The citizen soldiers who became heroes for toppling Libyanleader Mohammad Gaddafi last year are now being widely blamed for the country'swoes, refusing to disarm and snubbing the new authorities. Libya's new rulershave struggled to stamp their authority on brigades made up of ex-rebels, someof whom believe their legitimacy, forged on the front line, trumps that of thecountry's elected representatives. For their part, the former rebels complainof neglect by the authorities, whom they accuse of doing too little to care forwounded veterans, and insist that there would be a security vacuum if theydisarmed and went home.
"We risked our lives for God and the nation, so it isup to the new authorities to prove themselves worthy of the blood of ourrevolutionary martyrs and wounded," said veteran fighter Osama al-Daly."If not there will be another revolution to reset the course, meet thesedemands and clean up state institutions," he added.
That warning resonates loudly in the eastern city ofBenghazi, cradle of the revolt that ousted Gaddafi. The Mediterranean port hasa long history of opposition to central authorities, and a movement calling forautonomy in the east blossomed there this year. Both Libya's chief of staff andthe veterans committee are based in Benghazi -- where former fighters mancheckpoints, direct traffic, escort visiting officials and guard the port andairport. Some of the former rebels proudly wear the uniform of newly createdsecurity forces.
Regular members of the army and police, meanwhile, findthemselves powerless in the face of better armed militias and criminal gangs,who plundered weapon depots during the war. They have reason to be cautious.High-ranking officials have been targeted in a wave of assassinations blamed onIslamist extremists who were released from Gaddafi's jails. The bulk of theLibyan jihadists who fought in Afghanistan and Iraq hail from the east. Andexperts warn that Al-Qaeda-linked groups are gaining influence.
On this year's anniversary of the 2001 September 11terrorist attack on the United States, militants laid siege to the US consulatein Benghazi. They killed four Americans, including Ambassador Chris Stevens,who had backed the Libyan uprising. Residents reacted by staging mass ralliesagainst armed groups and in favour of forming a new professional army andpolice force. They focused their wrath on hardline Islamist groups.
Since the war, a weak central government has had no choicebut to rely on a patchwork of militias, including shadowy Islamist brigades, tosecure the country and its borders. In recent months, the authorities haveretaken control of several prisons, including Tripoli's Al-Jadaida facility,previously in the hands of ex-combattants. Meanwhile, rights groups haveregularly denounced torture and arbitrary detentions by militias, as well asthe violation of the rights of leaders from the previous regime who are beingheld in prisons controlled by ex-rebels. Thousands are still awaiting trial insuch detention centres.
In the end, said Peter Bouckaert, emergencies director atHuman Rights Watch: "One of Libya's greatest challenges is to bring itswell-armed militias under control and end their abuses."
