By Ashraf Abdul-Wahab and Jamal Adel.
Tripoli, 15 December 2013:
Tebu activists have denied allegations by the head of Jakarrah Local Council, Osama . . .[restrict]Al-Zway, that they have again closed the Ajdabiya-Kufra road.
A member of the 10-man Tebu team that arrived in Tripoli two days ago, to negotiate with the government over demands that had resulted in the road being closed for a fortnight, said that protestors were still on site awaiting the outcome of talks but that here had been no fresh action today.
There had been a brief incident, the spokesman said, when a petrol tanker heading to Rabyana had been stopped by Zway militiamen from Tazerbu. However, after negotiations between them and a Tebu brigade, it had been allowed to continue on its way.
Meanwhile, the Tebu delegation, in Tripoli to discuss their demands for the electrical supply to Rabyana and the creation of a municipality there and a sub-municipality in Kufra, said that this morning’s planned meeting with the Prime Minister did not occur.
The team, headed by Kufra civil rights activist Hussein Aya, said that they were still waiting to meet him but warned that they would not wait for long. If their demands were not met, the spokesman said, they would go back and not only reactivate the blockade but take unspecified “tougher action”.
The Tebu protests had resulted in the Ajdabiya-Kufra road being closed until last Wednesday and the Sarir power station forced to close because fuel supplies could not get through. The blockade was lifted, following negotiations last week between the protestors and Defence Minister Abdullah Al-Thinni. It was he who suggested the Tebus take their grievances direct to the Prime Minister. [/restrict]
