LIBIA, Mellitah - Zuwara Nov 4th, 2013 | Procede a rilento l'estrazione di petrolio presso l'impianto petrolifero di Mellitah, gestito in joint venture fra Eni e Noc (National Oil Corporation): il motivo della produzione di circa 90mila barili al giorno a fronte degli 1,25 milioni possibili è dovuto alla presenza per protesta di una trentina di uomini armati appartenenti ad una tribù berbera amazigh. Rappresentanti della comunità berbera amazigh della città di Zuwara, in Libia, continuano a protestare nell'impianto di Mellitah, partecipato da Eni, minacciando di bloccare le esportazioni nei giorni a seguire a meno che governo e Congresso Generale Nazionale non accolgano le loro richieste, tra cui riconoscimento di peculiarità culturali e il principio di consenso per le minoranze in Libia. Un gruppo di 20-30 rivoluzionari armati ha cominciato a protestare al terminal di Mellitah il 26 ottobre e dopo vari negoziati con il comitato energia del Congresso avevano dato una settimana di tempo affinché le loro richieste fossero accolte prima di bloccare l'impianto. TRIPOLI, NOVEMBER 4 - The Libyan oil crisis has received a further blow by protests staged by Tuareg and Amazigh (Berber) minorities at oil terminals and facilities across the country. The protestors are demanding recognition of minority rights. The Sharara oil extraction facilities, operated jointly with Spain's Repsol in south-western Libya, was blocked a week ago in protest by armed Tuareg from the city of Ubari. Elsewhere about thirty former revolutionaries from the Amazigh community of Zuwara initiated a protest ten days ago in front of the Mellitah facilities, a joint venture between ENI and Libya's state National Oil Corporation. The protestors have threatened to halt exports in the coming days unless the government and the General National Congress (GNC) give in to their demand for recognition of minority rights, The armed men answering to the Supreme Amazigh Congress began protesting at the Mellitah terminal on October 26, and after several talks with the GNC's energy committee gave a week's time for their demands to be met, saying that otherwise they would block the facilities. The GNC has not yet made any statements on the matter but the facilities located in the western part of the country are still operative, sources have told ANSA, and the talks with the protestors are being held without incident. A month ago the Amazigh had threatened to boycott local elections as well as those for the 60-member Constituent Assembly. The Berber community, which suffered marginalization even during Gaddafi's time, were assigned only 2 seats in the Assembly, the same number allocated to the Tebu and Tuareg minorities. The Amazigh want a consensus of members, not just a majority, to decide on cultural issues and other issues, as well as recognition of cultural rights including the introduction of the Tamazight language alongside Arabic in the new constitution. The Sharara and Mellitah protests have come on the heels of ones underway since late July by workers and security guards at the largest extraction and export sites in the eastern part of the country. The protests have brought the Libyan economy to its knees, dependent as it is on the oil sector, making for losses of over 130 million dollars per day, said Finance Minister Kilani recently. The blockage of the oil sector has led to the worst crisis since the 2011 conflict, reducing production to under 300,000 bpd compared with 1.6 million bpd prior to the revolution, reports Oil Minister Al Arusi. Those on strike accuse the government of corruption and call for more rights and higher wages.

• published: 04 Nov 2013
• views: 6