Humanitarian action and intervention. Libya case study

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HUMANITARIAN ACTION AND INTERVENTION. LIBYA CASE STUDY

THE CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

1. OVERVIEW OF THE COUNTRY (LIBYA)

1.1 HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

1.2 SOCIAL CONDITIONS

1.3 ECONOMY

1.4 POLITICS

2. COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF FRAGILE STATES

2.1 OVERVIEW OF THE MOST KNOWN FRAGILE STATES

2.2 COMMON FEATURES

2.3 SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPROVEMENT

3. INTERNATIONAL CONTRIBUTION

CONCLUSIONS

INTRODUCTION

HUMANITARIANISM

If we look for the right definition of humanitarianism , we will find this one: Humanitarianism means showing concern for the welfare of humanity, especially in acting to improve the living conditions of impoverished people.

Humanitarianism is a moral of good nature , benevolence, and sympathy extended to all human beings. Humanitarianism has been an evolving concept historically but universality is a common theme in its evolution. People say that when things are rong, this “feeling” is the one that comes up from humans, the need to help others, the cooperation between different people and no matter the different neither with the people who is going to be helped.

Now, we would try to explain two different examples of humanitarianism in our history .

1. OVERVIEW OF THE COUNTRY (Libya)

1.1 HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

Libya is a country located in the northeast coast of Africa between Tunisia and Algeria on the west and Egypt on the east; to the south are Sudan, Chad; and Niger. The major part of the country lies within the Sahara desert. Along the Mediterranean coast and farther inland is arable plateau land.

The first ones living in Libya were the Berber tribes. In the 7^th century B.C. Phoenicians colonized the eastern section of Libya and called it Cyrenaica, Greeks also wanted to colonize Libya, and they did it in the western part of the country. They called its colony Tripolitania. Tripolitania became part of the Holy Roman Empire and it belonged to the romans until it was sacked by the Vandals. In the 16^th century both parts, Cyrenaica and Tripolitania became part of the Ottoman Empire.

In 1801 the prize of the merchant taxes were raised by Tripoli's pasha, this led to the Tripolitan war with the USA. The peace treaty was signed just four years after, in 1805, US ships no longer had to pay tribute to Tripoli.

The unification of both Tripolitania and Cyrenaica came in 1934, with the outbreak of hostilities between Italy and Turkey in 1922. Italian army broke into Tripoli and Libyans started fighting against the Italians, but these controlled most of the land by 1934 libya was known as the colony of Libya. During the World War II, most of the desert fighting took place in Libya. After the fall of Tripoli 1943, it came under an Allied administration. In 1949, the UN voted that Libya should become an independent country, and in 1951 it became the United Kingdom of Libya. But it wasn't until 1958 when the oil was discovered, this completely changed the country's economy as it was suffering an ongoing impoverishment.

On September first, 1969, Muammar al-Gaddafi deposed the king and revolutionized the country, making it a pro- Arabic, anti- western, Islamic rePublic with socialist leanings. It was also rapidly anti-Israeli. A notorious firebrand, Qaddafi aligned himself with dictators, such as Uganda's Idi Amin, and fostered anti-Western terrorism.

1.2 SOCIAL CONDITIONS

By 2009, Libya was in the first place of HDI (Human Development Index) in the whole African continent, and the fourth highest GDP (Gross Domestic Product) per capita in Africa. Despite all theses great achievements, the civil war came which will be considered below and nowadays the country is facing problems such as:

1. Violence especially against children and women, as they are the most unprotected groups. Violence against women has become especially hard in some aspects such as education, in which some militia groups had imposed restrictions on women studentsґ access to education and also in women's security. Many women had to face harassment while trying to travel out Libya without a male guardian. Also some armed groups imposed restrictions on women based on their ideological beliefs.

2. Political instability, which was remarkably high after the overthrow of the leader Moammar Gaddafi. Just in 2014, more than 60,000 migrants and asylum seekers reached the Italian coasts. Record numbers of people trying to travel out of Libya wanting to get in Europe. In addition, Libyan authorities held 5,000 - 10,000 migrants and asylum seekers in detention, where they had to face aggressions such as overcrowding, electric shocks, whippings, cigarette burns, etc. Around 10,000 migrants were rescued from unseaworthy boats.

3. Poverty and discrimination, especially since the civil war started, and in most cases towards minority groups, such as Christians and Jews. Basic goods and fuel are in an incredibly short supply. In some areas people no longer have access to communications or electricity and are forced to use firewood for cooking and surviving. All the resources and key locations are controlled by scores of armed groups.

4. Environmental degradation due to using weapons, deforestation, industrial wastes, disposals of sewage etc.

5. Desertification in the result of the ongoing spread of the Sahara desert, but mainly because of the use of the arms of mass destruction.

6. The lack of border controls and tribal fighting aggravated the security situation, allowing the increase of the continued humans, drugs and weapons trafficking across Libya's borders with Chad, Egypt, Algeria and Sudan.

7. The enormous amounts of armed factions threatened and assaulted dozens of journalists, and attacked several media outlet. Several journalists and activist were abducted or seized and six journalists were assassinated.

The social crisis is just deepening and deepening, since mid-2014, fighting has spread and intensified. Aerial bombardment and attacks on civilians infrastructure continue to increase.

1.3 ECONOMY

Libya's current economy is completely paralyzed. Just having a look at the social situation in the country the state of Libya's economy can be predicted. According to the last World bank's report on Libyan economy, the country got into recession in 2013, due to internal political and armed conflict disrupting the oil production and exports. These facts were exacerbated by the steep decline in the global oil prices.

The economy continued suffering during the 2015 from disruptions of the oil sector. However, thanks to very low production in 2014 1st half, oil production increased by 30 percent over the first 7 months of 2015 to an average 0.41 million bpd. Renewed internal strife has put enormous stress on the government budget and the external stance. Reflecting mostly the collapse in oil export revenues, total revenues dropped by 61 percent in 2014. Currently, the main short terms prospects are to reach a political agreement among the different parties that are taking part in the conflict, allowing a Government of National Accord and security formation. The need for rapid reconstruction of basic infrastructures and services will make the government spend most of the budget on these goals.

The Libyan long term aim, is to develop a diversified market-based economy, as well as a developed framework and institutions. They are also supposed to create sustainable jobs and wealth and a transformed management of oil revenues to ensure they are used to achieve national goals.

1.4 POLITICS

Despite Libya's government struggles to maintain order in the country and rebuild all the state institutions required amid revising violence since Muammar al-Gaddafi death in 2011. The actual presence of armed militias and rebels has increased, nowadays approximately 1,700 armed groups are taking part in the conflict, the increase came with the attack on the US consulate in Benghazi on September 11, 2012. Libyans' reality can be summarised as political infighting and clashes between rival militias, as a conclusion of the multiple fights among the country, the poverty, civilian injuries and deaths have widespread.

Despite the Libyans attempt to constitute a democratic government, the instability and conflicts are still part of the countryґs characteristics. Following an election marred by violence, fights to get the power and boycotts, Libyans voted a Constitution Drafting Assembly on February 20 trying to establish a new draft constitution on December 2014. Once again, the country's instability and low voter turnout ruined the June 25 elections for the House of Representatives, a parliament which was thought to replace the interim General National Congress (GNC). Due to the situation, only 188 seats out of 200, were filled. After the election, around 158 of the member elected, were convened in Tobruk, to face Libyan security fears, but around 30 member of the parliament boycotted the move. On September 1, Abdullah al-Thinni, was elected by the parliament as Libya's prime minister. In August, an alliance of the Misrata-led took control of Tripoli, and some member of the GNC declared a new prime minister: Omar al-Hassi, in opposition to the Tobruk-based parliament. In November, the Libyan Supreme Court, declared unconstitutional the correction of the Constitutional Declaration, which was thought to pave the way of the House of Representatives election law. The Supreme Court decision was rejected by the chosen parliament, and some member of the former legislature, the GNC, asked for the dissolution of the House of Representatives, as well as the convention of the legitimate legislature. At time of signing, both entities remained involved in armed conflicts.

2. COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF FAILED STATES

According to the Failed States Index and the compilation made by Foreign Policy Group and the Fund For Peace, South Sudan, Somalia, Central African Republic and Sudan are considered the four most unstable countries in the entire world.

2.1 OVERVIEW OF THE MOST KNOWN FAILED STATES

South Sudan

In July 2011 South Sudan gained the independence, which became a huge cost. In 2015 it has occupied the first place in the list of failed states, with an index of 114.5 out of 120. There were hundred of thousand displacements for the people living there, because of destroyed property and infrastructure, we even could say that they were near a total economic devastation, because of the conflict between a christian south and a muslim north, during 1893 - 2005. The very difficult for the country from the restorage of the order and reconstruction of the infrastructure that was devastated, because there were not enough economical interests to reconstruct this almost new country.

Somalia

According to the ranking annually done by Foreign Policy and also The Global Fund for Peace, Somalia is declared second most failed state in the world. With a score of 114,0 out of 120. Somalia is located in the horn of Africa. The majority of the country suffers from militant extremist, external intervention, disease piracy, hunger but also from an ineffective government. The situation of Somalia can be summarized in three main ideas: in the first place the country does not have an effective government since 1991, when the president elected was toppled by some opponents' clans. In second place, the Islamist militia and a government of transition supported by United Nations have been fighting over the control of the country for years. And finally, there are two regions, Somaliland and Puntland that operate independently.

Central African Republic

The last three decades, CAR (Central American Republic) has experienced a dictatorship, being a failing state and finally, be considered as a failed state. Furthermore, the International Crisis Group (ICG), also considered CAR as a phantom state, because the government does not have the control of the country. With a score of 111,9 out of 120 according to the Fund for Peace. It is a landlocked country; by Chad in the north, Sudan, Republic of the Congo to the south and also Cameroon to the west of the country. The country's exports come from the diamonds, that does not mean that there is an equal split of the money that is paid. More than half of the citizens (62% of 4.5 million Central Africans) live below the poverty line. The UN also, ranks this country as the 180th out of 187 and also territories in its Human Development Index, with the income of the nation, about $2.2billion.

2.2 COMMON FEATURES

The common feature of the countries are clearly the high number of their fragile state index. Understanding that the bigger number is of the total index the worst. To complete the index they take into account the next indicators, which are the ones that they are dangerously high in the three countries mentioned before:

? Social indicators that include demographic pressures (food scarcity, malnutrition, disease,..), refugees and IDPs (displacement, refugee camps,...)

? Economic indicators, such as uneven economic development (Gini coefficient, income share…), or poverty and economic decline (economic deficit, unemployment, GDP per capita,...)

? Political and military indicators, that is divided in six sub index: State legitimacy that involves corruption and government effectiveness, Public services referring to provision of education and the quality of health care, Human rights and Rule of Law having to do with civil liberties and political freedoms, Security apparatus (internal conflict, military coups), Factionalized elites and external intervention, by the presence of the UN nations or the foreign military intervention.

2.3 SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPROVEMENT

The way this countries can improve is by building a state and also a society that protects the human security, and that requires a strategy and also the involvement of other actors such as governments, non-governmental organizations and also the multilateral states, which involve the states working and interacting with each other to design a plan and take it to practice. The best way to do it, is denominated as the 3-D's: defense, diplomacy and development, which promotes the government's collaboration, including the private sector, the civil society organizations and the local communities too. If we want long-term security we have to take into account that it is important the development of police capacities to provide security to the citizens. NGO's and companies also take a major role in providing security. Nevertheless, diplomacy can be a really important at a different levels of governments.

social economy right people

3. INTERNATIONAL CONTRIBUTION

Although, United Nations and international society is contributing situation in Libya population is calling for greater help to end the conflict. Special representative of UN for Libya is trying to promote power-sharing deal between two warring parties: maverick Gen. Khalifa Hifter, and Libya Dawn, an alliance of revolutionaries and Islamist militias. The core of his proposal is a cease-fire, the disarming of militias and armed groups while building national security forces. However, by now there is no understanding of how it would be enforced. There are a lot of discussions about the need of international assistance for Libya. UN officials noticed that some kind of peacekeeping force would be needed. In turn, United States and Britain have promised to provide technical assistance and advisers for Libyan national forces.

In the UN Security Council resolution 2213 adopted in March 2015 the framework of the activities planned for Libya were described in detail. Namely:

? Human rights monitoring and reporting;

? Support for securing uncontrolled arms and related materiel and countering its proliferation;

? support key Libyan institutions;

? Support, on request, for the provision of essential services, and delivery of humanitarian assistance and in accordance with humanitarian principles;

? Support for the coordination of international assistance;

Resolution also ensures sanctions measures as the travel ban and asset freeze for acts as:

? Planning, directing or committing, acts that violate applicable international human rights law or international humanitarian law, or acts that constitute human rights abuses in Libya;

? Attacks against any air, land or seas port in Libya or against a Libyan state institution or installation, including oil facilities, or against any foreign mission in Libya;

? Providing support for armed groups or criminal networks through the illicit exploitation of crude oil facilities, or against any foreign mission in Libya;

? Threatening or coercing Libyan State financial institutions and the Libyan National Oil company, or engaging in any action that may lead to or result in the misappropriation of Libyan state funds;

? Violating or assisting in the evasion of the provisions of the arms embargo in Libya established in resolution 1970;

? Acting for or on behalf of or at the direction of a listed individual or entity;

European Union is contributing in its EU Integrated Border Management Assistance Mission in Libya (EUBAM) adopted since May 2013. The aim of this mission is to support Libyan authorities to improve and develop the security of the country's borders. The mission was started as a response to invitation by Libya. EUBAM has a two year mandate which entails only the transfer of know-how through advising, training, and mentoring Libyan counterparts rather than carrying any executive functions of provide funding. Unfortunately, due to political and security situation which limited access to Libyan counterparts the Mission was downsized from to 17 members.

In line with EUBAM Mission EU also increased the humanitarian funding for Libya by 6 million euros as need continued to rise. The support addressed mainly the people who have been displaced by the conflict, migrants, refugees and asylum seekers. The funds also will be used to help humanitarian organizations to provide the delivery of basic items such as kitchen sets, blankets and mattresses as well as provide health and protection for the most vulnerable groups.

CONCLUSIONS

In fact, United Nation's performing its activities in Libya since 1960s. Currently, there are 25 UN Agencies, funds and programmes engaged in Libya. In addition, UN representation is ensured in all regions of the country. Nevertheless, the struggle for power is still in place which brings numerous human losses, huge number of internally displaced people turning into refugees, murder of government officials, foreign diplomatic staff and journalists and finally the gravest crimes against its own nationals. Such state of affairs seems even more irrational if one tries to calculate the amount of funds provided for Libya by international society. This might show the certain degree of reluctance of international society to comprehensively approach the situation in Libya. Currently, there is a strong need to take more efficient measures to prevent new victims and following destruction of state's infrastructure.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

1. http://www.infoplease.com/country/libya.html?pageno=2

2. http://www.cfr.org/global/global-conflict-tracker/p32137#!/?marker=14

3. http://www.worldbank.org/en/country/libya/overview

4. http://www.ibtimes.com/failed-states-index-most-unsustainable-countries-world-are-all-concentrated-africa-1320319

5. http://fsi.fundforpeace.org/

6. http://www.solidaritat.ub.edu/observatori/esp/dossiers/somalia/somalia.htm

7. http://cadenaser.com/ser/2011/07/23/internacional/1311381924_850215.htm

8. https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/wanabidii/fdDB24DDO2Q

9. http://www.brookings.edu/press/books/chapter_1/statefailureandstateweaknessinatimeofterror.pdf

10. http://library.fundforpeace.org/library/cfsir1306-failedstatesindex2013-06l.pdf

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