learn from Iraq crisis; be proactive in libya

While the Ministry of External Affairs' meeting on Tuesday to review the deteriorating security situation in libya to ensure the safety of Indian nationals in that strife-torn North African nation is appreciated, it is imperative that these official discussions lead to proactive measures. For now, the vast majority of the 6,000-odd Indians in libya are not faced with any immediate threat, but the situation can escalate out of control at any point — as the Iraq experience stands proof. There too, the situation was on the downhill ever since the removal of Saddam Hussein but the gains made by Islamist terrorists posed a challenge that few were prepared for. Of course, the Government deserves full credit for standing up to the task and successfully bringing back hundreds of Indians trapped there, but let us not forget that a handful of Indian workers still remain in the custody of terror groups in Iraq. Therefore, instead of waiting for a crisis to knock on its doors, the Government must take pre-emptive measures, and be fully prepared to begin rescue operations, as soon as it deems it necessary. Thankfully, the process has been initiated. On July 28, the Indian mission in libya issued an advisory requesting all Indians to either move out of the country or to safer locations away from Tripoli and Benghazi where intense fighting continues between Government and rebel forces. Airports in both these cities are also not functional as they lie at the epicentres of the ongoing battles. Hence, Indians have been advised to exit libya  through land routes — either via the Ras Jedir/Benghardan crossing on the Tunisian border or the Emsaeed/Salloum crossing on the Egyptian border. Additionally, local coordinators have been designated to assess the situation on the ground. Indians in libya have also been urged to register with the mission so that they can be easily contacted in case of an emergency. Knowing how many Indians are located in which part of the country is crucial for the Government to plan any effective rescue mission. Indian workers must also do their bit and keep in touch with the Embassy. At the Government level, Indian officials in Delhi and in that region must keep all channels of communication open with libyan authorities and other stakeholders, without whose active support any rescue mission will be almost impossible.

In this time of uncertainty, one can take comfort in the fact that Delhi's envoy in Tripoli is a veteran diplomat who has experience in dealing with such situations. When war broke out in libya in 2011, Ambassador Azhar AH Khan was at the helm and successfully ensured the evacuation of 18,000 Indians at that time. Most of them were shipped to safety by the Indian Navy while a few were airlifted through special Air India flights. In the three years since then, libya has not been able to return to the peace and quiet, forget the prosperity which marked at least the later Gaddafi years. Still, as the country has struggled to get back on its feet, Indians (who have a long history of working in the North African nation) have slowly trickled back. However, in these past few weeks the situation has again taken a turn for the worse as rebels have sought to take over Tripoli, and the Government there has, for all practical purposes, given up.