When half of a country declares autonomy without consultation, and in the middle of a transitional phase, it could either herald doom or be a power play taken to extremes. In Libya's case, the latter is more likely. asks Kamel Abdallah. A week ago, self-declared rulers of the eastern part of Libya, the region of Barqah, equivalent to the ancient province of Cyrenaica in Roman times, made a bold move towards autonomy. The so-called executive office of Barqah said that it was forming its own government effective immediately. Abd Rabbuh Al-Barassi, head of the executive office, said that the new government of the region would be made up of 24 ministers. He added that Barqah would henceforth be divided into three administrative areas, including Benghazi, Ajdabiya, Al-Bayda and Tobruk. The executive council also appointed Colonel Naguib Suleiman Al-Hassi as chief of the Barqah defence force, which will be given the task of “assisting” the federal army and the police. In a meeting held in Ras Lanuf in early October, the self-appointed rulers of Barqah said that their region would be one of several autonomous sections of a federal Libya. Their statement caused shock and consternation among the country's politicians, still grappling with myriad transitional era problems, including the writing of a new constitution and the restoration of law and order. A group calling itself the Barqah Youth Movement organised the gathering in which the announcement of autonomy was made. Although Libyan central government politicians played down the announcement, it is hard to dismiss the drive for federalism as inconsequential. For one thing, Libya was a federal state for almost 12 years after its independence in 1951. And considering that Barqah is Libya's most oil-rich region, claims of autonomy could have serious economic consequences. Oil exports from Barqah ports dropped from 1.6 million barrels per day to 600,000 barrels per day after gunmen loyal to local tribes and militias imposed a siege on oil terminals in the eastern part of the country. The central government reacted by threatening any tanker heading toward the terminals with bombardment, but so far seems unable to impose its authority on a region that is wriggling away from its control. There are no women in the self-declared Barqah cabinet. There are no foreign or defence portfolios, which is a sign that Barqah officials are not seeking secession for the moment. The need to impose security is at the heart of the problem. Following the ouster of Gaddafi, much of Libya has fallen outside the control of the central government, now being harassed by militias seeking to power without having to join the state hierarchy. In Barqah, a wave of assassinations and bombings has alienated the population and given boost to those who demand a return to federalism. Speaking to journalists, Al-Barassi promised that his self-declared government would make security its top priority. Curbing the power of “illegitimate militia” will be its first order of business, he said. The unilateral push for federalism, said critics of the Barqah move, is a violation of the country's constitutional principles. Federalism must be first discussed in a nationwide public debate, then put to referendum, to assess its public appeal, they added. Al-Barassi said that the formation of the regional government is commensurate with the country's 1951 Constitution, under which Libya was formed of three autonomous regions: Cyrenaica in the east, Tripolitania in the northwest, and Fezzan in the southwest. The late King Idriss Senoussi annulled federalism, declaring Libya a unitary state in 1963. Since the fall of Gaddafi, Barqah has tried twice to become an autonomous region. The first time was in March 2012, with the academic Abu Bark Boeirah championing the cause. The second was in June 2013, with Ahmed Al-Zobeir Senoussi, cousin of the late king, spearheading the efforts. Both men have since retreated from the political scene. Ibrahim Al-Jidran, former security chief for the oil installation, the same person who ordered his supporters to close access to export terminals, voiced his support for Barqah's declaration of autonomy. He also claimed that the government of Ali Zeidan was tempting him with bribes to break the siege on the terminals. Prime Minister Ali Zeidan played down the announcement, calling it unworthy of comment. He also complained that the closure of oil terminals had cost his government nearly $6 billion. Commenting on the announcement, Benghazi-based General National Congress member Ibrahim Sahd said that those who call for federalism have no popular support. In a telephone interview with Al-Ahram Weekly, Sahd said that federalism is not a topic that can be addressed before the constitution is written. Mohamed Siwan, leader of the Justice and Construction Party, which is the political arm of the Libyan Muslim Brotherhood, said calls for federalism surface because of the weakness of the Ali Zeidan government. He dismissed the self-proclaimed rulers of Barqah as “people who are trying to make their presence known for bargaining purposes”. Abdel-Maguid Amlikta of the National Forces Alliance also dismissed the announcement as “inconsequential”, noting that the Barqah self-appointed officials made no attempt to form defence, interior, or foreign ministries. Libyan writer Ezzeddin Okeil speculated that several countries, including France and Britain, might have a hand in the recent developments in Barqah. Egypt also may also have given encouragement to the Barqah officials, “in order to export its economic problems” Egyptian officials have not made any public comment on the Barqah situation.
