Libyan Visa & Safety Update (13)

The spokesman of the Ministry of Interior, Mr. Magdi al-Arafi, was reported to have announced that the land border with Egypt will be closed for all foreigners, except Egyptian nationals. Foreign nationals who have entry visa to Libya must now travel to Libya by air [1]. 

The Ministry of Interior was also reported to have decided on the 22nd of January 2013 that all foreign visitors to Libya now require Libyan entry visa, without exception, including Tunisian and Turkish nationals who previously did not require visa. [2]. All work applications submitted by Libyan companies will now have to be submitted to the Interior Ministry for approval and identification, as well as to determine if such workers are in actual terms "needed" in the country. 

The official website of the Ministry of Interior (http://moi.gov.ly/) does not seem to provide any news regarding this matter (as of the 27th of January 2013), and government officials are yet to confirm the reasons for the sudden decision.

It was reported however that the decision was intended to tighten security measures against organised trafficking in "human beings" and illegal cross-border "culture". New Quryna [3] has speculated the unconfirmed rumours that some "Syrians and Iranians" were implicated in spreading "Shia" in Libya, after undisclosed number of Syrian and Iranian nationals were arrested with fake passports. 

Coming just a few weeks before the February anniversary, the sudden decision may well come as a precaution to prepare for a peaceful celebration. Two days later, violence broke out in Egypt to celebrate the 25th of January revolution, which many Egyptians say has failed to deliver their hopes and expectations and even made the situation worse than before. With many Libyans feeling about the same, the precaution is necessary; but leaving the border open for Egyptian nationals may not necessarily prevent any of the aforementioned speculations.

Benghazi: two days later, on the 24th of January 2013, Germany Netherlands and England urged all their diplomats and nationals to leave Benghazi immediately. Reuters has said that the German foreign minister Guido Westerwelle told reporters that "The warning was made because of a series of bits of information", which he declined to reveal because "security is the most important thing" [4]. The stability of Libya and the security of the Libyans themselves begs for such "information" to be shared with the Libyan authority, and if transparency is on the table, with the whole world.

Devastated Libyan Interior Ministry was flabbergasted, to say the least, when it was reported by LANA to have not received any notification from the British Foreign Office (FCO); and its humble request for an "explanation" from the British Embassy was met with no answers [5]. The deputy interior minister for security affairs was also astonished by the allies' decision when he suggested the British could have withdrew their nationals discreetly, without creating such "unjustifiable" provocation [6]. 

According to Libya Herald, however, the British embassy felt it was not "an over-reaction" [3]; even though Air Malta was reported elsewhere to have cancelled its scheduled flights to Benghazi in response to the "advice" given by the British FCO. Regarding the sensitive bits of information, it was reported by Libya Herald, five days later (on the 27th of January 2013), that the British Ambassador Michael Aron has said that "the Libyan government . . . [has] the same information that we do”; and that “We understand that the majority in Libya and Benghazi are against terrorism" [9].

Italy has already withdrew its diplomatic staff from Benghazi last week, after its consul was reported to have been attacked but was unhurt. Spain on the other hand had advised its nationals in Algeria to be "vigilant" when venturing outdoors; with Australia urging its community not to fight in Syria neither for nor against the "Lion"; and with Japan closing its embassy in Mali.

Summary:

• Tourist visa still is suspended.
• Transit visa still is suspended.
• Business visa on arrival is now (said to be) available only from the embassy.
• Tripoli airport remains open to foreign nationals, with Benghazi airport remaining an optional risk, with the Libyan government stating that security measures are implemented in the city.
• Land border with Egypt is closed for all foreigners except Egyptian nationals.
• Unpredictable land border with Tunisia remained open only for Libyans and Tunisians (once proper documentation is provided), until the 27th of January 2013, when LANA [8] reported that the border is now open for travellers in both directions, once more.
• Southern borders are closed after declaring the region a military zone, with prime minister Zidan is out to blast outlaws exploiting Libya's fragile and unfolding tragedy.
• Security remains a (predictable) consequence, rather than an issue, ever since the presumed liberation was declared prematurely while homes were still being shelled.
• Road accidents are on the increase.
• Crime and corruption is sky rocketing, with shoulder rockets rather than with tiny pistols, with some branches, according to Libya Herald and others, rising by nearly 500%, such as theft and murder [7]; as well as financial corruption, officially blamed for admitted "lack of bureaucracy".
• The Libyan Sahara remains out of range, perhaps for a some time to come.
• The Libyan leaders however, and seemingly their foreign friends, remain unable to even draft a constitution, build a government, reinstate the army, form a police force, establish security, or even effect the illusive and all inclusive protection of civilians.

References:

http://www.lana-news.ly/Para/news/view/12055/وزارة_الداخلية_تصدر_تعميما_يقضي_بمنع_دخول_الأجانب_للأراضي_الليبية_عبر_منفذ_أمساعد_البري_وتستثني_حاملي_الجنسية_المصرية
http://www.libyaherald.com/2013/01/23/major-visa-changes-planned-tunisians-turks-and-jordanians-will-be-affected/
http://www.qurynanew.com/48039
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/01/24/us-britain-benghazi-threat-idUSBRE90N0JM20130124
http://www.libyaherald.com/2013/01/24/quit-benghazi-advice-is-overreaction/
http://www.presssolidarity.net/وكيل-وزارة-الداخلية-التحذير-البريطان/
http://www.libyaherald.com/2013/01/09/murder-rate-up-500-in-two-years/
http://www.lana-news.ly/ara/news/view/12413/إعادة_افتتاح_المنفذ_الحدودي_رأس_اجدير_أمام_حركة_المسافرين_في_الاتجاهين
http://www.libyaherald.com/2013/01/27/british-ambassador-explains-decision-to-withdraw-from-benghazi/
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jan/20/david-cameron-algerian-hostage-crisis

The Berber New Year 2963 Promises Constitutional Recognition

The Report of Libya al-Hurra TV (قناة ليبيا الحرة ) 

The forum was held on the 12th of January 2013, at the Rixos Hotel, Tripoli -- just one day before the unofficial Berber New Year (13 January 2963). The new year is celebrated as a public holiday by the Berbers of Libya, even though they still campaign for the event to be declared "official holiday". 

The constitutional forum was attended by a number of GNC members including Libya's acting president, Dr. Magarief, Berber GNC members, the deputy minister of culture, the president of the World Amazigh Congress, representatives from various political parties including the heads of the NFA and the Justice & Development party, representatives from a number of embassies, the European Union and the UN, Berberists from Egypt and Tunisia, and hundreds of Libyan Berbers and Arabs.

The Berber representative of the Berber-speaking areas in Libya has called for the establishment of "The Supreme Council for the Amazigh of Libya", to represent a united leadership which can assist the Berbers to achieve their goals. 

The Berbers have made it clear that they will never accept a constitution that does not include "justice", "equality" and "complete citizenship"; and that their constitutional rights are not subject to "voting" or "referendum", because they are legitimate rights for all Libyans regardless of "language" or "doctrine".

Dr. Magarief has, once more, demonstrated his wholehearted support for Tamazight ('Berber language') to be constitutionally recognised, and stressed that he "personally" believes there is a unanimous agreement among Libyans that the Imazighen and the Tebu together with the Arabs form a fundamental component of the Libyan society.

The Deputy Culture Minister, Awatef Atashani, has also expressed support for Tamazight to be recognised by the constitution, and stated that the Berbers' right is not only a political right but also a "legal", "cultural" and "historical" right. Hopefully the ministry's website will mention Libya's indigenous culture by "name", instead of the usual marginalisation displayed by most government and private institutions.

This without a doubt signals a historical step forward; and the fact that government representatives and international organisations had finally began to respond to the Berbers pleas to join the debate is a great victory the patient Berbers are proud to achieve.

To read more about Libyan constitutions, and for the five recommendations delivered by the president of Zuwarah's Local Council, Dr. Tariq Attoshi,  please see: http://www.temehu.com/constitutions.htm

Libyan Visa Update 12:

1: Visa:

(1.1): Tourist Visa:

The tourist visa is still suspended. Some Libyan companies are "talking" about the likelihood of the tourist visa being reinstated very soon, and although there is no official confirmation of the rumours, the Libyan minister of tourism, Ikram Imam, had revealed on the 5th of January 2013 that there will be an "adjustment" and a "simplification" of the visa and tourist procedures [1]. Let us all hope that the saga of the "Libya Visa" is simplified and adjusted to stay that way for good this time.

Upon her return to the capital, she further held a meeting with the departments of the tourism ministry from across Libya, on Monday the 7th of January 2013, to explore the means for them to commence implementing the "work plan", or the "strategy", proposed by the Tourism Ministry to the GNC.

The strategy apparently includes creating a "distinctive" tourist identity to put Libya on the map of international tourism, and to provide quality service according to the values and traditions of Libya [2]. According to Solidarity Press [3], there are 23 offices in Libya which are currently implementing the programs of the tourism ministry.

(1.2): Business Visa:

The expensive business visa is still available for those wishing to do business in Libya. However, it was reported that the number of business visas processed by the immigration authorities in Tripoli shortly after the suspension of tourist and transit visas shot up to 200 business visas per day. As a result the authorities have introduced strict procedures to process the business visa on arrival. By the end of 2012 it became apparent that the one-month business visa on arrival has been suspended, and now it is available only via Libyan embassies.

(1.3): Fake Visas:

History is abundant with examples of products and services banned by the law only to proliferate underground, where corruption, greed and absence of law empowers the emerging warlords. The member of Benghazi's Local Council, Tareq Bouzriba, told Solidarity Press that the problem starts at the Libyan embassies, especially those in Egypt, Tunisia and Chad. By refusing the visa application the embassies force workers to pay 6,000 pounds for the visa elsewhere, instead of the 50 Egyptian pounds they need to pay the embassy [6].

The illegal network appears to involve flying out blank visas from Libya to be sold where others are ready to pay. In one of the recent incidents the Egyptian authorities arrested a Libyan passenger at Cairo Airport after arriving with 492 blank visas [7]. Another group, reported on the 26th of December 2012 to have been arrested by the Supreme Security Committee (SSC), appears to have made a copy of the official "plate seal" and also copies of the stamps used to approve Libyan visa approvals [8]. On the 24th of October 2012 three Libyans were arrested with 684 fake passports in Bangladesh [9]. Three African women were arrested in Tripoli on the 3rd of January 2013 for possessing a fake Ministry of Health "stamp", used to issue forged "health certificates", required by immigrants in order to enter Libya [10]. And on the 8th of January 2013, LANA reported that an armed group attacked the "Work & Training Bureau" in Ejmeil and stole the official stamp of the bureau, after intimidating staff [21].

2: Land Borders:

The land borders of Libya have been hit with "frequent closures" and the occasional "trouble" ever since liberation day. Each "closure" seems to have a different reason including transporting vehicles across both borders without any documentation; transportation of humans without ID's or passports; clashes over personal and social matters; and trafficking in alcohol, narcotics, petrol and weapons as well as in outdated and poisoned food. In conclusion, it is impossible to predict what will happen next, or when the borders will re-turn to their pre-war state.

(2.1): Western Borders: Ras Ejdir:

The Ras Ejdir border has been through quite a number of closures in the past 14 months, the last of which has ended on the 10th of December 2012, when the border was reopened once more. The border was closed again on the 13th of December 2012, only to be partially re-opened on the 15th of December 2012.  After his meeting with the Tunisian Prime Minister, Hamadi Jebali, on Monday the 7th of January 2013, the Libyan Prime Minister Dr. Ali Zidan had ordered the border to be fully re-opened. The earlier partial closure was applicable only to lorry and truck drivers. However, according to Radio Tataouine [20], violence continues in Bengerdan - a Tunisian village close to the Libyan border, for the third day running, and that the border is still closed as of the 8th of January 2013 despite the aforementioned decision to re-open the border by the Libyan PM.

(2.2): Eastern Borders: Musaid:

The situation at the other end of the coastal highway is not much different. On the 17th of December 2012 the Egyptian government closed its border with Libya after a confrontation between locals and Egyptian police. Seven people were injured in this latest incident. The reason, apparently, is the same as the reason causing the trouble at Ras Ejdir border with Tunisia, namely the refusal to pay the custom duties required from cross-border traders. The traders were reported to have attacked the Egyptian police with stones, leading to the latter retaliating with tear gas [14]. Attacks on Libyan drivers inside the Egyptian border were also reported a number of times. The Libyan border point itself came under attack several times including being shot-at by "arms" criminals and "human" traffickers. 

(2.3): Southern Borders: Fezzan:

The transitional government had declared south Libya a "military zone" and temporarily closed its borders with Sudan, Niger, Chad and Algeria. By the 19th of December 2012, Libyan Air Force was already combing the border areas, ready to execute the order given by the Prime Minister's government to "blast" outlaws.   

3: Safety: 

Still without a constitution and without an elected president, an effective army or a police force, the situation remains "fluid" and "unpredictable". It has now been more than fourteen months since the presumed liberation of Libya and yet there is no sign of law or order taking place; just a glimpse of  the promised prosperity and the illusive peace. 

Just the usual "leaders" and the "people" blaming each other for their mistakes, and for the chaos, violence, and corruption, flourishing before their eyes while suspended in a state which the Libyans call الإنفلات الأمنى ('total-failure & collapse of security').

No doubt, progress was (being) made, but the slightly improved security in Tripoli, the seat of all 'decisions' and power, has witnessed an increase in violence in Cyrenaica -- the region seemingly being punished for attempting to share power with the capital; while Fezzan has been declared a "military zone" by the leaders of "liberated" Tripoli in December 2012, when at last the transitional prime minister gave the stark warning to "blast" outlaws taking advantage of Libya's tragedy along the southern borders [18].

To read the full Libyan visa update 12, please see http://www.temehu.com/news-Libya.htm


References:

[01]: http://www.presssolidarity.net/باشا-إمام-تعقد-اجتماعا-مع-أصحاب-الشركا/
[02]: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.470429562993101.97717.413549328681125&type=1
[03]: http://www.presssolidarity.net/باشا-إمام-تجتمع-بمديري-المكاتب-السياح/
[06]: http://www.presssolidarity.net/بوزريبة-مشاكل-العمالة-في-ليبيا-تبدءا-م/
[07]: http://www.presssolidarity.net/ضبط-راكب-ليبي-بحوزته-492-تأشيرة-دخول-ليبي//
[08]: http://www.libyaherald.com/2012/12/26/ssc-arrests-passport-counterfeiters/
[09]: http://www.libyaherald.com/2012/10/24/three-libyans-arrested-in-dhaka-with-684-fake-passports/
[10]: http://www.presssolidarity.net/إدارة-الهجرة-تقبض-على-افريقيات-يقمن-بت/
[14]: http://www.presssolidarity.net/السلطات-المصرية-توقف-عمل-منفذ-السلوم/
[16]: http://www.libyaherald.com/2012/11/22/tripoli-no-more-dangerous-than-tunis-says-danish-government-minister/
[17]: (http://www.libyaherald.com/2
[18]: https://www.youtube.com/v/7ghPXUpxOkk?hl=en_GB&version=3&rel=0"
[20]: http://www1.radiotunisienne.tn/tataouine/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=8172:2013-01-08-19-05-16&catid=190:2012-07-26-08-24-50
[21]: http://www.lana-news.ly/ara/news/view/10735/العاملون_بمكتب_العمل_والتأهيل_بمدينة_الجميل_يعلقون_العمل_حتى_اشعار_أخر_بعد_قيام_مجموعة_مسلحة_بالهجوم_عليهم