Chairman of Libya's National Oil Corp. (NOC) Mustafa Sanalla has warned the head of the Government of National Accord, Fayez al-Sarraj, from paying a ransom to an armed group that has halted crude production at the country's largest oilfield.
"Any attempt to pay a ransom to the group which shut down El Sharara (oilfield) would set a dangerous precedent that would threaten the recovery of the Libyan economy," Sanalla said in a statement.
NOC on Monday declared force majeure on exports from the 315,000-barrels-per-day oilfield after it was seized at the weekend by the group.
Sanalla said Friday he sent a letter to Sarraj, stressing that the NOC will not resume production if the ransom was paid.
He also urged Chief Prosecutor Al-Sadiq al-Sour not to take any such action.
“Rather than paying ransom to militias, the money should be used for investment in the local community and in improving basic services,” he said.
“Any payment made to parties carrying out illegal acts would cause more problems and would encourage them to carry out similar operations, putting the lives of oil workers at risk and increasing violence,” Sanalla added.
He also warned “the Libyan government against falling in the same mistake it had made by paying Ibrahim Jathran huge sums of money.”
Jathran headed an armed group that blockaded oil crescent terminals for three years before being forced out.
The “Fezzan Rage Movement,” which has blocked El Sharara oilfield, has been urging the authorities to provide development funds for their impoverished region.
