How Libyans see Europe

Libyans have mixed feelings about the EU. On the one hand, they admire what Europeans have achieved, but on the other, they feel let down. Moutaz and Walid Ali report from Tripoli

By Moutaz Ali & Walid Ali

On the southern shores of the Mediterranean Sea, most Libyans used to rate highly what was happening on the northern shores. They considered EU countries to be models of prosperous and well-organised societies that enable people to live good lives. In the 20th century, thousands of Libyan students attended European universities and what they told their compatriots reinforced the EU’s good reputation.

At the same time, many other Libyans have a rather bad impression of the EU. In their eyes, some of its member countries – especially Britain, France and Italy – have contributed to the security chaos the country is currently suffering. After all, a NATO intervention led by European governments facilitated the downfall of Muammar al-Gaddafi’s regime in 2011. Security has never been restored. For almost a decade, competing militias have been fighting over Libyan territory. Erratic fighting can erupt anywhere at any time.

Some armed groups, moreover, are involved in the people-smuggling industry. Large numbers of Africans want to migrate to Europe. Many are from sub-Saharan Africa, others are from Arab countries. As Libya has become a transit country, ever more Libyans are looking to move to Europe themselves.

High hopes

Everywhere in North Africa, people take great interest in European affairs. For years the majority have yearned to live and prosper in a democratic society. Obviously, however, such freedom of expression is not possible under dictatorial rule. The revolutions of the Arab Spring provided a vent for oppressed people across the region.

At the time, Libya, Egypt and Tunisia got rid of their autocratic leaders. The fact that authoritarian regimes were also toppled in Algeria and Sudan in 2019 fits the picture. The painful backlash in Egypt, the security chaos in Libya and the brutal civil war in Syria should not distract from the fact that people long for freedom. We are aware of the EU’s long history of preaching democratic principles. Yet we find its track record of supporting democracy disappointing.

Libya's long-time dictator Muammar al-Gaddafi (photo: Getty Images/AFP)
Zweckbündnis mit dem Despoten: Auch wenn die EU und das Gaddafi-Regime Gegner waren, arbeiteten sie doch in einigen Bereichen zusammen, etwa bei der Überwachung und Einschränkung der illegalen Einwanderung. Doch im Chaos nach Gaddafis Sturz war keine politische Macht in der Lage, zum effektiven Regierungspartner für die EU zu werden. Libyen ist heute ein Transitland mit durchlässigen Grenzen und ineffektiven Behörden.

Gaddafi, the strongman who ruled Libya from 1969 to 2011, did his best to convey a sense of national unity and to foster hostility towards the West. Many Libyans, however, disagreed. Mohamed Omar, a retired engineer, says: "Gaddafi delivered a false message; Libyans did not see the EU as an enemy."

As a young man, Omar studied mechanical engineering in Germany. He reports that he was "amazed by the well-organised and advanced lifestyle." At the time, he hoped Libya would one day become like that. In his eyes, the country has lost a lot of time. He would like to see it better connected to the EU and blames the current state of affairs on "Gaddafi’s stupid ideas and debilitating civil strife".

Others put the blame on European governments – at least partially. Shying away from deploying boots on the ground, they abandoned a violence-torn country to its fate.

Migration worries

The problems are being compounded by the refugee crisis. It bears repetition that increasingly Libyans themselves want to leave for Europe. In the lack of visas, there are no safe routes. Moreover, Libyans who follow European media tend to see the coverage distorted. Libyans are normally depicted as perpetrators of crimes, not as people living in danger of violence. European leaders want refugees to stay in Libya, but they blame our people when foreigners are mistreated and abused here. Do European media not understand that Libyan statehood is extremely fragile? That, in itself, causes suffering.

Sajida is a six-year-old girl with a rare blood disorder. She required a bone marrow transplant. This kind of treatment is not available in Libya. As a result, her father decided to take her to Europe for proper treatment. "I applied several times for visas, but all my applications were refused," he reports. "I think they were afraid that I wouldn’t be able to afford the treatment costs."

In 2016, he decided to sail to Europe with his daughter in a small rubber boat. After 33 hours, an Italian coast guard vessel found them and took them to Sicily. The girl got the life-saving treatment.

Others are not so lucky and do not survive their attempt to cross the Mediterranean in inadequate vessels. Nonetheless, people increasingly want to leave Libya in order to escape violence and lawlessness. They hope to be granted asylum in Europe, but have no safe way to get there.

Libya: gateway to Africa

The irony of the matter is that, in European history, Libya was seen as the gateway to Africa. Now Africans see it as the gateway to Europe. Though the EU and the Gaddafi regime considered one another to be adversaries, they actually co-operated on several issues, including monitoring and restricting illegal migration.

In the chaos following his downfall, no authority has been able to assume the role of being an effective governmental partner for the EU. Libya is now a transit country with porous borders and ineffective state agencies.[embed:render:embedded:node:38718]

Zuhier Abusrewil, a Libyan journalist who specialises in migration issues, says that "Libyans in general understand the rights of Africans who seek to escape to Europe looking for a better life." In that sense, they do not share Europe's concerns.

Migration has considerable downsides, however, as the journalist points out: "Libya has been negatively affected because it largely relies on foreign workers." Today, however, foreigners no longer want to stay in Libya. Now, with the shortage of workers, wages are increasing.

The worst problem, however, is organised crime. The revenues of people-smuggling amount to hundreds of millions of euros. Local gangs have teamed up with armed militias in Libya as well as mafia cliques from Italy and Malta.

The power vacuum that resulted from the NATO intervention has thus not only undermined security, it has also given rise to a lucrative illegal industry. Daily life in Libya is nowhere close to the EU standards that people hoped for when Gaddafi fell. This disparity now defines Libyans’ idea of Europe.

Moutaz & Walid Ali

© D+C | Development and Cooperation 2020