| Published on: | 2011-02-18 18:05:03 |
Libya has woken up today with security agents dispersed across the streets of Benghazi, Libya's second city.
This security deployment is a reaction to the thousands of protesters who took to the streets overnight complaining about the offensive attitude of the regime towards the Libyan population. Also, activists set up camps in al-Bayda after yesterday's "Day of Rage".
The confirmed death toll stands at 20. However, Human Rights Watch state that Libyan security forces killed at least 24 protesters in the last two days, and wounded many others, in a crackdown on peaceful demonstrations across the country.
"The security forces' vicious attacks on peaceful demonstrators lay bare the reality of Muammar Gaddafi's brutality when faced with any internal dissent," said Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East and North Africa director at Human Rights Watch. "Libyans should not have to risk their lives to make a stand for their rights as human beings."
In yesterday's “day of rage”, hundreds of anti-government protesters gathered in the Libyan cities of Baida, Benghazy, Zenten, Derna, and Ajdabiya. According to the humans rights organisation, the security forces responded by shooting and killing the demonstrators in an effort to disperse the protests.
The harshness of the security agents is a defining characteristic of events in Lybia. Just two days of demonstrations has provoked a strong reaction from the state security forces.
“They are responding in such a heavy handed manner as the regime is unwilling to take any chances,” said Alison Pargeter, Senior Research Associate at the Centre of International Studies at the University of Cambridge, who spoke exclusively to The Fresh Outlook. She added: “It isn't the army that is cracking down in Libya, it is the security forces.”
“Libya is a country with a small population and the regime is going to do its utmost to ensure that what occurred in Tunisia and Egypt will not be replicated in Libya,” said Dr Pargeter. In her opinion, security forces have been preparing to confront public unrest for several weeks, organising pro-regime rallies and tightening security. “[Security forces] have also been threatening tribal leaders, telling them not to allow their youth to take part,” she said.
Is the violence worth it?
Given the current situation in Libya regarding Colonel Gaddafi's 40-year-rule, questions are being asked as to how likely it is that these protests will result in his resignation. Just because it worked in Tunisia and Egypt, does it mean that it will work in all the countries which demand change?
“It is still unclear whether or not the protests will be able to topple Gaddafi. Much depends on whether or not they reach Tripoli,” considers Dr Pargeter. According to Dr Pargeter, the eastern areas, where much of the unrest is currently focused, have long had an antagonistic relationship with the regime; areas of rebellion and resistance to Colonel Gaddafi and his rule have suffered from deliberate underdevelopment as a result.
“If the protests remain restricted to the east, then they are probably containable and the regime will be able to dismiss them as part of the usual ongoing struggle between the regions. However, if the unrest reaches the capital, then this will be a serious challenge to Gaddafi and may well threaten his rule.” Despite this, Dr Pargeter claims that the regime has taken additional security measures to try to secure Tripoli and will do all it can to prevent serious unrest developing there.
Some analysts claim that an Egyptian-style revolt is unlikely because the government in Libya can use oil revenues to smooth over most social problems. Dr Pargeter, however, disagrees with this statement: “I think the idea that the government can simply stop all of this by paying people off is incorrect.”
In her opinion, it is too late for the regime to start distributing the country's oil wealth more equitably in the hope that this will quell the anger that has been building over many years: “It has been trying to buy people off in the past couple of weeks, but this has not had any impact on the levels of popular frustration.”
As Dr Pargeter suggests, people's anger has gone beyond mere socio-economic grievances. Spurred on by events in neighbouring countries, “they want political change as much as they want economic benefits”.
By Eva Fernandez
[Image courtesy of Wikimedia]
This security deployment is a reaction to the thousands of protesters who took to the streets overnight complaining about the offensive attitude of the regime towards the Libyan population. Also, activists set up camps in al-Bayda after yesterday's "Day of Rage".
The confirmed death toll stands at 20. However, Human Rights Watch state that Libyan security forces killed at least 24 protesters in the last two days, and wounded many others, in a crackdown on peaceful demonstrations across the country.
"The security forces' vicious attacks on peaceful demonstrators lay bare the reality of Muammar Gaddafi's brutality when faced with any internal dissent," said Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East and North Africa director at Human Rights Watch. "Libyans should not have to risk their lives to make a stand for their rights as human beings."
In yesterday's “day of rage”, hundreds of anti-government protesters gathered in the Libyan cities of Baida, Benghazy, Zenten, Derna, and Ajdabiya. According to the humans rights organisation, the security forces responded by shooting and killing the demonstrators in an effort to disperse the protests.
The harshness of the security agents is a defining characteristic of events in Lybia. Just two days of demonstrations has provoked a strong reaction from the state security forces.
“They are responding in such a heavy handed manner as the regime is unwilling to take any chances,” said Alison Pargeter, Senior Research Associate at the Centre of International Studies at the University of Cambridge, who spoke exclusively to The Fresh Outlook. She added: “It isn't the army that is cracking down in Libya, it is the security forces.”
“Libya is a country with a small population and the regime is going to do its utmost to ensure that what occurred in Tunisia and Egypt will not be replicated in Libya,” said Dr Pargeter. In her opinion, security forces have been preparing to confront public unrest for several weeks, organising pro-regime rallies and tightening security. “[Security forces] have also been threatening tribal leaders, telling them not to allow their youth to take part,” she said.
Is the violence worth it?
Given the current situation in Libya regarding Colonel Gaddafi's 40-year-rule, questions are being asked as to how likely it is that these protests will result in his resignation. Just because it worked in Tunisia and Egypt, does it mean that it will work in all the countries which demand change?
“It is still unclear whether or not the protests will be able to topple Gaddafi. Much depends on whether or not they reach Tripoli,” considers Dr Pargeter. According to Dr Pargeter, the eastern areas, where much of the unrest is currently focused, have long had an antagonistic relationship with the regime; areas of rebellion and resistance to Colonel Gaddafi and his rule have suffered from deliberate underdevelopment as a result.
“If the protests remain restricted to the east, then they are probably containable and the regime will be able to dismiss them as part of the usual ongoing struggle between the regions. However, if the unrest reaches the capital, then this will be a serious challenge to Gaddafi and may well threaten his rule.” Despite this, Dr Pargeter claims that the regime has taken additional security measures to try to secure Tripoli and will do all it can to prevent serious unrest developing there.
Some analysts claim that an Egyptian-style revolt is unlikely because the government in Libya can use oil revenues to smooth over most social problems. Dr Pargeter, however, disagrees with this statement: “I think the idea that the government can simply stop all of this by paying people off is incorrect.”
In her opinion, it is too late for the regime to start distributing the country's oil wealth more equitably in the hope that this will quell the anger that has been building over many years: “It has been trying to buy people off in the past couple of weeks, but this has not had any impact on the levels of popular frustration.”
As Dr Pargeter suggests, people's anger has gone beyond mere socio-economic grievances. Spurred on by events in neighbouring countries, “they want political change as much as they want economic benefits”.
By Eva Fernandez
[Image courtesy of Wikimedia]
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