Community Responses to Libyan Smuggling Networks

Across Libya, various groups have used their control of illicit resources to bargain for attention in the transition. The EU is working with the Ministry of Interior to create an Organised Crime Coordination Panel, but in the current context this is unlikely to have an impact outside of Tripoli. While this makes responding to criminality difficult, it also presents an opportunity to counter crime before it becomes entrenched in the state structures that are being formed. The situation is more urgent in Southern Libya, where illicit economies have strengthened spoilers of stabilisation. The threat from criminal networks is varied and requires a response developed by the municipality. For instance, in Sabha, the prison is occupied by a militia that wants jobs; Tebu and Tuareg tribes have been moving into the city disrupting community security and social capital; drug trafficking networks have also become more active, taking advantage of the governance vacuum. While a federal government or security response is not forthcoming, there is scope for development interventions to target the factors that are conducive to criminality. This paper will review current community responses across Libya that have relied on violence and discusses the potential for non-violent community action.