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SHAHAT, LIBYA (AFP) - The spectacular ruins of the ancient Greek city of Cyrene survived Libya's 2011 revolution and an ensuing decade of lawlessness, but today they face new threats: plunder and bulldozers.

Under balmy spring sunshine, a handful of tourists take advantage of the North African country's months-old ceasefire to wander around the temple of Zeus, perched atop a wind-battered hill near the eastern end of Libya's Mediterranean coast.

There are no queues here.

The scarce visitors - all Libyans - amble through the sanctuary of Apollo and the amphitheatre, before visiting a museum housing faceless busts of Greek divinities and naked statues in marble.

Founded in the seventh century BC, Cyrene "was one of the principal cities in the Hellenic world", according to the UN's cultural agency Unesco, which added the site to its World Heritage List in 1992.

"A thousand years of history is written into its ruins," it said.

Yet beyond the fence marking out the protected part of Cyrene, residents of modern-day Shahat are taking possession of lands held in trust by the state, then selling them on to property developers.

Other areas are being dug up by treasure-seekers hoping to smuggle looted artefacts to sell abroad.

"Some people are coming in and bulldozing areas containing artefacts, dividing them and selling them, then building housing blocks on top of these priceless sites," said Adel Abu Fejra, of the Cyrene department of antiquities.

Abu Fejra said his department "can't even measure" how much has been lost, as the plots "are outside the fenced area under our protection".

Cyrene lies between the Egyptian border and Benghazi, one of the key cities that rose up against longtime dictator Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.

The country has since fallen into anarchy and violence which sparked fears for its rich ancient heritage.

Unesco in 2016 added Cyrene and four other sites in Libya to its List of World Heritage in Danger.

Men work on maintaining the site of the ruins of Libya's eastern ancient city of Cyrene on March 10, 2021. PHOTO: AFP

The war saw the country splinter into fiefdoms under the control of a kaleidoscope of militias - including the Islamic State group which at one point held a stronghold in Derna, just 70km further east.

Today, despite the signing of a peace deal between Libya's main factions and the creation of a unity government this month, many residents have more immediate concerns than protecting ancient heritage.

"They want us to stop using our land around the ruins, saying there are still artefacts underneath them - but this is our land, and we have the right to exploit it," said Saad Mahmoud, who owns farmland nearby.

"It's up to the state to find solutions and pay landowners compensation that fits with the rising prices of real estate, which have made it hard for us to find alternatives."

Like Mahmoud, many of Shahat's 50,000 residents see the pressing need for housing as a higher priority than preserving old ruins.

A town plan last updated in 1986 has been largely ignored.

Maintenance worker at the site of the ruins on March 10, 2021.PHOTO: AFP

Ismail Dakhil, an official at the museums department of eastern Libya, says as much as 30 per cent of the ancient city may have been built on.

And that is not the only problem.

"There has been graffiti on the ancient ruins, and lots of informal digs, where antiquities are dug up and smuggled out of the country," he said.

Libya does have laws aimed at protecting its ancient heritage, overseeing archaeological digs and sanctioning violators.

Local policemen patrol by a colonnade from the remnants of the Temple of Demeter on March 10, 2021.PHOTO: AFP

But Dakhil says they have little effect, with "derisory fines and prison sentences" of up to a maximum of a year.

Some are now hoping that after a decade of violence the new government will also improve protection of precious historical sites.

"The policies on protecting heritage must be reviewed," says researcher and historian Ahmad Faraj. "I hope this government will come up with a new vision."

Link:
Bulldozers and looting threaten Libya's ancient treasures, Middle East News & Top Stories - The Straits Times

TRIPOLI--Signs of discord between the head of Libyas new Government of National Unity (GNU), Abdel Hamid Dbeibah and the commander-in-chief of the Libyan National Army (LNA), Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, have raised fears for the peace process and a final settlement of the eight-year civil Libyan conflict.

The recent parliamentary vote of confidence in the new government had raised hopes of an end to divisions in the country.

Dbeibahs conspicuous absence from the Benghazi ceremony during which the interim government headed by Abdullah Thinni handed over power to the GNU was duly noted. It sparked speculation of an emerging rift between new premier and Haftar.

Further indications of such a rift began to emerge after Dbeibah tweeted his plan to open an investigation into the discovery of at least a dozen bodies in Benghazi, which is under Haftars control.

Dbeibah wrote, It is not possible to allow the recurrence of these events or to cover them up. He stressed that he had given direct instructions to the minister of interior to deal with this incident, and I asked the public prosecutor to open an investigation into the matter.

Media outlets close to the LNAs general command criticised the prime ministers decision. Their attacks on the Dbeibah government have checked the momentum which had marked the first days of the GNU taking office. The new prime ministers relations with Haftar appear to have broken down even before they had really began.

Although the developments are unlikely to spark a new outbreak of violence, the emerging discord could very well limit Dbeibahs control over the eastern region.

During the last few months, Benghazi has witnessed a growing climate of insecurity. A number of activists has been assassinated or kidnapped, in addition to the repeated discovery of dead bodies dumped into the streets. This is ironically a grim echo of the anarchy that gripped Benghazi in 2012 when the Islamist group Ansar Sharia murdered scores of police, former army officers and civilians who opposed them. It was in crushing Ansar Sharia in the tortuous Operation Dignity campaign that took more than five years, that Haftar and the LNA came to prominence and a position of power.

Now there are signs of increasing domination in Benghazi of Salafist elements who are are said to be close to the LNA. The murders and seizures have prompted tribal elders to condemn the deteriorating security situation within the city.

Their protest earlier this month coincided with the new government assuming power. They appeared to echo a more general popular discontent with Haftar. This was quickly picked up and used by Dbeibah against the field marshal.

At the same time, a mood of anger lingers in Cyrenaica (the eastern region) after the debacle suffered by the LNA when it attempted last year to advance on and seize the capital Tripoli.

Haftars defeat and the withdrawal of his forces from the west of the country toward Sirte have reduced his political influence.

The military strongman has since seemed to be under some kind of political siege, as his political contacts with foreign actors nearly stopped . He has had to limit himself to local meetings aimed at calming popular unrest in the east.

Observers believe that Dbeibahs decision not to visit Benghazi for the Thinni power handover can be seen as an attempt to ignore Haftar, whom he sees as one of the main obstacles to his complete control of Libya.

This however goes against the tacit understanding between both men, which was reflected in the vote of LNA-affiliated MPs in favour of Dbeibah and for the President of the Presidency Council Muhammad al-Manfi.

Observers suspect that the delay by Aguila Saleh, the speaker of the parliament in convening a session to discuss and vote on a Dbeibahs new budget is linked to the current cold spell between Haftar and the premier.

It is regrettable that the issue of discussing the unified general budget has turned into a tool for political blackmail, said Sulaiman al-Bayoudi, a political activist.

Bayoudi added in a post on his Facebook account, What is happening now does not bode well. Either (members) of parliament meet and carry out their duties, or the presidency council and the GNU should reject blackmail and opt instead for the implementation the financial arrangements according to Paragraph 2 of Article 9 of the Libyan Political Agreement.

He added, If the speaker of the parliament and the deputies do not act with a sense of responsibility and patriotism, they will be the first and only people to blame for the continuing difficult economic conditions, by stalling the budget debate.

The GNU, made up of twenty-six ministers and six state ministers, won the unanimous confidence of the Libyan parliament on March 10.

On Tuesday, the parallel government in eastern Libya handed over its powers to the GNU, a week after the latter officially assumed its duties from the capital, Tripoli.

The handover ceremony took place at the headquarters of the parallel government in Benghazi, the second largest city in Libya, in the presence of its outgoing premier, Abdullah al-Thinni.

The GNU was represented by Deputy Prime Minister Hussein Gatrani, Minister of Interior Khaled Mazen and a number of other ministers.

Gatrani asserted that the stage of division has ended, and said in a press statement, The government of national unity is there to serve all citizens.

The new executive authority is responsible for unifying state institutions and overseeing the transitional phase until the December 24 elections, when their term expires according to the approved roadmap.

However, the UN-demanded departure of the Syrian mercenaries and elements of the Russian Wagner Group from the west and east of the country remains one of the thorniest issues confronting Dbeibah. Achieving it will close coordination between all parties to the conflict, including Haftar.

Continue reading here:
Signs of discord between Dbeibah and Haftar dim prospects of Libyan reunification | | AW - The Arab Weekly

By Sami Zaptia.

Libya and Tunisia agree to reactivate the Unified Ras Ajdir Window to improve bilateral trade and travel (Photo: Customs Authority).

London, 25 March 2021:

Libya and Tunisia yesterday agreed to reactivate the Ras Ajdir Unified Customs Window agreement as part of the further strengthening of bilateral Tunisian-Libyan cooperation in the customs field.

The agreement was reactivated at a meeting was held in Djerba between the Libyan Customs Authority, their Tunisian counterparts, and the Tunisian ambassador to Tripoli.

The agreement aims to find solutions to many problems related to the flow of goods and passengers between the two countries and the facilitation of bilateral procedures at the border crossing.

At the meeting it was confirmed that due to the accumulation of goods in the Port of Ras Ajdir and the importance of facilitating the movement of trade between the two countries and the flow of goods procedures, starting from the first of April, the border crossing will be working seven days a week to facilitate customs procedures in both directions.

It was also agreed that the meeting of the Joint Customs Technical Committee would be held during the second half of May 2021.

Read the rest here:
Libya and Tunisia reactivate Ras Ajdir unified customs window agreement to strengthen bilateral trade and flow of travellers | - Libya Herald

Rocks in the Sahara desert, Libya.

Libya is a predominantly Islamic nation located in northern Africa. It is surrounded by six countries namely Tunisia, Algeria, Sudan, Chad, Egypt, and Niger. The states capital, as well as the largest city, is Tripoli. Libya has a population of approximately 7.2 million. Acclaimed as the 4th largest country in Africa by land area, Libya possesses many unique features as outlined below;

The first and last monarch of Libya was known as King Idris I. He was both a political and religious leader who was born into the order of Senussi. King Idris I served as the Emir of Cyrenaica before his becoming the King of Libya in 1951 at the end of colonial rule. The kings rule was unpopular because of his conservativism. In 1969, King Idris I was deposed in a coup dtat led by Colonel Gaddafi who later succeeded him.

The discovery of oil in Libya in the 1950s was a great turnaround for the country which had previously been ranked among the poorest in the world. As of 2010, the countrys annual oil production was 1.65 million barrels per day. Today, oil and petroleum products for the largest portion of the countrys exports and government revenue. Besides, it is among the 15 most thriving economies in Africa alongside South Africa, Nigeria, Algeria, Egypt, and Cameroon among others. Nonetheless, the unstable political environment of the country in the recent past led to fluctuations in its oil price globally.

Today, Christianity is a minority religion in Libya. However, the country possesses strong Christian roots. Examples of two important biblical characters linked to Libya are Simon the Cyrene and St. Mark. Simon who was forced to help Jesus Christ carry his cross was from Cyrene City. Cyrene was a Libyan town that existed hundreds of years ago. On the other hand, St. Mark who wrote the gospel of Mark founded the Church of Alexandria in Egypt in 49 AD. This church birthed many of the Eastern Orthodox churches, Coptic Church, and Greek Orthodox Church which exist in Libya.

Fezzan was the southwestern part of Libya, Cyrenaica occupied the eastern half of the country, and Tripolitania covered the northwestern parts of Libya. Today, the country is divided into three administrative regions that have been sub-divided into 22 districts (calledshabiyat).

The Libyan Desert comprises the eastern and northern parts of the Sahara Desert. Ideally, it is the part of the Sahara Desert found in the state of Libya. The Libyan Desert is known for being the harshest, driest, and most remote region of the Sahara. With day temperatures of up to 50 degrees Celsius, this region may go for decades without rain.

Libya imports most of the food consumed by its people due to its inability to locally produce the same. The country is located within the extensive Sahara desert which means it receives very low precipitation. It also possesses poor soil and climate which are both limitations to food production. A major attempt made by former Libyan President Gaddafi to reverse the situation was the financing of the Great Manmade River Project that was built for irrigation of the farming lands. This project turned out to be the worlds largest irrigation project. It comprises of 1750 miles of an underground network of water pipes. Nonetheless, Libya still depends on imported food for the survival of its people.

Mostly prepared by women, the Libyan tea is very thick as a result of mixing a lot of tea leaves and a high sugar concentration. Once the two ingredients are mixed and an appropriate amount of water is added, the tea boils for 20 to 30 minutes. When the tea is ready, it is served in small pyrex glasses accompanied bysumakandkhobzawhich are Libyan favorite bites.

Bette Peak is the highest mountain in Libya being 7,434 feet tall. Also known as Bikku Bitti, the mountain is found in southern Libya at the Chad-Libyan border. The first documented climb of the Bette Peak was by Ginge Fullen alongside his Chadian guides in December 2005. Nonetheless, the mountains location makes access to it difficult and rare.

Cyrene, present-day Shahhat, is a city in Libya that was part of the Greek empire that existed hundreds of years ago. It was one of the most important Greek cities as it was the center of philosophy education. As one of the oldest towns in the country, Cyrene is listed among the UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Muammar Gaddafi seized power in 1969 and ruled Libya for 42 years. As a result, he became one of the longest-serving African and world national heads of state. Gaddafi was famously known for being a dictatorial leader. However, he also served his country well by improving its health services to the level of being among the best in Africa. He also increased Libyas rate of literacy from only 25% before his reign to 87%. His reign ended in 2011 when he was toppled from the government. The militia tracked him down in his hometown where he had sought refuge and assassinated him. At the time of Gaddafis death, his net worth was US$ 200 billion.

Read this article:
10 Interesting Facts About Libya - WorldAtlas

21/03/2021 HR/VP Blog - It has been one year since the launch of the EUs naval Operation IRINI. On 18 and 19 March, I visited IRINIs Headquarters in Rome, the air base Sigonella and one of our four ships currently at sea - the FGS Berlin. My visit comes at a critical juncture for Libya and the international efforts to support the search for peace: we are beginning to see a more hopeful phase.

I have said before that the Libyan conflict had become a theatre of proxy wars, right on the EUs doorstep. As EU we should do whatever we can to help bring an end to the fighting and support a genuine political settlement, even if we know how difficult this will be.

After 10 years of conflict in Libya, the country and its people have a new chance: a ceasefire agreement is in place, a political process is under way, elections are scheduled for the end of the year, and an interim government was just sworn in. I am proud that the European Union has been able to contribute to these positive developments, including through Operation IRINI.

At the Operations Headquarters in Rome, I had the opportunity to see how the Operation monitors and tracks ships and airplanes suspected of violating the UN arms embargo and coordinates action at sea. In Rome, I also met with Foreign Minister Di Maio and Minister of Defence Guerini, whom I thanked for Italys contribution to one of the most significant European operational engagement at our doorstep. We had the occasion to discuss also other important issues that are on the agenda at the moment.

At the Sigonella Air Base and on board of one of the four ships currently deployed in the central Mediterranean, FGS Berlin, I paid tribute to the hard work done by all the women and men serving this Operation. While on board of the German ship, the FSG Berlin, I also spoke with the Minister Kramp-Karrenbauer and expressed my gratitude for Germanys contribution to the Operation and more broadly to the peace process in Libya.

"Naval assets from France, Italy, Greece and Germany; a Lithuanian boarding team serving on a German ship; a Luxemburg plane next to a Polish one; staff of six different nationalities working together in the same room of the Joint Operation Centre: this is European defence in action. "

At the same time, with 24 Members States contributing to the operation, Operation IRINI is a truly European endeavor. Naval assets from France, Italy, Greece and Germany; a Lithuanian boarding team serving on a German ship; a Luxemburg plane next to a Polish one; staff of six different nationalities working together in the same room of the Joint Operation Centre: this is European defence in action.

Implementing the arms embargo on Libya

Let me recall how the EU came to launch IRINI. In January 2020, at the Berlin Conference on Libya, the implementation of the UN arms embargo was recognised as a priority. As long as weapons are flowing into Libya, it is difficult to build sustainable peace. The EU took the decision to act. It was not an easy process. Some feared the so-called pull factor for migrants, which in fact never materialised. It took some time to explain, convince and reassure. Reaching unanimity often is hard, but we managed. Together with member states, we carried out all the necessary planning in just six weeks, and the EU was able to launch Operation IRINI on 31 March 2020.

"IRINIs ships, planes and unmanned aircrafts have patrolled the Central Mediterranean, conducting more than 2,300 hailing, close to 100 friendly approaches, and 9 inspections."

Throughout last year, IRINIs ships, planes and unmanned aircrafts have patrolled the Central Mediterranean, conducting more than 2,300 hailing, close to 100 friendly approaches, and 9 inspections. IRINI also seized one illegal cargo and prevented an illegal export of fuel.

With IRINI, we also contribute more broadly to maritime security in an area of strategic interest for Europe. This is what we do also with Operation Atalanta off the coast of Somalia or in the Gulf of Guinea with the new Coordinated Maritime Presences. As the maritime domain is becoming an arena for greater geopolitical competition, our engagement at sea is important for the security of Europe and our citizens.

IRINI monitors violations of the UN arms embargo on Libya occurring at sea but also on land and by air. During the past year alone, it tracked 16 Libyan ports and oil facilities, 25 airports and landing strips and close to 200 flights suspected of carrying military related cargos to and from Libya. For that purpose, IRINI can also rely on the information provided by the European Union Satellite Centre (EU SATCEN), thus demonstrating the importance of this capability to European security.

Operation IRINI is sharing this crucial information with the United Nations. So far, IRINI has sent more than 20 classified reports to the UN Panel of Experts on violations of the UN arms embargo. However and despite all our efforts, the latest UN Panel of Experts report issued just this week concluded that this embargo is totally ineffective. We know that, unfortunately. This is fully consistent with our own assessment and confirms the need for an Operation like IRINI. The report also acknowledges the good cooperation with Operation IRINI, the only actor implementing the arms embargo and serving at the same time as a deterrent. So we have to step up and broaden our efforts.

It is worth recalling that IRINI can only inspect suspect vessels in accordance with UN Security Council resolutions and the International Law of the Sea. It cannot intervene on-shore, nor intercept planes. But we do know exactly what the spoilers are doing because IRINI is watching them. It is now up to the Security Council to take action in the light of this report. It is crucial that all UN member states abide by their obligations to implement the arms embargo and that all flag States comply with the Security Councils call to cooperate with inspections.

Operation IRINIs mandate is set to be renewed for a further two years. We will continue to monitor suspect vessels, regardless of their provenance. In accordance with relevant UN Security Council resolutions, we will conduct inspections with the highest degree of professionalism.

Libya today is more stable than before but it isnt yet at peace. There is a window of opportunity for Libya, which must be seized. As EU, we are ready to do more to help end the conflict and further support the UN-led peace process.

Continued here:
Operation IRINI and the search for peace in Libya - Libya - ReliefWeb