Malta could once again become a base for those fleeing the escalating violence in Libya, a former foreign affairs ministry official has warned.
In 2011, a total of 21,000 foreign workers were evacuated to Malta mainly by sea and by air within two weeks of the crisis sparked in the uprising against Muammar Gaddafi.
“While there is nowhere near the levels of foreign workers in Libya that there was in 2011, we may possibly be required to assist in evacuations of foreign nationals should the situation intensify. Currently, this does not seem likely, but Malta should always be on high alert for any eventuality,” says Mikela Fenech Pace, who served as the government’s head of Strategic Policy Secretariat during the evacuation.
Mikela Fenech Pace, the former head of the government’s Strategic Policy Secretariat.“What’s happening in Libya today is different to what happened then,” she says. “Today, we are seeing civil war between factions who are still armed from the heavy build-up of weapons during the 2011 conflict.”
“This recent crisis is rooted in the resistance by Eastern factions to a rise in fundamentalism in Libya – an issue which was always kept in check by Gaddafi. Tensions, be they geographical, religious or tribal have always existed, but were held together by Gaddafi’s regime and have often raised their ugly head over the past decade.”
Prime Minister Fayez al-Serraj's UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) in Tripoli is fighting against forces who are loyal to army chief General Khalifa Haftar and have been trying to take control of Tripoli since April.
Earlier this week Turkey started deploying troops in Libya to support the Tripoli government.
The Libyans will always be grateful to Malta and to those that showed them support during their darkest hours
Haftar is backed by Egypt and the UAE, while the Tripolo government is also supported by Qatar.
“In all honesty the situation in Libya was inevitable,” Ms Fenech Pace said.
“Militarised groups, heavily armed in a post-conflict scenario in a fledging state is bound to take generations to stabilise. The Libyans always resisted foreign boots on the ground and without the central command structure Libyan society was used to, the travails of a nation grappling with the rules and culture of democracy was always going to be challenging.”
Libya remains a volatile state and it is anyone’s guess what can happen.
In the months after the eight-month period where Malta acted as an emergency base, suggestions were made about the way things might have been done better by those working at the forefront.
Those included identifying specific people from different ministries who will take responsibility in cases of emergencies, a national code listing different levels of emergencies, an online mapping system detailing all resources which are available, as well as language and cultural sensitivity experts.
The Foreign Ministry has yet to respond to questions by Times of Malta about whether any of these suggestions have been introduced.
Ms Fenech Pace left the government service in 2014 just after having finalised a draft crisis plan which included all of these elements.
Looking back at the Libya crisis, she recalls the intense pressure as the team camped at Castille day and night for nearly a year.
“The team was small yet worked round the clock, from the countless evacuations to the hundreds of medical evacuations that broke our hearts, especially the children. Ultimately, it is the sense of immense pride in my countrymen and the nerves of steel of Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi that pulled it all together during an incredibly tense time for Malta.”
Ms Fenech Pace had the opportunity to visit some people Malta had helped in the Libyan city of Misrata after the conflict, as well as exchange photos with some of the parents of the children who were hospitalised here.
“It was indeed a privilege to be part of such a proud year for our nation.”