A man wearing a T-shirt bearing a flag of the Emirate of Cyrenaica (C) attends in Benghazi Monday night a protest demanding federal governance and a branch of the National Oil Corporation to be set up in the country's second-largest city. — Reuters Maha Ellawati
BENGHAZI – Angry demonstrators flooded onto the streets in front of the Commercial Bank in Al-Baida Monday night, burning tyres and demanding the creation of a federalist state in Libya. They were subsequently joined by federalists in Benghazi who staged their own protest in front of the Tibesti Hotel. Chanting slogans such as “Oh young people of Baida, say yes to federalism and no to slavery,” the crowd also denounced the recent announcement by National Congress President Mohamed Magarief of a $200 million development package to Tunisia. In fact, the deal was agreed to by the National Transitional Council, around the time that Tunisia agreed to extradite former Prime Minister Baghdadi Al-Mahmoudi. Fires were lit at four different locations as demonstrators closed down the main street of the town, which is also home to former NTC Chairman Mustafa Abdul Jalil. Members of the crowd complained of poor conditions experienced by Libyans in Baida and elsewhere in the country and criticizing the decision to channel needed funds to other states. Having heard about the Baida demonstration, dozens of Benghazi residents came onto the streets demanding a federalist state in Cyrenaica, likewise blocking roads and setting tyres ablaze. “Libya's wealth must be protected and we must fight against corruption,” said one man. “We are tired of being marginalized; there is a devastating situation being experienced by eastern cities because of this marginalization.” In Benghazi, as in Baida, the old Cyrenaican flag was flown, a black banner with white start and crescent. The NOC's decision last month to suspend a planned move of the company to the eastern city was also among the protesters' grievances. Under the proposal, the currently inconsequential Benghazi branch of the NOC would have been given effective control over the oil sector in eastern Libya, where some 80 percent of the country's oil wealth is located. The plan was suspended less than a week after its announcement, however, following heated protests from NOC workers in Tripoli. Officials at the company say the decision will now rest in the hands of the new government of Ali Zidan. As the protests continued, demonstrators moved onto a different theme, echoing a widespread sentiment that Qatar, one of the strongest supporters of last year's uprising, was exercising too much influence in the country. “No to Qatar's agenda, Libya is a free and independent state,” chanted one group of demonstrators. – Libya Herald
