Protesters in eastern city keep up calls for autonomy

Hundreds of protesters rallied in the Libyan city of Benghazi on Friday to call for greater autonomy for their region.       

With many draped in the flag of Cyrenaica, the historical name of the eastern region, the protesters explained their feelings of marginalization by the Tripoli government.      

"Benghazi is marginalized, the whole eastern region is marginalized. There's nothing new after the revolution, maybe we were better off before the revolution," said Ahmed Almnefi.     

The protesters say Libya's new leadership has deprived Benghazi of its fair share of political and economic power, despite the fact that it was at the forefront of the 2011 uprising which toppled Moammar Gadhafi.    

Calls for a semi-autonomous region in eastern Libya with Benghazi as its capital flared earlier this year when tribal leaders and armed factions came together to press demands on Tripoli.       

The autonomy push eased after landmark national elections were held in July to form the National Assembly. 

But many in Benghazi still want to manage their own affairs and have a larger share of resources in a nation that draws massive revenues from oil reserves in the east of the country.


APTN