By a prominent Libyan living in Tripoli well known to this newspaper who, for obvious reasons, feels he has to remain anonymous
Tripoli, 17 February 2016:
This year, thousands of Libyans like me did not celebrate the anniversary of the 17 February revolution. For many reasons, we are sad at what’s going on in Libya. It is chaotic and lawless; there’s no security and there’s not a state.
I did not celebrate today because so many Libyans were forced to flee from their homes in 2011 and live now in terrible conditions, whether in camps inside our country – like Tawergha – or face difficulties in Tunisia and Egypt.
I could not celebrate while thousands of foreign fighters are allowed to come to my country and are now considered as ‘Thuwar – rebels’. This is what happened in Benghazi and Derna when extremists from Ansar Al-Sharia controlled the two cities. The authorities in Tripoli at the time (GNC) claimed those people were Thuwar. The same scenario was repeated in Sirte in 2015 when the Islamist-leaning government of Khalifa Ghwell kept saying that “there’s no Daesh in Benghazi, Derna, or Sirte.”
Yet when the UN-brokered Government of National Accord was agreed in December 2015, the Islamists changed their minds and admitted the presence of Daesh in Sirte.
They still claim that those in Benghazi and Derna who have been fighting the Libyan National Army are just “freedom fighters.”
These foreign extremists easily enter Libya through its porous borders.
I did not celebrate because I see thousands of citizens queuing in front of banks, sometimes for more than 12 hours, just to get a little cash. Usually so many go home empty handed. Of they are lucky they get LD 200 in old notes with Qaddafi’s picture on them.
I did not celebrate because there is a crime wave hitting my country. Kidnapping for ransom, deteriorating security, armed forces everywhere, illegal migrants brought through Libya to be exploited, and several authorities claiming power when it is really in the hands of the militias.
I did not celebrate because we struggle with powercuts for more than 24 hours and no water for over a week. No solutions are provided from the authorities. Militias only parade when they want to prove their strength in front of their rivals, but they never provide help to citizens or protect state institutions.
I did not celebrate while the economy collapses. No real attention has been given from the authorities to develop serious and efficient solutions.
I did not celebrate, as I cannot travel freely in my country and to my hometown. Furthermore, some cannot move around in Tripoli because they are from a district where militias continue to fight.
I did not celebrate, but thousands of Libyans still reject Qaddafi’s followers. We will never ever be able to rebuild Libya if we isolate people on the basis of their ideologies.
I will never ever regret the 17 Feb revolution because we toppled the long-time dictator Qaddafi. But I just cannot celebrate amongst all this chaos.
I will only celebrate the revolution if we, all Libyans, solve all that I have mentioned for the interest of Libya and Libyans.
