Berber blockade

Two years after the death of Moammar Gadhafi the Amazigh people have stepped up their blockade of Western Libya's main gas and crude plants, demanding more rights and recognition. "The new government is still sticking to the old patterns," senior Amazigh officials told DW.

This gas and oil complex southwest of Tripoli has remained blocked since Sept. 29. It's a strategic plant where Libya's southwestern resources are funnelled to the Mediterranean coast before they are shipped out of the country.

Oil workers left after rebels took over the plant and their former barracks have been turned into the headquarters of the Amazigh protesters. "Touaregs came to check this place before they blocked the plant in Ubari - a complex operated by the Spanish Repsol company," activists told Deutsche Welle.

"All this started as a move to get language recognition, but today we also want to tell all those interested in setting foot on Amazigh soil that they will have to take us into account from now on," rebel spokesman Omar Sikra told DW.

The Amazigh claim to be the indigenous people of North Africa. Their population extends from Morocco's Atlantic coast to the west bank of the Nile. Estimates put their numbers in Libya at around 600,000 and most of them live in the Nafusa mountain range, in western Libya.

"Our region in the Nafusa mountains played a key role in the takeover of Tripoli during the war. They used us and now they reject us under the ridiculous pretext that we are working under a foreign agenda," Fathi Buzakhar, a senior Amazigh activist, told DW.

Amazighs fear that they won't be able to defend their rights through the 60 seats committee set to write Libya's Constitution, which will rule on majorities of two-thirds plus one. "We want agreement based on consensus, not on majorities," activists told DW.

The Mellitah complex, around 100 km west of Tripoli, is a joint venture between the Italian oil and gas multinational ENI and Libya's National Oil Corporation (NOC). Amazigh rebels have been blocking both its port and the Mediterranean's biggest gas pipe since Oct. 26. Italians are concerned about their gas supplies as winter approaches.

Amazigh elders keep in close touch with the young activists at the port. "Ours is a peaceful protest for our legitimate rights," they say. The Italian workers at the Mellitah plant confirmed to DW that neither the complex nor its staff have suffered any damage, aggression or threats by the protesters.

Protesters have ensured that neither gas nor crude will be shipped from Mellitah until Tripoli meets their demands. Similar protests across the country have cut Libya's crude production by 90 percent in a move that could have severe economic implications for the North African country.