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By Jamal Adel.
Tripoli, 27 November 2103:
Tebu protestors demanding improved conditions for the town of Rebyana have rejected as insufficient the offer . . .[restrict]of a 1.5 MW generator from an official from the Prime Minister’s office, according to their spokesman, Mohammed Altobawey.
The protestors say they want the town to be connected to the power grid. The nearest power lines are some 150 east of Rebyana. They also want Reybana to be its own municipality.
The protestors also include Tebus from Kufra demanding a separate council for its Tebu districts of Gadarfai, Shura and Swedia.
Altobawey also announced that the road from Kufra to Benghazi was now partially blocked by the 150 protesters. It is open only to ambulances and private cars. He claimed that the number of protestors was growing.
Two days ago, the demonstrators threatened to block the road if their demands were ignored by the authorities. They also threatened to blockade the Sarir oilfield and electricity station.
The Electricity Minister, Ali Muhairiq, today said that the blockade had started and GECOL warned that it would close the station within 24 hours if it continued.
Altobawey said, however, that the electricity issue could be the least of the government’s problems; the Kufra Tebu local council demand and that for an independent Rebyana council were far more crucial.
If there was no movement on the issue, he warned, the Tebus would take far tougher action. He did not spell out what that might be.
There is speculation, however, that they might try to turn off the pumps to the Man-Made River. [/restrict]
