Libya: Tripoli mayors reject armed militias and call for unity

The mayors and local representatives of municipalities in Greater Tripoli have recorded a statement in which they firmly reject the presence of armed groups in the city, expressing concern for the residents whom they represent, according to the Libya Observer on July 13th.

The statement stressed their alarm over “what our capital Tripoli and its suburbs are currently experiencing — a resurgence of unrest, military mobilization, and armed manifestations that instill fear among the public and city dwellers.”

The use of weapons was condemned by the representatives because they serve interests that do not represent the people, and the statement warns that the continuation of rising weapons use in the capital will lead to the conflict overflowing outside the city and spreading to other parts of Libya.

The impacts on the residents that the statement highlights are fear of the unrest around them, loss of life, and the destruction of private and public property, all of which impact residents day to day life.

There are political disputes behind these conflicts. For example, the government in Tripoli is on the brink of war with the anti-government armed militia, the Special Deterrence Force, after demanding they relinquish control of the Mitiga airport and prison in Tripoli.

The statement from municipal representatives argues that these political disputes must be solved through dialogue and mutual understanding.

It is not just the presence of armed militias and military in the city that is condemned in this statement; the use of violence in general is criticized. They state that “reconciliation is best” and that anyone who believes themselves to be victorious through violence is “in fact a loser before God, history, and the people.”

The solution proposed in the statement is to urgently form a new unified government in order to end the political division in Libya and build up state institutions, which is not possible while the governance of Libya is so divided.

This new unified government would be made up of figures representing all Libyan cities with no exclusions or marginalizations, and would reject the monopolization of power in any region.

Disgruntlement amongst municipal figures about how local governance is carried out is not a new development. 

This statement follows a meeting on July 5th where over 50 mayors called for an end to centralized governance of municipalities in Libya, and for procedures on the local level to be streamlined.

To achieve this goal of a new unified government, the statement appeals to the international community to make significant steps towards stability in Libya.

They also appeal to the United Nations Support Mission in Libya, the mission responsible for what the statement describes as the “slow pace of the political progress.” The mission has taken ownership of carrying out elections in Libya, amongst other goals, which have been frequently delayed and are yet to take place.

Libya Observer/Maghrebi