Libya

At the outset, I would like to express my sincerest congratulations to Mr. Sam Kutesa on his assumption of the presidency of the General Assembly at its sixty-ninth session. I am confident that he will steer the work of this session towards the best results. Allow me also to commend the efforts of Mr. Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General of the United Nations, for achieving the objectives of the Organization and for promoting international peace and security. I would like to thank him in particular for standing with the Libyan people during the revolution against the dictatorship and for providing support for our nascent democracy after the revolution. I am honoured to stand before members today as the representative of the Libyan people to describe their ambitions, pains and hopes, to participate in the quest for the best ways to maintain peace and security on our planet and to achieve the common aspirations of our peoples. There is no doubt that those who witnessed the revolution of the Libyan people against dictatorship in 2011 were impressed by the courage, unity, awareness and creative capabilities of our people. But today there is no doubt that many are astonished by events in Libya — the fighting, the bloodshed among brothers, the unjustified destruction of infrastructure and public and private property. Many may wonder, where are the people they saw three years ago? Where are the unarmed revolutionaries who flocked into the streets, facing bullets with their bare chests to defend their rights? Where are the intellectuals who flooded the media with realistic assessments and convinced the world of the justice of their people’s cause? I would say, yes, that was the true Libyan people. They did not think in terms of material gains or leadership positions. Their only aspiration was to put an end to dictatorship and pave the road for democracy to ensure a prosperous future for all Libyans. Unfortunately, Libya today is in a completely different situation. Most of the activists have left the political arena, either because of the forcibly imposed political isolation law or because of the campaigns of intimidation, arrests and assassinations perpetrated by various armed groups against anyone who opposes their views or calls for their disarmament and demobilization. Some armed groups are no longer subject to the Government’s direction as they try to impose their will on the Libyan people by force, violate human rights and blackmail the Government to gain access to funds, while they refuse to arm the police and to reinstitute, reconstruct and arm the army. The existing conflict in and around Tripoli among armed groups that opposed the legitimate authorities has forced the Government to evacuate all of its premises, which were seized by a coalition of armed groups. Those included a terrorist group that professes Al-Qaida ideology and is known for its stand against the building of State institutions — a group placed on the list of terrorist organizations by the United States and the European Union. Moreover, the residences of many ministers and citizens were looted and burned down. That group is still waging war on the region west of the city of Tripoli, inhabited by the Warshafana tribe. The indiscriminate shelling with heavy weaponry led to the exodus of most of its population, which then led the House of Representatives to declare it a disaster area. That could not have happened if the international community had taken the situation in Libya seriously, assisted the Government in establishing a strong army, exerted pressure to ensure the disarmament of armed groups and supported the arming of the police. The armed groups that captured the capital have clearly declared their opposition to the legitimate institutions of the State and their quest to overthrow the elected House of Representatives and the elected Government, in an apparent effort to derail the process of democratic transition and topple the legitimate authorities by forming a parallel Government. Furthermore, that has not sufficed for the group that controls Tripoli. It has also persecuted political activists, human rights defenders and journalists, shut down media channels and forcibly prevented opponents from demonstrating in the city of Tripoli and other cities. It has recruited media personnel and some radical clerics to incite the killing of those with different opinions and those who support the elected House of Representatives and the Government. The group has allied itself with Ansar Al-Sharia, which professes the ideology of Al-Qaida. It has practised terrorism in some Libyan cities, especially Benghazi and Derna. It has provided a safe haven and training camps for terrorists from all over the world, including Tunisia, Algeria, Egypt and Mali, with unrivalled financial and media support from outside the country, in order to undermine the legitimate Libyan authorities and enable it to implement its conspiracy. I wish the Assembly to know that turning a blind eye to terrorism in Libya is no longer acceptable. Our people can no longer tolerate assassinations, humiliation, intimidation, suppression of freedoms or human rights violations based on an individual’s background and belief. The international community can either stand with the elected legitimate authorities and implement Security Council resolution 2174 (2014) by imposing sanctions on those who impede the political process, undermine security and seize State institutions, or affirm loudly and clearly that the Libyans have to take on terrorism single-handedly. Surely, the international community must take action to withstand the effects of the expansion of terrorism in North Africa and the Sahel region. We are in need of substantial assistance from Libya’s friends — help in rebuilding the army and providing it with all it needs to stop the fighting among brothers and battle terrorism and extremism, which now form a broad front stretching from Iraq to Algeria. That front cannot be eliminated without an alliance of the States concerned to ensure the elimination of terrorism and guarantee the dissemination of the principles of tolerance and democracy. The failure to provide arms and training to the Libyan army in its war against terrorism serves the interests of extremism, adds to instability in Libya, disrupts calm in the region and threatens global peace. We welcome all efforts and goodwill by friendly countries, the United Nations, the League of Arab States and the African Union to help the legitimate Libyan authorities regain control, either by taking a bold stand with the House of Representatives, the Government and the constitution-drafting body and by persuading armed groups to give up their arms, withdraw from State institutions and obey the Government’s directions, or by exerting pressure on the political movements and armed groups so that they renounce violence and agree to a dialogue on the priorities and future of Libya. Every illegitimate contact, unauthorized by the Government, of any foreign country with individuals, groups and organizations that do not recognize the Government’s authority or that of the elected House of Representatives and that use violence as a means to impose their views on the Libyan people will be considered by the Government an unfriendly act against the unity and stability of Libya. Hence, all necessary measures will be taken to confront it. The Libyan people, under the leadership of the legitimate authority, will not submit to blackmail and intimidation and will resist any attempt to impose a totalitarian dictatorship, whatever its slogan. We wish that the Government did not need the assistance of brotherly and friendly countries to extend State authority over its territory and eliminate the terrorism and criminality that threaten Libya’s security and unity, causing the displacement of hundreds of thousands from their homes in various parts of Libya and destroying the economy. The House of Representatives and the Government are determined to pursue the path of dialogue and tolerance within the framework of legitimacy, solve all the problems and differences between Libyans, agree on priorities, respect the democratic process and re-establish the rule of law and the holding of elections. They are also determined to demobilize all armed groups and to stop their funding by the end of the current year. We hope that the international community will help us to carry out the following measures. First, we must ensure the establishment by the State of defence and security organs and make the Government the sole, legitimate authority capable of using force in disarming the armed groups and exercising its authority over all Libya’s territory. Secondly, we must ensure Government control over the capital, Tripoli, and the withdrawal of armed groups from State institutions so that officials can work without being threatened and provide services to the citizens. Thirdly, we must realize that the establishment of illegal institutions set up in parallel with the existing bodies is impeding the political process and is subject to sanctions under Security Council resolution 2174 (2014). Fourthly, we must establish genuine, active cooperation in combating terrorism through a strategic alliance between Libya and its neighbouring countries north and south of the Mediterranean. Lastly, we must strengthen the culture of dialogue, without exclusion or marginalization, and, with the help of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya, the neighbouring countries, the League of Arab States and the African Union, initiate a comprehensive dialogue for all Libyan people. As the General Assembly begins its deliberations at its sixty-ninth session, whose main theme is the post- 2015 development agenda, I would like to point out that when the Millennium Development Goals were set, Libya started to review its economic policies and restructure its economy to achieve them. However, the deteriorating security situation has disrupted the economy. I would like to note the close interlinkages among security, stability and development. Without security, there will be no development, and vice versa. Therefore, restoring security and stability in Libya is key to advancing development, bringing the disrupted economy back on track, achieving the remaining Millennium Development Goals and preparing to achieve the post-2015 development goals, once they are adopted. Libya looks forward to the support of the United Nations and friendly countries in restoring security and the capacity-building of military and security institutions in order to ensure the launch of programmes for reconstruction and development. We also look forward to the assistance of all countries in tracing looted funds abroad and repatriating them to enable Libya to increase funding for development and infrastructure programmes. That will help eliminate unemployment and absorb a large numbers of foreign workers, estimated at several millions, from neighbouring countries. Both Libya and the neighbouring countries would benefit, and illegal immigration to Europe of people in search of work and decent living conditions would be reduced. Despite the circumstances in Libya, we cannot forget the tragedy of the Palestinian people and their suffering. They have taken refuge in various countries around the world because of the Israeli occupation. We reaffirm our condemnation of the Israeli occupation and its practices in the Palestinian and Arab occupied territories. We call for the Security Council to provide protection for the Palestinian people, set a timetable to end the Israeli occupation and establish an independent and sovereign Palestinian State on all the Palestinian territories, with East Jerusalem as its capital. The Palestinian State should be a full member of all international organizations. Palestinian refugees should be entitled to return to their lands, from which they were expelled. The continued blockade and repeated Israeli aggression against the Gaza Strip and the destruction of infrastructure have brought shame on civilized human beings. The international community should be committed to the reconstruction of Gaza, preventing the recurrence of destruction and killing by the Israeli army, ensuring the prosecution of all those responsible for war crimes committed in the Gaza Strip and supporting the efforts of the Government of national reconciliation, led by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.