to date. The French defense minister, Jean-Yves Le Drian, alerted 
early September on the "gravity of the situation in Libya," saying it required the 
intervention of France. "Let us remember that we have collectively undertaken and 
succeeded in Mali: a large-scale military operation to liberate the country from the 
jihadist threat, and a democratic political process.

The deteriorating security situation in Libya could start this achievement. Southern Libya 
is a kind of 'hub' where terrorist groups come to buy, including weapons, and reorganize. 
[...] Now Libya is both the gateway to Europe and the Sahara. " Libyan Prime Minister 
Abdullah al-Thne? sought the support of his counterparts princes United Arab Emirates but 
also in other countries to get out of the Libya crisis: "We call on all influential states 
in the region including the United States and France to help us fight terrorism, because 
it has become an international problem. " An undeclared war started against Qatar from 
Egypt due to the fall of Morsi and the coup of General Sissi but also from Saudi Arabia, 
UAE and Bahrain recalled their diplomatic representation in Doha in March 2014 in protest 
against the support of the Qatar Islamic groups. The risk of bursting the country is 
compounded by these external interventions supporting various factions against each other 
based on different interests. We can now speak of a civil war in Libya without 
exaggerating too much because what is happening has no other name. This war can also be 
seen as a war by "proxy" between external forces antagonistic Qatar on one side and the 
United Arab Emirates on the other.

Qatar is home to Ali Sallabi, the Libyan Islamist theorist, is the most influential of the 
political branch of the Libyan Islamic man; UAE, for their part, are home to Mahmoud 
Jibril, a former prime minister, liberal and pro-Western man, considered the leader of the 
Liberals. We can add to these two countries, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Turkey, Sudan and Egypt, 
all of which have considerable financial and strategic interests in the country. Islamist 
bombings in Tripoli and Benghazi positions have been allocated to the Armed Forces of the 
UAE with the help of Egypt which may give grounds in Qatar, in turn, to intervene in 
support of these allies. Two planeloads of arms and ammunition chartered by Qatar landed 
in Tripoli, which proves that their interference started well despite their denials. And 
in addition to France, which probably wants to intervene in southern Iraq to protect its 
interests in neighboring countries, which sparked demonstrations in Tripoli, Benghazi and 
other cities in support of Islamist denouncing the coup d ' military state and foreign 
intervention.

In conclusion

The many experts and specialists who address the violence that Libyan-nes undergo daily 
attribute this disorder, without seeking further, the lack of state, police and army. 
There is a consensus among all the pharmacies research and media as well as in the 
population around the urgency to solve this catastrophe would be the creation of an army 
and a police force with a strong central state and perhaps even a strongman able to keep 
everything. Attribute this to the lack of chaos sovereign state is an attempt to fix a 
mistake with another mistake. All these specialists do not see what they are seeking is 
exactly the Gaddafi regime, destroyed in 2011 with the help of NATO. Libya is the latest 
example of how vividly that neither NATO force, nor the United States or France, can not 
bring a political or social change instead of the population. And that these interventions 
Sarkozy and NATO were not to establish democracy or freedom to provide Libyans but to 
defend the financial and strategic interests in the region.

When the Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov reminded his French counterpart Laurent 
Fabius, the French men that were armed and supported by Libya in 2011 are the same as they 
fight in Mali, Syria, Iraq, the latter replied: "Oh yes, that's life! "Rest course, the 
fate of the majority of the population who suffer this climate of war. Those who can 
afford it as in 2011 took their car or plane and left; 100,000 people have left the 
country and even the most vulnerable: they are almost 150,000 migrant workers who have 
left the country. Besides the thousands of "illegals" who drowned in the Mediterranean Sea 
off the coast of Lampedusa. Because Libya is the typical case in which colonial capitalism 
acted quickly and without thinking, action Libyans pay and pay for many years to come. An 
army can not solve a problem of the magnitude of what is happening in Libya, nor a state, 
nor the police. Only the company itself as a whole can solve its problem. We see that the 
situation is far from stable or revolutionary and the Libyan-nes have a lot of trouble to 
make their future. Everything can change or switch at any time at the option of sulphurous 
statements, various support and intervention masked external actors. It's time for 
surprises and interests of each others lead the way. Wherever Western armies intervened is 
the reign of chaos, civil war and the collapse of the "rescued" countries; every day 
people are paying the price in human lives, political imbalance in armed totalitarian 
threats. Libya spared so far, just entered this vicious circle. Who can predict the end?

Saoud Salem, OCL, Toulouse September 20, 2014