Tribalism in Libyan history (1911-2011)

Trablusgarp Province of the Ottoman Empire in North Africa was named Libya in the 20'th century. The tribes are the oldest social institutions of the region. All the historical events that took place in the 20th century were shaped by these tribes who acted with the motive of "tribalism". The Berber tribes, to whom Islam was introduced in the 7th century by the Islamic armies, became subject to Arabization with the migration of Arab tribes to North Africa in the 11th century. Being exposed to Spanish threat in the 16th century, North Africa came under the patronage of the Ottoman Empire. From this period, tribes of Turkish origin started to appear in the region. Historically, unification of today's Libyan lands under a single administration and institutionalization of state-tribal relations was for the first time realized in the Ottoman Empire period. The Ottoman Empire made use of the tribal leaders in order to collect taxes and ensure the security of trade routes and caravans. During İtalian's invasion of the Tripoli Province in October 1911, the Libyan tribes organized by Ottoman officers caused great losses to invaders. With Ouchy Treaty signed in October 1912, the political vacuum that emerged after the Ottoman Empire's withdrawal was tried to be filled by the local tribal governments established by influential figures of the Ottoman bureaucracy and Parliament. The Republic of Tripoli which was announced by an alliance of approximately 30 tribal representatives from Misurata, Tripoli and Jabal regions in the West, was doomed to failure at the establishment stage. This was due to the eternal rivalries, conflicts, intrigues among tribal chieftains and the Italians use of this situation to their advantage. The resistance of the Tripoli region in the west had great successes against the Italian forces with the military and financial aid that the Ottoman Empire delivered to the region via German submarines. As a result of the Ottoman officers' departure from the region and the Continent completely after the Mondros Armistice signed on October 30, 1918, the cessation of aids, the deaths of the resistance leaders and the conflicts between the tribes the resistance in the Tripoli region was weakened to become completely suppressed in 1923, finally. The Order of Senusi, which emerged in the Ottoman period, influenced the tribes in the Barqa-Cyrenaica, Fezzan and Sahara regions through its lodges. In addition, the Order organized the tribes politically and militarily. Under the leadership of the Senûsî Movement, which turned into a regional and national movement with the support of the Ottoman Empire and was led by Ahmad Sharif as-Sanusi; Cyrenaica tribes of the eastern region fought against the Italian occupation until 1932. As a result of the capture and execution of Omar Mukhtar in September 1931, the resistance movement became leaderless and the Barqa-wing of the resistance was suppressed, too. After that, the Sanusi Emirate was established in Barqa under the leadership of Idris as-Sanusi with whom the British and Italians tried to reconcile on the condition that Ahmad Sharif as-Sanusi and Turkish officers were liquidated. This Emirate turned into an independent Libyan Kingdom in 1951. The Idris as-Sanusi rule, which was supported by the Saadi Tribes of the Eastern (Barqa) region and the influential elite families, lasted until 1969. It faced dissatisfaction of tribes of the Tripoli region, low classes, especially those groups influenced by the socialist movements prevailing in the Arab geography. The military coup organized by soldiers from poor and bedouin tribes against the rule of the monarchy (1951-1969), the elite figures and influential tribal chiefs who further increased their own power, has opened a new page in the history of Libya, with the slogans of social justice and equality. Colonel Muammar Gaddafi led the coup. During Gaddafi's 42-year rule with support of his own tribe and allied tribes, the phenomenon of "tribalism" became stronger in the society and "tribalism" became the most important state and community governing tool, contrary to his initial statements. For an individual, tribalism became the most reliable social security institution for relations of individual-state and individual-society. Similar to other Arab countries Libya and Libyan tribes were influenced by the Arab Spring, which started in 2010. The process shaped by the opposition and tribes led to the "17 February Revolution" and Gaddafi lost his power and life.