On 10th December, the National Transitional Council (NTC) opened a 'Reconciliation conference' in Tripoli which was attended by
representatives from various regional groups and by overseas supporters such as
Qatar and Tunisia. It was intended to address some of the regional and tribal
issues which plague Libya.
Although the both NTC chairman Mustafa Abdel Jalil, and Prime Minister Abduraheem el-Keib, focused on reconciliation between the pro and anti-Qadhafi fighters, there are clearly strong regional ties to be addressed which will
impact on the strength of any new national constitution.
The NTC also supported a conference in Doha which was discussing the emergence
of a free and independent Libyan media. It was co-chaired by the NTC's
vice-chairman, Abdul Hafez Ghoga, and was attended by experts from various associated fields. These included Oxford University's specialist on government media policies, Professor Robert G Picard, and the president of the International Centre for Journalists, Joyce Barnathan.
The conference's closing statement called for a free, open, and independent
media and communications system with an independent regulator and a new system
of
media and journalism training. For the NTC this would be a clear sign to other
countries that Libya can look different in a post-Qadhafi landscape.
A more immediate problem is disturbance and unrest that is still being caused by
the militia groups that dominate Libya and particularly Tripoli. The head of
the
latter's local council, Abdel Rafik Bu Hajjar, announced on 6th December that Tripoli's residents and the rebels in the
capital were being called on to disarm by 31st December. It was also announced
that
non-local groups of revolutionary fighters would be urged to leave Tripoli
before
20th December. Tripoli's own military brigade is to be dissolved by 31st
December. The feasibility of any of these deadlines is, however, in serious
doubt.
Local protestors have taken to the streets in Tripoli to support the disarmament
policy. In one demonstration, on 7th December, around 2,000 people gathered in
Tripoli's Martyr's Square.
For more news and expert analysis about Libya, please see Libya Focus and Libya Politics & Security.
© 2011 Menas Associates