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LIBYA – LIBYAN WOMEN’S PLATFORM FOR PEACE URGES ALL PARTIES TO
ENSURE AN INCLUSIVE AGREEMENT FOR PEACE
14 June 2015 - Libyan Women’s Platform for Peace expresses its firm
conviction that the UN led Political Dialogue, has reached an important stage
towards achieving national consensus. Therefore the Libyan Women’s Platform for
Peace (LWPP) calls on all parties to bear their responsibilities and engage
positively in finalizing the political agreement while adding their final
modifications to ensure the achievement of an inclusive agreement to end the
political conflict and to safeguard the unity and security of Libya.
Where terrorism is threatening to engulf the country one city at a time and
the unspoken humanitarian deterioration reaching frightening levels; the need
to put an end to the political fragmentation must be fully recognized by all
parties to the conflict. There is an urgent need to consolidate all
efforts of reconciliation in order to reach a national consensus as soon as
possible to confront the unprecedented security, political and economic
deterioration.
Therefore, LWPP welcomes fully all the efforts of horizontal reconciliation
and commends the positive progress that has taken place in western Libya
embodied in the tribal reconciliations between Libyan cities especially those
between Misrata, Wershafanna, Zawiya, Zentan, Gherian, Jabl Nafousa. LWPP
considers these recent reconciliations an important stage towards ending the
conflict.
“It’s time to make compromises and reach consensus. Nevertheless, such
consensus should be based on the respect of the democratic process, peaceful
transfer of power, separation of powers, human rights and rule of law.
Establishing the National Accord Government will not bring sustainable peace in
Libya. Yet it maybe a concrete step towards stabilization,” according to Zahra’
Langhi the Founding Director of Libyan Women’s Platform for Peace & a
member of the Political Dialogue in the track of political leaders &
activists.
Within the same context, LWPP followed closely the UN led Political
Dialogue. In parallel to the UN led Political Dialogue, LWPP has conducted a series
of consultation meetings which included Libyans from different walks of life,
politicians, human right activists, parliamentarians, community leaders, youth
activists, women’s rights activists, and members of the UN led Political
Dialogue. The consultation meetings covered the pressing political and security
concerns in Libya as wells as the efforts to find a political solution. LWPP
recognizes that more than political solution is needed to address the
complexities of the situation in Libya and to find sustainable peace. Taken
into consideration political, economic, social, and security factors as well as
the failure of the international community and the absence of key stakeholders
in the UN led peace talks, LWPP aimed to develop a coherent, inclusive and
comprehensive integrated approach to ending the crisis in Libya, with immediate
steps to stabilize the situation.
LWPP launched the consultations with a meeting aimed at producing an in
depth analysis of the possible scenarios and risks, mapping of political
players, taking into account the political, economic, social and security
factors. The objective of the consultation meeting was to come up with a short
term crisis response strategy, in relation to the current conflict in Libya.
“We have attempted to study the Libyan crisis with an objective scientific
approach disregarding any political or ideological agendas, and the goal is to
reach a short term strategy based on various scenarios, to set the country to a
state of stabilization… Overall the fourth draft is fairly good once some
concepts are modified and a few contradictions are clarified.” Taher el-Sonni,
Advisor to the Libyan Foreign Ministry on International & UN relations and
a member of the UN led Political Dialogue.
Read LWPP’s outcome of this consultation meeting at the following link: https://goo.gl/fkn3nz
This was followed by another consulataion meeting in which participants
discussed the UN led Political Dialogue in light of the recent international developments
related to human rights in Libya and the consequences of these recent
developments in the political negotiation process. Participants also discussed
how to integrate the human rights approach (ending impunity- implementation of
SCR 2174 – persecution of war criminals) in the political agreement. Among what
was also covered were: SCR 2213 and SCR 2214 related to counter terrorism in
Libya. Participants also discussed the recent resolutions of the UN Human
Rights Council related to violations of human rights in Libya and the Council’s
recommendation to the High Commissionaire to dispatch a Fact Finding Committee
to investigate human rights violations to end impunity and to ensure
accountability and rule of law. The participants also discussed the means of
communication and cooperation with the Fact Finding Committee.
LWPP continued its close follow up of the UN Political Dialogue by creating
a platform for activists and politicians to discuss with members of the UN led
Political Dialogue, the consequent drafts of the Political Agreement. Among
those members who participated are: Mr. Mohammed Shaeb, Deputy President of
HoR, who made a presentation of the Political Dialogue process and its
challenges, Mr. Taher el-Sonnie advisor of Foreign Minister for UN and
international relations, Mr. Atef Hassia and Mr. Abdelhafeeth Ghoga ,both
members of the Political Dialogue track of political activists and leaders in
Algeria.
In light of discussing the chapters of security arrangements and the
international support in the Political Agreement, LWPP organized a separate
consultation on the future of United Nations peace operations, identifying
gaps, challenges and opportunities. The participants closely tackled the
following issues; What are the prospects of partnership between the United
Nations and the regional organizations on peace and security? What are the
prospects for a better coordination between the League of Arab States and the
African Union? What are the best entry points? What are the views and perspectives
of regional countries on the doctrine and principles, including the use of
force, of UN peacekeeping? What barriers do mediators and mediation
support actors face in structuring negotiations and opening peacemaking to
women, youth and broader civil society actors? How can the UN and regional
organizations of the region help facilitate more inclusive mediation efforts?
What creative approaches have been used to bring women, youth and civil society
groups into peacemaking? The Security Council will be extending/ reviewing the
mandate of the UN Mission in Libya next September. What do we want as Libyans
from the UN mission? What mandate should the UN mission have? The outcome the
consultation meeting is a set of recommendations from a Libyan perspective sent
to the High-Level Independent Panel on Peace Operations assigned to evolve
peace and conflict trends and their implications for peace operations, as part
of the broader consultations and review of the UN Peacekeeping Operations
and Operations and their limits.
“The Libyan crisis has directly affected all aspects of life politically,
economically, and socially. Dialogue is the only option we have to end the war
and the humanitarian crisis. Those who are unsatisfied with some of the points
in the latest draft shouldn’t reject the whole process of the political
dialogue. Rather they should engage positively to make their modifications and
find a common ground,” Younis Najm, Libyan Women’s Platform for Peace
Coordinator and the Chairman of Bokra Organization.