Libyans fear a divided Libya
The idea of Libya breaking up in regional parts has provoked large public protests in two major libyan cities.
After Friday prayers independant observers like Reuters or AFP reported large crowds gathering in the capital Tripolis as well as in Benghazi in the east. Slogans stressing national unity were chanted.
As the BBC’s correspondent Gabriel Gatehouse put it, local leaders in the eastern part of Libya have proclaimed a semi-autonomous “State of Cyrenaica”. They were seeking influence on the regions wealth in natural resources like oil and gas within a political structure based on the idea of federalism.
The drive behind the push for more autonomy in Benghazi seems on the face of it quite reasonable. Many in Libya’s second city felt they were marginalised under Col Gaddafi.
Gabriel Gatehouse: “Benghazi’s bid for Cyrenaica autonomy divides Libya“
Amal al-Obeidi im Gespräch mit Volkhard Windfuhr: “Sie wollen sich selbst regieren“
A Libyan point of view: “Libyans vehemently reject calls for Federalism“
