For the German version of this post, click here.
I’m still living in Libya – using the term living loosely as usual -, and it seems like all my attempts to get out are failing miserably, so for what’s it worth, I’m sticking here for a while.
Everyday life
It always amazes me, how these people can survive on scraps, now matter how long I ponder this I can’t seem to wrap my head around it, and whoever is ruling seems to be pushing them to the limits, see how long they can survive without security, water, electricity, money and infra structure.
But somehow they are surviving. a bit like the walking dead – if you ever watched that show.
Word breaks out of a clash somewhere, huge lines at gas stations, that crisis ends and soon after a cooking gas crisis begins.
One shortage after the other, one made up crisis after the other. War breaks without notice in this hell hole. It defies reason and defies purpose. Yet that is how the system -and I use the term loosely- works.
If it rained like it would normally do, the streets would drown and mobility becomes very limited, usually combined with long power outages.
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| Photo credit: Safepath Group |
Attempting to apply logic to these people is a sin, life is turning into a paradox inside of a paradox covered in camouflage textile.
The economy
No matter how hard they strike at them, they don’t respond. No matter how high the prices rise or how long the queues get to obtain basic needs, they just get lined up to get whatever for however.
It gets colder, the electricity goes off for days, it gets hotter the electricity also gets off for days on end, for an economy with so much inflation going on I’m surprised that there is a lack of money in the banks!
What are they doing then? Mostly stabbing each other in the back and trying to make the most of a bad situation, raising the prices of goods and services to squeeze every penny possible from people.
Others aren’t as affected by the situation like most
While most Libyans struggle to make ends meet, a few are living the life! Pictures of fancy homes, cars, and lavishing weddings surface on-line (thanks to facebook for this) to brag fortane and social status. With everything being covered in Nuttela chocolate (it’s a big deal here for some reason!).
Libyans always liked to brag in weddings and show that they have as much money as the next guy, even if they have to borrow money in order to do so, but that kind of splurging money is a whole new level. Is it a case of the lipstick effect?
The political scene in Libya
For a country that has a pair of each: Government, parliament, central bank. Everything is going down hill (assuming that the more the merrier of course)
- Corruption eating away what’s left of Libya’s wealth.
- No security
- Local currency is non existent, and for something so rare it’s worthless.
- No functioning bodies of governance.
- No power / fuel to operate basic daily needs.
Governments change without the slights audit, in fact most of the former ministers and prime ministers are enjoying a peaceful retirement abroad, and no one checked if they embezzled money before leaving office, as if anyone one cared!
Laws are passed without anyone noticing and the only rule is the lack of rules!
How will a government work right if it’s not audited by the parliament.
How will the parliament asses any thing if the members fail to meet each time?!
The vicious cycle
Sadly most of the problems that are happening now happened before, some happened years ago like the liquidity issue and the high price of the US dollar on the black market, others happen each year like the water ponds caused by rain fall, if these issues are periodical, than they can be easily predicted and solved if there was a government of sort, but no! These issues will continue to occur because that’s how Libya functions.
Finally
Will it be fixed someday? Does anyone have a magic wand to make it all better? Chances are no one does. But if everyone does his part and takes responsibility for their action, then things could improve.
As a young man who grew up and lived all of his life in Libya, I don’t think that it will be fixed in my life time, and I’m not too excited about starting a family in these conditions and hope that my children would have it better.
I really hope that the people of this country wake up, and realize that what are they doing is drowning all of us, because we are on the same boat.