Libya

“Libya needs a strong state”

The Libyan unity government has moved into its new service building. A symbolic step, says Libya expert Andreas Dittmann. But it could be the start of a new Era – that is, if the country finds its political unity.

The Libyan Prime Fajis al-Sarradsch

Deutsche Welle: Mr. Dittmann, the Libyan unity government has today moved into their new government buildings in Tripoli. This is a purely symbolic act – or he documented a serious political new beginning?

Andreas Dittmann: The Situation of insecurity in the country has changed. But it could be the start of a development, from which a strong state could go – and must go forth from it. In this respect, the move into the new building at the same time more superficial and yet important symbolic act.

How do you rate the design options for the new government? There is still the reigning government in Tobruk.

The alternative government in Tobruk wants to secede, Yes. In addition, it is the government that is favoured by the West because it is less permeated by ideas of an Islamic God state than in Tripoli. The West continues to have a very ambivalent attitude: Actually, he is closer to the government in Tobruk and to trust you more. On the other hand, he has the political facts – the existence of a very conservative voices dominated unity government – in the eye to see.

Even otherwise, the situation in the country seems to be quite problematic.

Yes. Libya is faced with three fundamental problems. Firstly, the already mentioned existence of two different governments. The seats in Tripoli and Tobruk also reflect the division of the country into a Western and an Eastern part. The second Problem is the disarming of the many militia groups. This project has never been seriously addressed. That’s why they continue to rely on weapons and violence to get their respective area of influence. Thirdly, parallel to the weakening of the state the state the Power of the jihadist organization “Islamic” is always larger.

How do you assess the possibility that the two governments approach each other?

Andreas Dittmann

The governments are now trying for the fifth Time, bringing closer together – sometimes with, sometimes without international support. Meanwhile, the Libyans should have recognized two things: first, that the reconstruction of the country alone nation, without outside help, not solve. Because in the meantime, the intra-Libyan conflict has grown to be a regional, in the other of the combatants – such as the IS – impact. And, secondly, that the national reconstruction will only work if both governments work together. This is also the Position of the West, an intra-Libyan agreement as a prerequisite for all Other.

What is the reason for this is that the conflicts persist for so long? It is missing the country of a political culture?

The former ruler, Muammar Gaddafi had referred once to the Bedouin Tradition of the common advice. If you were to use this Tradition of the Discussion in Committee – so the name was under Gaddafi, it would be a progress compared to the current Situation in the fight against each other. In Libya, there is no Tradition of free elections. This has given it in modern Libya never – neither during the reign of Gaddafi even before that, when the country was initially an Italian colony, then a monarchy. Free elections, an attempt has been made in the revolution year of 2011.

The result was rather disappointing.

Yes. The project seemed to be going too well at the beginning, at least, it was shown abroad. However, you overlooked the fact that due to the specific, from the European and the American models of the system put together about half of the parliamentarians are not only pious, devout Muslims, but also radical Islamists. The image of a conservative-liberal Parliament, the nights abroad, the prevailing, corresponded to the balance of Forces in the Parliament only to a very limited extent. After two further rounds of voting, the members of the currently in Tobruk current government had a clear majority, after they had previously put the Islamic forces. This resulted in many Libyans suspected of electoral fraud. This then led to the division of the government – with the result that today there are two governments.

You had mentioned the so-called “Islamic state” already. The spreads in Libya. The way he would push back?

First, the two governments would have to agree and a new, joint government. Because the existence of two governments weakens the state as such. Weak States, but extremists from abroad. This was true for Iraq, the USA have broken without him. It was for Syria, which has been weakened by the Arab spring so that the IS could settle there. It also applies to the Sinai in Egypt. In Libya now the IS dominated by the Region around the city of Derna. It is located in the Cyrenaica, in the North-East of the country, near the Mediterranean coast. And he dominated the area around the city of Sirte. Both regions – the IS in you a part of building a Caliphate in the Muslim world – have been recognized by the Headquarters of the IS. It is, therefore, the third and the fourth official territory of the Caliph’s reign.

Andreas Dittmann is Professor of human geography at the Institute of geography of the University of Giessen.

The Interview was conducted by Kersten Knipp.