Three years after the death of former leader Muammar Gaddafi, Libya has not realized stable political transition but fallen into a quagmire of separatism, violence and terrorism.

The North African nation could even become the next Somalia if the Western powers that played a significant role in overthrowing the Gaddafi regime and forming the status quo in Libya remain indifferent spectators without assuming due responsibility.

In 2011, Western powers led by the US launched airstrikes against Libya and topped the Gaddafi government. The National Transitional Council set up later on promised to hold elections, enact the constitution and form a new government.

However, religious, secular and tribal forces all tried to fill the power vacuum and struggled for central government posts, while local militants refused to be disarmed and reorganized. This has resulted in separation and conflicts across Libya. The General National Congress that took over power from the National Transitional Council in 2012 has failed to elect a powerful central government. Government forces are unable to safeguard the public order with incessant violence taking place across the country.

Over the past few months, violence has flared up in different cities in Libya, while the country juggles two rival parliaments and governments.

According to Libya's original plan for transition, the elected House of Representatives has replaced the former interim parliament, the General National Congress. However, the Islamist armed alliance Libya Dawn, which backs the former parliament, has made a series of military advances lately in the capital city and has formed its own government.

For months, the Islamist militants and pro-secular militia have been vying for cities and towns across the country, and fighting still flares near Tripoli, Benghazi and Gharyan. The conflicts have killed hundreds of people and forced 250,000 others to leave their homeland since May.

In fact, the Libya crisis is closely related to the indifferent attitude of the Western powers, which have not adopted practical measures to help the country set up a powerful central government capable of stabilizing the situation and reestablishing a normal public order.

Similar situations have occurred in some other Middle East countries such as Iraq and Syria after the Western powers, especially the US, adopted mistaken policies there.

First, the US by-passed the authority of the UN and disrupted the world order. Its unilateral use of forces without a UN mandate has severely demolished the world order since the end of WWII.

Second, the US, without showing respect for the sovereignty of the Middle East countries, has intervened in the internal affairs of other countries or even overthrown their governments, breaking the regional balance of power.

Therefore, it is highly advisable that the Western powers take responsibility in the reconstruction of Libya because the turbulence there could impact the situation in North Africa and even the whole Middle East.

The author is a writer with the Xinhua News Agency. opinion@globaltimes.com.cn