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By Reem Tombokti.
Tripoli, 17 July 2013:
Zuetina’s oil terminal has been . . .[restrict]stormed and closed by armed protestors, just one day after operations were resumed following weeks of strikes.
These new protestors claim they were promised jobs at the port a year ago by the government, but no jobs have actually materialised.
“The protestors arrived yesterday afternoon and tried to stop work at the port,” a Zuetina employee told the Libya Herald today.
The loading of two tankers, the first in weeks to export oil from the terminal, was underway when protestors arrived. They were persuaded to allow both operations to be completed. Today, employees said they did not know what would happen to any new ships hoping to berth for oil at Zuetina. The terminal has five offshore loading berths, four of which are currently operational.
“The protestors are still in the port, but they haven’t attacked anyone,” he said.
Zuetina Oil Company has been beset by months of intermittent strikes, both at its oil fields and the export terminal.
The most recent strikes, entering a third consecutive week, were called off following meetings with government officials including Oil Minister Abdulbari Al-Arusi. “He promised he would sort out all the problems in a month,” another Zueitina employee said, adding that those concerned with that protest had decided to give the government a chance to fulfil its promises. [/restrict]
