Written by oil expert “Othman Al-Hadhiri”:
We, the people of southern Libya, are not asking for special privileges, but for basic rights guaranteed by the state to every citizen. For years, we have suffered from electricity outages, water shortages, deteriorating health and education services, high unemployment rates, weak institutional performance, fuel shortages, and at times even its complete absence in a region that is considered one of the most important energy-producing areas in the country.
The continuation of these conditions threatens social, economic, and possibly security stability, and pushes young people toward migration, despair, or involvement in unproductive or undesirable activities. Therefore, we call for an urgent and clear plan that includes the following:
- Addressing the electricity crisis by maintaining existing networks, building new power stations, and providing temporary solutions for the most affected areas.
- Implementing sustainable water projects, maintaining wells and distribution networks.
- Ensuring regular fuel supply and combating smuggling and monopoly through effective oversight.
- Launching employment and economic development programs that benefit the resources of the south and provide real job opportunities for youth.
- Improving health and education services and providing the necessary staff and equipment.
- Activating oversight and accountability over public institutions to ensure efficient performance and proper allocation of funds.
- Involving representatives of the south in development planning and monitoring implementation, and empowering their qualified professionals and experts to manage their companies and government departments themselves without marginalization.
The citizen in southern Libya (Fezzan) does not measure the success of governments by slogans, but by what they experience daily: electricity, water, security, job opportunities, and services. We hope that promises will turn into tangible actions that citizens can feel in their everyday lives.
And we continue to cry out and follow up.
