As the people in Libya continue picking the pieces more than 18 months from the end of the Gaddafi dictatorship, some are threatening a second revolution. Sarah Carabott spoke to three young Libyans to understand the situation.

 

The transition from a 42 year-old dictatorship to democracy was never going to be easy, especially with millions of weapons scattered all over the country, according to Mohamed Eljarh from Tobruk.

Following the revolution, Libyans found the space and freedom to voice 42-years worth of grievances and different factions of society, including Islamists, federalists, Amazigh, Misuratans, women and youths all had their own problems that needed addressing, he told the Times of Malta.

They expected the situation to be way better than it used to be, which was impossible, especially because of the ongoing precarious security situation that all groups were partly responsible for, said Mr Eljarh, a PhD student and the Libya Transition blogger for the news magazine Foreign Policy.

Politically, financially and in terms of freedom, Libyans are definitely better off now than they were under Muammar Gaddafi

Despite the Libyan government’s efforts to bring security under control, many of the groups are holding on to their weapons as a means of influence and prestige or for financial gain.

But Mr Eljarh believes Libya is still heading in the right direction.

“Politically, financially and in terms of freedom, Libyans are definitely better off now than they were under Muammar Gaddafi.

“Are Libyans better off in terms of security? No, security under Gaddafi was tightly controlled for his own safety and people were only safe from Gaddafi’s brutal security forces if they supported him or remained silent.

So we either had to support him or keep our mouth shut in return for our safety and security,” he added.

Mr Eljarh’s comments were echoed by Danya Bashir Hobba, from Tripoli, who has been described by CNN as an “agent of change”.

She is a two-time winner (the first and only woman) of the United Arab Emirates’ Young Entrepreneurship Competition.

Ms Bashir Hobba believes Libyans are in a better state than when they enjoyed no freedom of speech and when people were killed or jailed without trial.

Asked about the prevailing situation in the North African country, she noted that when Gaddafi died, people expected a more transparent government that would communicate with them and let them know its plans for the future of the country.

Instead, they got widespread corruption and people who held high positions during the Gaddafi era were still in power.

At the same time, the simplest of things were not tackled: potholes were not patched, water shortages persisted, derelict hospitals were not rehabilitated and sick people did not find support to get treatment abroad.

“Libyans were patient for 42 years. They can remain patient but need to be included in what is going on.

“They need a leader and a transparent government.

“We know Libya will not change overnight but there is no communication or transparency. And people get angry when they see the same individuals in the same positions while those who topped their class could not even get a scholarship to travel abroad.

“This isn’t what they fought for and this is why Libya is facing these challenges today.”

Following the General National Congress debate on how much money the members should make, where they were travelling to and how long it was taking to form a committee or start writing the Constitution exacerbated the situation.

People tried protesting peacefully and voicing their opinions through the social media or TV but to no avail.

This led to the proposal of the so-called isolation law, so that those who held high positions during the Gaddafi era could make way for other qualified people, she said.

Assem Mejaddam, a doctor from Jado, an Amazigh town in the Nafusa mountains, expressed hope that the isolation law would improve security once Gaddafi loyalists were removed.

Libya was a country where many were still living in the past, discouraged by the “false and cruel promises” made by Col Gaddafi, he said.

Many believe there is security chaos in Libya because pro-Gaddafi people have been allowed to roam about freely or were relieved of all blame.

“There was no justice at all after the war and no one was officially held to account for any crimes. Many believe this is because of the large percentage of Gaddafi loyalists and opportunists still present in the government, especially in foreign policy.

Libyans were patient for 42 years. They can remain patient but need to be included in what is going on. They need a leader and a transparent government

“Benghazi is one place where Gaddafi loyalists removed their old outfit and quickly donned that of revolutionaries. No real fighting took place there after Nato got involved.

“The city has also taken in many pro-Gaddafi refugees.

“It is teeming with Gaddafi loyalists and the only reason they have been allowed to continue living there is because the government is filled with their kind,” Dr Mejaddam said.

For Mr Eljarh, however, the isolation law is a step backwards for Libya, representing a blow to the democratic transition in the country.

He believes the law could damage Libyan’s democratic transition because it institutionalises discrimination on political basis and a spirit of revenge and retribution.

“The isolation law was passed for the wrong reasons and in an unhealthy, undemocratic environment under the threat of the guns.”