اخبار ليبيا اليوم – وطن نيوز
اخر اخبار ليبيا- اخبار ليبيا الان
W6nnews.com ==== وطن === تاريخ النشر – 2026-06-12 01:04:00
The head of the Libyan Media Corporation, writer and journalist, Muhammad Baayou, considered that the proposal circulating regarding what is known as the “fourth region” or the “central region” lacks any constitutional, legal, or legitimate basis, stressing that the promotion of this idea is repeated with the aim of stirring controversy and diverting attention from issues that are more important to the Libyan state. Baayou explained, in statements to the Libya Al-Hadath channel, that talk about an “economic region” raises questions about its nature, goals and components, stressing that the Libyan economy is a unified national economy based on oil and gas resources, and it cannot be isolated or divided into independent entities or separate regions. He expressed his surprise at the involvement of some local authorities in supporting this project, noting that some mayors participating in these movements do not rely on a direct electoral mandate, pointing out that several cities and regions, including Bani Walid and Tarhuna, announced their rejection of these steps. Baayou saw that what is happening represents an attempt to revive the logic of strong cities and satellite cities, which harms the national fabric and reproduces local divisions, adding that some regions may be attracted to these projects in the hope of improving their service and development conditions after years of marginalization. He pointed out that the city of Misrata remained for decades a commercial center open to all Libyans, and that its economic and social relations with various regions existed without the need to create new entities or regions. He wondered about the feasibility of reopening sensitive files related to previous events and conflicts in which national reconciliations were not fully completed. Baayou explained that the known geographical and historical classifications of Libya do not match the current proposal, indicating that the central region historically has extensions and centers different from the proposed vision, and pointing out that the city of Sirte has become in recent years a model for development and reconstruction. He stressed that what was achieved in Sirte, through the efforts of the General Command, the Commander-in-Chief of the Libyan Arab Armed Forces, and the Development and Reconstruction Authority, represents a practical model that can be used in the rest of Libyan cities, instead of being preoccupied with controversial administrative or political projects. Regarding local administration, Baayou stressed that municipalities are independent entities in accordance with the laws regulating local government, and do not report to one another, explaining that each municipality has its own geographical borders and its own administrative and service competencies. He criticized attempts to assign political roles to municipal mayors outside their legal jurisdiction, considering that municipalities should not be transformed into political bodies or leaders. He also criticized the performance of the interim unity government, considering that it had not succeeded in addressing a number of basic service files, most notably the electricity file, calling for granting the regions a wider space to manage some of their service affairs in order to achieve greater efficiency in providing services to citizens. Baayou warned against exploiting the idea of the new region to impose a military or political extension towards strategic areas in the center of the country, especially areas near the oil fields and the oil crescent, considering that such moves may reproduce previous crises that Libya witnessed during the past years. He stressed that any attempt to impose a fait accompli by force will not succeed and will be met with rejection and resistance, calling for avoiding bringing Libyan youth into new conflicts or projects that may lead to further division, stressing that Libya needs inclusive development and national projects that strengthen the unity of the state and its institutions, not arrangements that perpetuate division or create conflicting entities. Baayou also warned of the presence of external parties that might be interested in supporting such projects to serve agendas that are not in the country’s interest, considering that the movements associated with political Islam, as he described them, do not believe in the concept of the national state and its geographical borders, and that some of these forces are still moving with motives related to their previous losses in the confrontations that the country witnessed. He said that there are political and religious parties, including what he described as “the mufti who incites violence,” pushing towards fueling conflicts and reproducing division, considering that these parties are fueling projects that would threaten national stability. He added that talk about the existence of plans targeting the oil regions and the Oil Crescent is based, according to him, on information circulated by a number of parties concerned with the Libyan affairs, stressing that these moves contradict the national project proposed by the Commander-in-Chief of the Libyan Arab Armed Forces, Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, who is responsible for preserving the unity of the state and its institutions. He stressed that the priority at the current stage must focus on completing the construction of the state and unifying its institutions, not on proposing projects for new regions or entities, stressing that the form of the state and its administrative and political system must be a matter decided by the Libyans through the constitution and appropriate legal entitlements. Baayou pointed out that Libya needs to unify the executive authority and end the political and institutional division instead of producing parallel entities or imposing new facts on the ground, considering that preserving the country’s unity is a national priority that transcends political differences. He believed that the use of force is not a desirable option, but he stressed that protecting Libya’s unity and sovereignty remains a national responsibility if the country is exposed to attempts that threaten its entity or territorial integrity. He warned of external forces seeking to re-activate the Libyan file in a way that may return the country to the cycle of violence and conflict. He added that some areas witnessing security stability and development have become the target of attempts to transfer hotspots of tension to them, considering that the real goal of some controversial initiatives is to change the course of the conflict and reproduce it in new areas. Regarding the development file, Baayou said that what has been achieved in the cities of eastern Libya in recent years has become a tangible model observed by citizens from various regions, including visitors coming from Misrata, Tripoli, and the cities of western Libya. He explained that the achievements in the fields of infrastructure, roads, bridges, hospitals, and housing have created a state of comparison among citizens between what has been achieved in some areas and what has failed in other areas. He added that companies and businessmen from various Libyan cities are participating today in development and reconstruction projects implemented in the east and south of the country, which, in his opinion, reflects the existence of a stable work environment and real projects on the ground. Baayou asked about the developmental and economic feasibility of establishing new regions or entities, stressing that the prosperity of any city or region is not achieved through administrative or political expansion, but rather through proper planning, actual development, and improving public services. He pointed out that the vision proposed by Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar is based on providing an advanced standard of living for all Libyans, including improving electricity, health, education, and infrastructure services without distinction between one region and another. He reviewed a number of reconstruction projects and services that have been implemented in recent years, considering that they are evidence of the possibility of achieving development when there is will and effective management. He stressed that any political or administrative project that does not achieve development and stability for citizens and does not enhance the unity of the state will remain subject to popular and political rejection, calling for a focus on building institutions, improving services, and achieving comprehensive development throughout Libya. In his evaluation of the “Central Region” project, Baayou said: Some of the parties supporting it are betting on future political settlements based on the distribution of influence between regions and geographical areas within Libya, explaining that talking about the regions is historically linked to the early stages of the establishment of the Libyan state when the country consisted of the provinces of Cyrenaica, Tripoli and Fezzan before the abolition of the federal system during the reign of King Idris al-Senussi and the transition to the unified state. He believed that the discussion about the form of the Libyan state is a legitimate right for the Libyan people through the constitutional process and popular referendum, and that any change in the administrative or political structure must take place through an agreed-upon constitution and clear popular will, not through unilateral declarations or arrangements. Baayou criticized the draft constitution proposed over the past years, considering that it did not provide a real treatment for the issues of local government and the distribution of resources and powers, nor did it clearly resolve the relationship between the center and the different regions. He predicted the failure of the “Central Region” project and its inability to turn into a permanent reality due to the absence of popular and legal consensus around it, in addition to the rejection that began to appear in a number of the cities and regions concerned, warning at the same time against exploiting the project as a cover for military or political movements that may reproduce the conflict between Libyans. He believed that part of the movement related to the project comes in the context of political conflicts related to the future of the executive authority and the international settlements proposed regarding Libya, in light of competition between different political parties to maintain their positions or enhance their influence within any future arrangements. “Baayou” sent a message to the people of Misrata and neighboring cities in which he called on them to adhere to the unity of the Libyan state and reject any projects that might be interpreted as steps towards division or redrawing maps of influence, stressing that Libya’s strength lies in its national unity and in the openness of Libyan cities to each other, and that the economic, social and commercial ties between the various regions represent one of the most important elements of national stability. Baayou addressed the issue of irregular migration, considering that it has become one of the most prominent challenges facing Libya at the current stage, pointing out that European countries are tending to tighten their policies towards irregular migrants, while Libya bears great burdens as one of the most important transit countries in the region, in light of the presence of large numbers of migrants and displaced persons within its territories. Baayou expressed his fear of what he described as attempts to transform Libya into a long-term settlement area for migrants instead of a temporary transit country, considering that some international programs and initiatives may indirectly contribute to perpetuating this reality. He also criticized the performance of some international organizations working on the migration file, accusing them of focusing on certain aspects of the crisis and ignoring other challenges facing the Libyan state and local communities. He stressed that addressing the file requires real international cooperation and direct support for Libya in protecting its borders and managing migration flows, praising the measures taken by some security and executive institutions to reduce irregular migration and regulate the conditions of migrants, and calling for strengthening coordination between the competent agencies to address the file more effectively. Baayou considered that the escalating controversy surrounding the immigrant resettlement issue requires a clear official position from the executive authorities, noting that the popular movement witnessed in several cities reflects a growing state of anxiety among citizens. He said that he did not notice a clear and decisive position from the head of the interim government, Abdel Hamid Dabaiba, regarding concerns related to the possibilities of settling immigrants, considering that political responsibility requires reassuring public opinion and clarifying government policies related to immigration. He added that the issue of irregular migration represents a cumulative challenge faced by various Libyan governments before and after 2011, and that Libya has always been part of the regional and international equation related to migration towards Europe. He also believed that accusations related to the existence of agreements to settle migrants need public documents and evidence, explaining that the officially known agreements focus on reducing migration flows and combating smuggling networks, despite the difficulties facing their implementation on the ground. Baayou believed that the authorities are required to interact with the growing popular concerns about the immigration issue, warning that ignoring these concerns may lead to more tension within society, and calling for the launch of effective programs to return irregular immigrants to their countries of origin in cooperation with international organizations and European countries. He explained that a large portion of migrants arrive in Libya without official documents or proof of identity, which makes the classification and deportation processes more complicated, and requires real international support to assist the Libyan authorities. He stressed that the popular movement rejecting settlement does not target immigrants as individuals and does not call for violence against them, but rather refuses to transform temporary residency into permanent stability or long-term demographic change within the country, stressing that Libya must preserve its right to manage its resources and capabilities according to its national priorities. Baayou believed that the economic and service challenges faced by the Libyan citizen make any large-scale settlement or resettlement projects subject to widespread popular rejection, stressing that dealing with the immigration file must be balanced and take into account the rights of the host countries and the rights of immigrants at the same time. He also criticized those who described the movement rejecting resettlement as inflammatory or anti-foreigner speech, explaining that rejecting resettlement does not mean rejecting foreign workers, legal residents, or natural relations between peoples, and that Libya has for decades been a country that receives expatriate workers from various Arab and African countries. Baayou considered that regulating immigration, protecting national interests, and maintaining social and economic balance do not conflict with respect for diversity and openness to others, calling for a comprehensive national vision that combines respect for the human dignity of immigrants, protection of national sovereignty, and regulation of the labor market. He stressed that the controversy surrounding the resettlement file should not be understood as a hostile stance towards immigrants or foreign residents, but rather as a discussion related to the future of the national identity and population policies of the Libyan state, stressing that all intellectual and political movements and cultural elites have the right to express their opinions on this issue, and Libyan public opinion also has the right to express its fears about any projects that may affect the demographic balance or demographic composition of the country. He pointed out that Libyan society has shown, over the past years, a great deal of tolerance and coexistence with various Arab and African communities, and that Libya has hosted large numbers of expatriate workers without this being a subject of objection, stressing that regulating residency, work, and nationality remains the sovereign right of each country in accordance with its laws and national interests. He added that Libya could, in the future, in light of stability and economic growth, absorb large numbers of foreign workers and expertise to contribute to development and reconstruction, provided that this is done within the framework of clear and organized policies that preserve national balances and meet the needs of the labor market, with the need to distinguish between legal residency and legitimate work on the one hand, and issues of nationality and permanent settlement on the other hand. He stressed that the Libyan laws regulating nationality and the civil registry determine the conditions and procedures for acquiring nationality, and that protecting national identity does not mean adopting racist or exclusionary positions, but rather preserving national privacy within a legal framework that respects the rights of all residents, stressing that foreign residents enjoy rights guaranteed by law, and that any attack on them or violation of their rights is a crime punishable by Libyan law. He stressed that the discussion on immigration and settlement must remain within the framework of responsible national and legal dialogue, far from hate speech or incitement, and in a way that achieves a balance between protecting Libyan national interests and respecting the human dignity and rights of all residents inside the country.
