Libya faces a bleak humanitarian crisis, the result of the country's descent into civil war in the summer of 2014 following the 2011 revolution. Hundreds of thousands of Libyan citizens are uprooted within the country and many more are sheltering in neighboring states, particularly Tunisia. Drawing on in-depth interviews with policymakers, practitioners, and displaced Libyans both inside and outside the country, Megan Bradley, Ibrahim Fraihat, and Houda Mzioudet present a brief, yet thoroughly illuminating assessment of the political, socioeconomic, security, humanitarian, and human rights implications of the continued displacement of Libyan citizens within and outside their country. Assessing the complex dimensions and consequences of the situation, Libya's Displacement Crisis lays the groundwork for what comes next. Acknowledging that the resolution of this crisis hinges on a negotiated end to the Libyan civil war, the authors present ideas to improve assistance strategies and to support durable solutions for displaced Libyans with implications for refugee crises in other parts of the world, including Syria and Iraq. Georgetown Digital Shorts -- longer than an article, shorter than a book -- deliver timely works of peer-reviewed scholarship in a fast-paced, agile environment. They present new ideas and original texts that are easily and widely available to students, scholars, libraries, and general readers.
Introduction: Conceptual Issues Chronology 1. Background: A Fallen Regime, Victor's Justice, and Resurgent ViolenceThe Fall of the Gaddafi RegimeThe Rise of Victor's JusticeThe Initial Displacement CrisisCivil War and the Reescalation of the Displacement Crisis 2. A Growing Crisis: Internal Displacement in Post-Gaddafi LibyaA "Constant Nightmare": Daily Life and Protection Challenges for Libyan IDPsLackluster Responses and Barriers to Solutions 3. Precarious Refuge: Displaced Libyans in North AfricaInto the Shadows: Libyans' Search for Invisibility in Neighboring CountriesInsecure Status, Lack of Documentation, and Fear of ReturnDeclining Living ConditionsDismantling an "Army of Opposition," Advancing Durable Solutions 4. Durable Solutions: Obstacles and ProspectsThe Lynchpin: Security and Rule of LawParticipation in Dialogues and NegotiationsTransitional Justice, Reconciliation, and the Resolution of Displacement Conclusions and RecommendationsShorter-Term RecommendationsLonger-Term Recommendations (Relevant for a Postconflict Context) About the Authors
