Libya’s newly elected parliament has asked the UN for an “international intervention” and voted on Wednesday to dismantle the militias responsible for weeks of violence across the country.
The country is witnessing its worst spasm of violence since the 2011 ouster and killing of deposed Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi as rival militias battle for control of territory and political clout.
Thousands have fled the country, including diplomats and foreign nationals. Scores of embassies have closed down and international organizations have shut their offices.
Photo: AFP
In a move that aimed to stem the violence, 102 of the 104 lawmakers in attendance voted to dismantle the rival militias, giving them an ultimatum to join the military and police by the end of the year.
Officials repeatedly have tried unsuccessfully to disarm the slew of militias that sprouted in Libya to fight Qaddafi.
It is not yet clear how the decision on Wednesday will be implemented.
In a joint statement, the governments of the US, France, Germany, Britain and Italy deplored the ongoing fighting and called for “an immediate ceasefire and for all parties in this conflict to begin a peaceful political dialogue.”
“We are in particular deeply concerned by the increasing toll the violence is taking on Libya’s civilian population and institutions, as well as the threat it poses to Libya’s democratic transition,” a US State Department statement said. “We deplore the rise in the number of civilian casualties and express deep concern about the shortages in medical supplies, the displacement of thousands of families, the destruction of residences and infrastructure, as well as the halt in economic activity.”
The statement demanded that all sides “recognize the authority of the elected representatives of the Libyan people.”
MP Eissa al-Aribi said that the militia members have until Dec. 31 to join the regular forces or to be integrated in other state institutions. Until then, he said, their salaries would be paid.
Al-Aribi said violators would face up to three years in prison.
Nearly 200,000 people are estimated to be on the government payroll as part of various militias.
The parliament is convening in Libya’s eastern-most city of Tobruk, far from the weeks-long militia battle over the international airport in the capital, Tripoli, and clashes in the country’s second-largest city, Benghazi.
The militias filled a void left by weak police and a shattered army. Successive governments have put militias on their payroll in return for maintaining order, but rivalries over control and resources have led to fierce fighting.
The militias are divided along regional and ideological lines, with western and eastern militias as well as Islamists and anti-Islamists pitted against each other.
MPs also adopted a resolution asking the UN Security Council to intervene in the militia violence.
The new parliament is composed of mostly anti-Islamist politicians.
It was not immediately clear how the UN would respond to the Libyan parliament plea, but calls for outside help have come from many in Libya.
The UN mission in Libya, which evacuated because of the violence, has called on warring parties to stop the violence and hold peace talks.
Violence mounted when Islamist-led militias mainly from the coastal city of Misrata launched an attack on the Tripoli airport, under the control of rival militias from the mountain town of Zintan.
Analysts believe that the operation came as a backlash to Islamists’ devastating loss in the last parliamentarian elections and to counter a campaign in Benghazi led by a reneged army general and army units against Islamic militias. At least 250 people have been killed in these clashes.
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