Libya: Treatment of traders and persons perceived as "capitalists"; whether clothing shops owners would fall in that category

Regarding the treatment of traders and/or persons perceived as "capitalists" in Libya, Country Reports 2001 states that:

The 1994 Purge Law provides for the confiscation of private assets above a nominal amount, describing wealth in excess of such undetermined amounts as "the fruits of exploitation or corruption." In 1996 the Government ordered the formation of hundreds of "Purge" or "Purification" Committees composed of young military officers and students. The Purification Committees reportedly seized some "excessive" amounts of private wealth from members of the middle and affluent classes; the confiscated property was taken from the rich to be given to the poor, in an effort to appease the populace and to strengthen the Government's power and control over the country. The activities of the Purification Committees continued during the year. (Section 1f)

The 2001 Index of Economic Freedom, a report jointly published by the Washington-based Heritage Foundation and The Wall Street Journal states that:

It is nearly impossible to establish a business in Libya. Such private-sector business as did exist – encouraged by past government policies – was purged in mid-1996 when the government cracked down on private shops. According to the Economist Intelligence Unit, "The government instituted purification committees, which were charged with rooting out corruption and enforcing trade and currency regulations. Most shops carrying imported goods were closed, many shopkeepers were imprisoned and the committees scrutinised the activities of civilian government ministries. The purification committees were themselves then accused of corruption and subsequently purged by volcano committees, also set up by the government. Although many of the shops that were closed by these committees have since reopened, albeit on a smaller scale, the government has not relinquished its hold on private-sector trade and has continued to arrest merchants and confiscate goods to enforce the state's strict laws on trading activity. Import companies are also severely restricted by the government. Private-sector confidence has been severely damaged by the activities of the committees and is unlikely to recover in the near future."

No further information on the treatment of traders and persons perceived as capitalists in Libya and whether clothing shops owners would fall in that category could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

2001 Index of Economic Freedom. 2001. The Heritage Foundation, Washington DC, and the Wall Street Journal. [Accessed 18 Sept. 2001]

Country Reports 2000 on Human Rights Practices 2000. February 2001. United States Department of State. Washington, DC [Accessed 14 Sept. 2001]

Additional Sources Consulted

Arabies [Paris]

IRB databases

LEXIS/NEXIS

The Middle East [London]

La nouvelle lettre de la FIDH

Resource Centre Country Files: Libya

Internet Sources including:

Amnesty International

European Country of Origin Information Network (ECOI)

Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND), Home Office, UK. Country Assessments

Libya: News and Views

Libya: Our Home

World News Connection (WNC)

Search Engines:

Google

Relief Web