After losing control of the Libyan-Tunisian Ras Jedir border crossing to local militias yesterday, Acting Interior Minister Emad Trabelsi vowed to regain control of it even through use of force.
During a speech in a meeting with the leadership of the Interior Ministry yesterday, the Interior Minister stressed that he would regain control of the Ras Jedir crossing even if it is necessary to use force, adding that he was waiting for the highest authorities in the state regarding this matter.
Trabelsi said the issue is national and no city or tribe has anything to do with it, and they are far from any political tensions.
He said policemen were assigned to secure the Ras Jedir crossing in order to combat smuggling and negative phenomena.
He said the attack on police officers by local forces is a cowardly criminal act whose purpose is to confuse security work and continue smuggling.
Trabelsi said it was unfortunate to see statements and positions from some cities (Zuwara) and regions supporting what happened and blaming the Interior Ministry, which has jurisdiction in the matter and area.
The Acting Interior Minister stressed that the Ras Jedir border crossing, Libya’s main land crossing with Tunisia, will not be opened until it returns to the state and under the authority of the law.
Analysis
It will be recalled that there have been numerous unsuccessful attempts by successive Tripoli based Libyan governments since the 2011 revolution to gain long-term control of the border crossing.
Arab v Amazigh
Local ethnic non-Arab Amazighs, mainly concentrated in Zuwara, have insisted that they should control the border crossing.
Historic smuggling point
The border crossing has been a major smuggling point since the Qaddafi era for Libya’s highly subsidised goods, including food and fuels.
Haemorrhaging Libya’s hard currency reserves
Since these subsidies are imported from abroad with hard currencies, they are haemorrhaging Libya’s hard currency reserves.
Proof of weakness and limits to Tripoli government’s control
The failure by the Aldabaiba government to gain and keep control of the border crossing is a major setback and testimony to the Tripoli government’s weakness. It sends a negative message to the international community. It proves that Tripoli has only regional influence and control. The border crossing is about 200 km from Tripoli.
Financial crisis: LD devaluation, subsidies, smuggling, corruption
Tripoli is amid a financial crisis regarding the loss of value of the Libyan dinar. Reforming subsidies, fighting smuggling and corruption are at the heart of progressive and sustainable economic and monetary reform.
