Libyans rally over blackouts and water cuts for second day in capital

Protesters were not scared off after unknown gunmen opened fire on a rally on Sunday

Libyans chant slogans during a demonstration due to poor public services at the Martyrs' Square at the centre of the GNA-held Libyan capital. AFP

Libya, which sits atop Africa's largest proven crude oil reserves, has endured almost a decade of violent chaos since the 2011 Nato-supported. AFP

The war-weary country is plagued by water shortages and power blackouts that snuff out air-conditioners in the searing summer heat. AFP

The deplorable situation has been compounded by the novel coronavirus pandemic, which has depressed global oil prices and spread in the country despite social distancing measures. AFP

Libyans chant slogans during a demonstration due to poor public services at the Martyrs' Square at the centre of the GNA-held Libyan capital Tripoli. AFP

Libyans chant slogans during a demonstration due to poor public services at the Martyrs' Square at the centre of the GNA-held Libyan capital Tripoli. AFP

The prime minister of Libya’s western-based Government of National Accord has accused saboteurs and infiltrators for opening fire on peaceful protesters angered by the dire economic situation this week.

As demonstrators took to the streets for a second day on Monday, Fayez Al Sarraj said that the protests were voicing legitimate demands and he said it was the people’s right to call for better living conditions and for politicians to address the needs of the public.

But he said that protesters failed to secure the correct permits to host the rally which meant that there was no police protection.

“Because those who marched did not complete the legal procedures and obtain approval for the demonstration from the concerned authorities so these authorities would protect them and block the road to the infiltrators. This is what happened yesterday,” he said.

Hundreds of protesters who took the streets Sunday scattered when gunmen opened fire on the rally. While the Interior Ministry in the GNA also accused rogue elements, most of the militias that operate are affiliated with the Tripoli administration.

The UN called for an immediate investigation.

Demonstrators are angered by electricity cuts and water shortages at a time when Covid-19 has slowly spread through a country with limited medical resources, despite social distancing measures.

In an olive branch to protesters, Mr Al Sarraj said that he planned a cabinet reshuffle – particularly in bodies that provide key public services – and would appoint based on competency in the role.

In a televised speech, Mr Al Sarraj warned there was no "magic wand" that could fix the electricity shortage but added that a short-term plan was being developed to improve the situation.

This includes fast-tracking the development of power plants in Khoms, 100 kilometres east of Tripoli, and at Ubari in southwestern Libya.

Mr Al Sarraj added that he had contacted German firm Siemens and Turkish engineering company Enka in an effort to get them to complete power projects they had been working on in Libya that had stalled.

He also vowed to clamp down in corruption within the state sector, another of the protesters demands.

Speaker of the rival House of Representatives in the country’s east, Aguila Saleh, condemned the shooting as an assault on the people and an abuse of power in the face of peaceful demonstrations.

He demanded police and security forces in Tripoli safeguard the demonstrations and prevent further violence.

The GNA has been fighting against the eastern-based Libyan National Army, a body backed by the House of Representatives, for over a year since Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar launched an offensive saying it was time to end the rule of militias in the capital.

However, the fighting quickly bogged down into a stalemate around the capital after initial LNA gains along the coast and to the west of Tripoli.

With massive Turkish support, the GNA militias have pushed the LNA back to the strategic town of Sirte but both Mr Salah and Mr Al Sarraj have now called for a ceasefire and a return to UN-mediated talks to end the bloodshed.

The LNA this week warned that Mr Al Sarraj’s offer of talks was just for show and the militias were still coalescing around Sirte before an offensive.