Welcome to Rebyana, Libya’s forgotten town (Photo: Maryline Dumas)
The school director rings the bell
but only one teacher is there. Dr Lee examines a child even though he
has only Paracetamol to give. Mohamed and Ramadan, the “engineers”, can
only pray that the motor belt will not break. Such gestures are basic
but have a vital significance: to keep Rebyana on the map.
To get to this oasis inhabited solely by Tebus, located in south-eastern Libya, is an expedition in itself. First, there is a flight to Obari, because Sebha airport is closed. Then there is a two-hour drive to Murzuk, the Tebu stronghold 175 kilometres south of Sebha. After that, it is a 20-hour trip in a 4×4 vehicle through rocky and sandy desert. After about 800 kilometres, palms trees and dried-branch fences appear on the left: Welcome to Rebyana .
Since the end of the revolution, neither politicians nor NGOs have made it to the 4,000-inhabitant town, according to local people. Yet, it is located only 150 kilometres from Kufra, the main town in southeast Libya, which has an airport. But Kufra is under the control of Zway tribe who have been in conflict with Tebus since the end of the revolution.
In January, violent clashes resumed. The Zway, whose leaders have refused to receive journalists in Kufra “for security reasons”, have blocked access to the two main roads to Rebyana (via Tazerbu and Kufra) – which explains the lengthly roustabout journey to reach Rebyana. From Murzuk to there and back we had to take 600 litres of petrol with us. Sitting on a plastic chair, Musa Abdelkarim looks at barefooted children playing football. The dusty pitch has stones instead of goal posts. As a shop owner, he doesn’t have a lot of work. The metallic shelves are almost empty. Consumers can buy only pasta, cans of tomatoes, oil and fruit juices.
To get to this oasis inhabited solely by Tebus, located in south-eastern Libya, is an expedition in itself. First, there is a flight to Obari, because Sebha airport is closed. Then there is a two-hour drive to Murzuk, the Tebu stronghold 175 kilometres south of Sebha. After that, it is a 20-hour trip in a 4×4 vehicle through rocky and sandy desert. After about 800 kilometres, palms trees and dried-branch fences appear on the left: Welcome to Rebyana .
Since the end of the revolution, neither politicians nor NGOs have made it to the 4,000-inhabitant town, according to local people. Yet, it is located only 150 kilometres from Kufra, the main town in southeast Libya, which has an airport. But Kufra is under the control of Zway tribe who have been in conflict with Tebus since the end of the revolution.
In January, violent clashes resumed. The Zway, whose leaders have refused to receive journalists in Kufra “for security reasons”, have blocked access to the two main roads to Rebyana (via Tazerbu and Kufra) – which explains the lengthly roustabout journey to reach Rebyana. From Murzuk to there and back we had to take 600 litres of petrol with us. Sitting on a plastic chair, Musa Abdelkarim looks at barefooted children playing football. The dusty pitch has stones instead of goal posts. As a shop owner, he doesn’t have a lot of work. The metallic shelves are almost empty. Consumers can buy only pasta, cans of tomatoes, oil and fruit juices.
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