By Padraig O'Hannelly.
The late Christopher Hitchens once wrote in Vanity Fair:
"There is almost no country in Africa where it is not essential to know to which tribe, or which subgroup of which tribe, the president belongs.
"From this single piece of information you can trace the lines of patronage and allegiance that define the state."
Although writing nearly 20 years ago, and referring more to sub-Saharan Africa, his comments could apply to Libya today.
True, the GNC, its President, and the cabinet represent of a wide spectrum of society, but still the most important piece of information to be known about any official is not his ability, experience, or policy, but the tribe to which he belongs.
This mentality continues to tear the country apart.
Problems large and small can be traced back to tribal frictions, from the billions lost in oil revenues to the fact that it's becoming harder to buy a cup of coffee in Tripoli, due to the lack of water and electricity.
Imagine what Libya could achieve if people looked beyond their tribal interests and worked together.
