6A -- Thursday, March 14, 2013
The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
Libya's militarized youth
feed into economic woes
State funds militias
while private sector
struggles and
unemployment rises
BENGHAZI, Libya (AP) -
More than 18 months since the
end of Libya's civil war, the most
attractive job for many of the
young is still to join a militia. In
fact, just under a tenth of Libya's
labor force may be working as
gunmen.
Libya's government coffers
are rapidly filling with cash as oil
exports return to near pre-war
levels, powering a 100 percent
increase in GDP in 2012, accord-
ing to a report this month by the
International Monetary Fund.
But the economy of this North
Africanoil giant remains in disar-
ray. Unemployment, officially at
15 percent, is estimated by some
as high as50 percent. The private
sector, decimated under ousted
dictator Moammar Gadhafi, still
barely functions. Reconstruction
investment is largely on hold, and
the weak central government is
funneling much of its oil wealth
into public handouts to quiet
discontent, as Gadhafi often did.
Other money is lost down the
drain of corruption.
And still other funds end up
fueling the growth of militias.
The state pays many militias,
relying on them to serve as secu-
rity forces since the police and
military remain a shambles. The
regular salary has drawn a flood
of young Libyans.
Militias first rose up as "bri-
gades" during the eight-month
civil war against Gadhafi, and
at the time their fighters likely
numbered in the thousands.
Now an estimated 200,000
people are registered by the gov-
ernment on the rolls of militias,
according to the commanders in
two of the biggest militias, Hafiz
al-Agouri, of Libya Shield, and
Ismail al-Salabi, of the Rafallah
Sahati brigade.
That would mean more than
8 percent of the country's entire
work force are in militias. The
most recent World Bank esti-
force at 2.3 million people.
A Libyan businessman and an
owner of a private construction
company that has government
contracts for rebuilding infra-
structure in the eastern region
bemoaned the lure of militia
work among his own staff.
"My very skillful welder left
because he got a job in a brigade
that would not only give him triple
the salary but he could work four
days and take a week off," Nasser
Ahdash told The Associated Press.
He said he is unable to carry out
the reconstruction work because
the price of his contracts doesn't
cover the rising costs of equip-
ment, material and labor.
Saad al-Arily, a veteran Libyan
economist, estimated that the
government spent the equivalent
of nearly $1 billion on militias in
2012. Each militiaman gets a sal-
ary ranging from $400 to $2,300
a month.
"The money spent on militias
resembles the budget of an Afri-
can country," he told AP. "Every
day a young man forms a brigade
just to get a salary."
In effect, the state pays forces
that undermine its own rule and
increase lawlessness. Militias
carry out assigned security duties
like guarding sensitive buildings,
forming security belts around
cities, or patrolling neighbor-
hoods. But otherwise, they often
act as renegades with their own
agenda. Residents complain they
run their own prisons, enforce
their own rule over neighbor-
hoods or towns, engage in kid-
nappings and extortion and spark
gunbattles with rival militias.
Some have hardline Islamist ide-
ologies and have become noto-
rious for imposing Islamic law
restrictions.
In many ways, Libya's new rul-
ers are continuing a patronage
economy that Gadhafi propagated.
During Gadhafi's 42-year rule,
the economy was solely depen-
dent on oiland gas revenues. The
state's sprawling bureaucracy
was practically the sole employ-
er, and most of the population
depended on heavy subsidies on
food and fuel and cash handouts.
Bribery and embezzlement were
common practice among govern-
sight.
Gadhafi largely wiped out the
private business class, confiscat-
ing their assets. For most of his
rule, private business was depict-
ed as exploitation and theft. At
the same time, Gadhafi used the
oil wealth to build a patronage
system, buying off tribes and
opponents with cash that was
never accounted for.
Many Libyans say that Gad-
hafi left their country with two
functioning institutions: oil and
corruption.
Continuing the patronage
style, the post-Gadhafi govern-
ment has added more govern-
ment employees. Around 1.5
million people now work for the
state in a country of 6 million
people, according to Abdel-Salam
Nassaiya, head of the budget
committee in National General
Congress. Their salaries amount-
ed to some $15 billion in 2012, a
third of the budget, up from $6
billion in 2010.
During Feb. 17 celebrations
marking the second anniversary
of the start of the anti-Gadhafi
revolution, Mohammed el-Mega-
rif, the country's leader and head
of the first elected National Gen-
eral Congress, proclaimed that a
cash gift would be given to every
citizen.
"In this glorious occasion, I
would like to inform the great
Libyan people of the generous
award," el-Megarif told a crowd
in Benghazi, where some chant-
ed, "Leave, leave. You are no dif-
ferent than Gadhafi."
After Gadhafi's fall, Libyans
saw oil revenues as the key for
transforming their economy.
Aftercomingtoanearhaltduring
the war, oil production stormed
back, reaching around 1.4 million
barrels a day in 2012. The oil min-
ister has said he expects that to
rise to 1.7 million, close to prewar
production. Oil revenues makeup
some 90 percent of the govern-
ment's income.
As a result, the government
budget in 1012 swelled to 65
billion dinars, ($53 billion) its
largest ever. A new budget has
not been approved by the parlia-
ment, which suspended its ses-
sion after coming under assaults
by militias.
Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP
A Palestinian woman walks past posters showing US President Barack Obama in the West Bank city of Ramallah.
Obama's trip to Jerusalem and the West Bank will take place March 20to22.
Middle Eastern politicians
prepare for president's Visit
Israeli an
Palestinian off
each will try to
Obama's sup
JERUSALEM (AP) -
before President Barac
is set to arrive in th
Middle East politics ar
casting a cloud over th
Israeli and Palestinian
plan a series of event
mote their agendas.
Jerusalem city offi
offering visiting jour
free tour of Israel's m
tentious archaeologica
tion, a sprawling dig int
of contested east Je
Israel has also sugges
journalists could avo
to the West Bank wit
when he meets with Pa
leaders.
On the other side
divide, Palestinian
hope to introduce the U
dent to the family of a
held by Israel.Activists
will also greet Obama w
ers and demonstration
to draw attention to l:
Israeli military occupa
These events offer a
of the political minefiel
will have to navigate
7,
d visits Israel and the West Bank
next week, the first time he has
icials come to the area as president.
Each side will be trying to win
gain his support for some of the most
contentious issues between
port them.
Israel will be looking for
- A week assurances that the U.S. is seri-
k Obama ous about stopping Iran's sus-
e region, pect nuclear program. Obama
e already will also be seeking to 'repair
e visit as a strained relationship with
officials Israeli Prime Minister Benja-
s to pro- min Netanyahu. While he has
said he will not present any
cials are grand peace plan, Obama will
nalists a also be under pressure to con-
sost con- vince the Palestinians that he
i excava- is serious about getting peace
the heart efforts restarted - and presum-
rusalem. ably pressing Israel to make new
sted that concessions.
id going With so much at stake, Israe-
h Obama lis and Palestinians are hoping
lestinian to capitalize on their moment in
the spotlight.
of the In a statement to reporters,
officials Jerusalem municipal officials
.S. presi- said they would be "taking
prisoner advantage" of the visit to put
s say they the holycity's best face forward.
with post Crews have been pulling up
ns meant weeds along the roads Obama's
ife under motorcade will take. Decora-
tion. tive lights will be illuminated
glimpse all night long on the ancient
Id Obama walls of the Old City, opposite
when he Obama's hotel, "to allow the
Call: #734-418-4115
Email: dailydisplay@gmail.com
RELEASE DATE- Thursday, March 14, 2013
HELP WANTED
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president to view them from
his room and for the hundreds
of journalists broadcasting
throughout the night to the U.S.
to see the city's beauty."
City officials are also prom-
ising to escort journalists to
"important and famous histori-
cal sites." Among the spots are
the "City of David," a politically
sensitive archaeological site in
an Arab neighborhood just out-
side the Old City.
The dig, named for the bibli-
cal King David thought to have
ruled from the spot 3,000 years
ago, was conducted by Israeli
government archaeologists.
The project has generated con-
troversy because it was funded
by a nationalist Jewish group
that buys up properties in Arab
neighborhoods of east Jerusa-
lem, then moves Jewish settlers
into the homes - which critics
say is meant to make it impossi-
ble to divide the city in a future
peace deal.
Palestinians and some Israeli
archaeologists have also criti-
cized the City of David dig for
what they say is an excessive
focus on Jewish remains, and
have called into question some
of the dig's claims that attribute
ruins to the King David.
East Jerusalem, home to the
Old City and its sensitive holy
sites, was captured by Israel in
1967 and subsequently annexed
in a move that has never been
internationally recognized.
The Palestinians also claim
east Jerusalem as the capital of
their future state. Resolving the
competing claims to the area is
the most explosive issue in the
Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Brachie Sprung, an adviser to
the mayor, said the City of David
is one of Jerusalem's most popu-
lar attractions. She rejected sug-
gestions that the free tours were
politically motivated.
"In 2012 the city of Jerusalem
experienced record breaking
tourism which boosted eco-
nomic growth, benefitting all
segments of the population,"
Sprung said in an email.
After spending the first day of
his visit next Wednesday with
Israeli officials, Obama is sched-
uled to journeyto the West Bank
the following day for talks with
the Palestinians.
But Israel's Government
Press Office says journalists
need not make the trip, which
involves crossing through a
military checkpoint. It said a
special media center in Jerusa-
lem will provide a live feed of
Obama's meeting with Palestin-
ian President Mahmoud Abbas
"in order to obviate the need to
travel back-and-forth to the Pal-
estinian Authority areas."
GPO Director Nitzan Chen
said the live feed was meant
solely for convenience. "We are
not encouraging people to go
or not" to go to the West Bank,
Chen said.
The Palestinians, mean-
while, are intent on showing the
president what life is like under
Israeli occupation. Abbas leads a
self-rule government that enjoys
limited autonomy in the West
Bank. But Israel wields overall
control of the area, which the
Palestinians claim as the heart-
land of their future state.
Palestinian officials said they
have notified American officials
that they want Obama to meet
the family of a Palestinian pris-
oner held in Israel. The Palestin-
ians said the U.S. hasn't replied.
f