YouSaid · the spoken record

Taher Elsonni

lines on the record: 124
first: 2020-05-05
most recent: 2021-05-21
sittings or episodes: 8
sources: un-security-council

Every line below is reproduced as it was said and linked to the record it came from. Nothing here is summarised or generated. Directory · Search · Corrections

“We call on all parties to stop shielding the spoilers, whether individuals or entities, some of whom are still trying to sabotage the political process and plunge Libya back into chaos, out of fear of losing their influence and having their power usurped by the Libyan people through a free and direct democratic process.”
2021-05-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/498 (2021) · source
“As we have said before, we ask that the sanctions regime be amended in a manner that would enable the Libyan Investment Authority to manage those funds without lifting the freeze on them now, and that would make it possible, under the exceptions provided for in the applicable sanctions regime, to benefit from those resources on an exceptional basis by investing them to remedy the humanitarian crises ravaging the country, especially in the areas of electricity, energy and health services; the latter face the strain of combating the coronavirus disease pandemic. Lastly, we once again hope that the Council will play a positive and more effective role in supporting the Libyan consensus and that it will work to end all forms of interference in Libya.”
2021-05-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/498 (2021) · source
“The Security Council has pledged to preserve the frozen Libyan assets, which belong to the Libyan people. We object to the manner in which some countries are taking advantage of the decision to freeze Libyan assets and attempting to seize them without returning them to the Libyan people. We therefore warn those countries that we will initiate legal proceedings against them if such attempts continue.”
2021-05-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/498 (2021) · source
“That is an important matter; but we must not forget that migrants in shelters account for 5 per cent of the total number migrants in Libya, who perish in the desert or at sea in pursuit of a better life in Europe. Those cases are never discussed. We therefore echo the Secretary-General’s call on international partners to reconsider their migration policies. The partners often see Libya as a safe haven for migrants. They adopt a strategy of intercepting migrants at sea, forcing them to return to Libya and refusing to receive them in their territory. If the unstable humanitarian situation in Libya worries you, make a positive and effective contribution to Libyan stability and stop intervening in a detrimental manner so that we can accommodate our brethren by lawful means.”
2021-05-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/498 (2021) · source
“With regard to the question of illegal migration, which is mentioned in the most recent report of the Secretary-General, while we are determined to ensure the safety of migrants and protect them from violations, we also reaffirm our consistent rejection of any endeavour to reduce the issue to the circumstances and suffering of migrants in Libya during conflict, without also mentioning that the international community bears some responsibility for its inability to address the root causes of the problem, deal with countries of origin and destination, and combat and punish human traffickers and their cross-border networks. Only the situation of migrants in shelters is discussed.”
2021-05-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/498 (2021) · source
“We support the recommendation of the Secretary-General, contained in his recent report, concerning the role of the United Nations and the African Union in any bid to achieve intra-Libyan reconciliation. Human rights issues in Libya, which are addressed in United Nations reports, including the reports of the Secretary-General, are an important aspect of the work of the Government of National Unity. The Ministry of Justice and other relevant national institutions are working in concert with the Office of the Prosecutor on a number of human rights issues, in order to ensure that the perpetrators of crimes and violators of human rights of all kinds are held accountable. Efforts are also under way to consolidate the principle of non-impunity with reference to the violations and crimes committed by any party since 2011.”
2021-05-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/498 (2021) · source
“The focus of its work is to promote reconciliation, justice, healing rifts and reuniting Libyans by achieving transitional justice and openness and establishing the principle of forgiveness, tolerance and reparation. In that context, a few days ago, the Minister of Justice announced that tangible steps would be taken to release detainees from prisons, starting with the release of 78 detainees. A prisoner exchange was carried out under the auspices of the 5+5 Joint Military Commission a few days ago. The Government is working to release citizens throughout Libya who were imprisoned without being charged, as well as those who have been proven innocent. In the same vein, we once again call on the African Union, in cooperation with the United Nations, to support the national reconciliation project announced by the Presidency Council.”
2021-05-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/498 (2021) · source
“The most significant of those obstacles are the failure to make appointments to leadership positions after the consolidation of State institutions and the delay in adopting the regular budget. We are therefore waiting for the House of Representatives and the High Council of State to conduct their elections, each in its area of responsibility, so that the Government can fulfil its promises in an optimal manner. In that context, we welcome the call by the Speaker of the House of Representatives to convene a meeting on the subject next Monday. We reiterate that peace is a priority and that successful national reconciliation is key to establishing peace. On 5 April 2021, the President and members of the Presidency Council announced the establishment of the High National Reconciliation Commission.”
2021-05-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/498 (2021) · source
“Doing so will ensure that the elections that will be held in every Libyan city will be successful and transparent, leaving no room for the process or results to be called into question after the elections. The Government of National Unity is working to implement the mandate set out in the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum road map. The Government is committed to overcoming all the difficulties and obstacles in its path, despite the short period of time available. The Government has been able to unify approximately 80 per cent of executive State institutions fully. During this short period, it has worked to launch some programmes and projects to improve the provision of services to and economic conditions of the citizenry. However, several challenges continue to hinder the implementation of the programmes.”
2021-05-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/498 (2021) · source
“Thirdly, we welcome the role of UNSMIL in following up the work of the Legal Committee of the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum and the Mission’s call for the Forum to meet in the coming days to resolve the proposed constitutional basis for the presidential and parliamentary elections scheduled for 24 December 2021, so that the House of Representatives and the High Council of State can hold their elections in line with the road map, by the deadline of 1 July set by the High National Elections Commission. Fourthly, we call on the United Nations to immediately send a team to Libya to evaluate electoral support needs, in order directly and promptly to consider the High National Elections Commission’s requirements.”
2021-05-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/498 (2021) · source
“Against that backdrop, we wish to stress the following points: First, we call on all States to abide by the conclusions of the Berlin Conference on Libya, endorsed by the Security Council in its resolution 2510 (2020), 2570 (2021) and 2571 (2021), and to work to support the full implementation of the ceasefire agreement and the conclusions of the 5+5 Joint Military Commission, in particular, the withdrawal of all foreign forces and mercenaries, so as to prevent the will of the people from being pressured and enable the State to extend its sovereignty over all of Libya. Secondly, the United Nations observer team must retain its role in support of the Military Commission and the latter’s conclusions as required. The team must also preserve its civilian character. It must not by any means become a military force on the ground.”
2021-05-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/498 (2021) · source
“The Presidency Council and the Government of National Unity are working together to take advantage of the positive developments in the situation in Libya. Those developments would not have been possible without sincere local and national efforts and initiatives, or without the support of many countries for a peaceful, political solution, ruling out military solutions that have wrought nothing but havoc and instability in Libya and the region. We therefore call on the international community to seize this local and international momentum to help my country to emerge from its crisis and fulfil the aspiration of the Libyan to build a democratic State based on institutions and the rule of law.”
2021-05-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/498 (2021) · source
“At the outset, I would like to thank you for convening this meeting. I also thank Ján Kubiš for his briefing and the Chair of the Security Council committee established pursuant to resolution 1970 (2011) on Libya for his report on the activities of the committee. Today, I speak for the Libyan street, and perhaps also for many other countries in the region, which have tired of all these meetings and briefings and of hearing the same statements time and time again, hoping instead for more practical and realistic steps to be taken to implement the resolutions of the Security Council, which are supposed to be binding, so that we can extricate ourselves from a cycle of conflict that has lasted a decade.”
2021-05-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/498 (2021) · source
“We stress that, whatever the magnitude of the crisis my country is facing, and no matter what internal differences we may have, the Libyan people will always be united in its agreement that the question of Palestine is the fundamental issue, that the Palestinian cause is just and that the rights of the Palestinian people must be restored to that people’s satisfaction, with the establishment of an independent State of Palestine with Jerusalem as its capital. There can be no peace without justice.”
2021-05-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/483 (2021) · source
“We therefore call on the Security Council to take practical and effective measures to put an immediate end to these attacks and to abandon a policy of double standards that equates the aggressor with the people being attacked and forgets who is the perpetrator and who is the victim. That policy is what has caused many to despair of finding a peaceful solution to the crisis and made the principle of self- defence the monopoly of only one party, no matter what violations it commits.”
2021-05-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/483 (2021) · source
“We, the Government and the people of Libya, take this opportunity to condemn in the strongest terms attacks on the Palestinian people by the occupying forces, starting with the incidents in the neighbourhood of Shaykh Jarrah and the eviction of families from their homes, and including the attack on worshipers in the Al-Aqsa Mosque, the desecration of holy sites during the blessed month of Ramadan and the subsequent savage bombardment of the Gaza Strip, which continues to this day and which has claimed dozens of innocent lives, including among women and children.”
2021-05-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/483 (2021) · source
“Most important, all kinds of foreign intervention must come to an end. Understanding and support from the Security Council and the international community for the will and national decisions of Libyans will certainly contribute significantly to achieving justice and reconciliation and building a State of institutions that is governed by the rule of law. Lastly, against the backdrop of our discussion of justice and human rights, although the situation in Libya is the subject of today’s meeting, we can never lose sight of the tragic situation that our brethren are currently enduring in Palestine.”
2021-05-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/483 (2021) · source
“However, we must also note that, while we welcome cooperation with specialized international humanitarian organizations, we will under no circumstance accept attempts by certain countries to create or impose conditions that would establish the principle of asylum and settlement, in contravention of domestic laws and legislation. In order to solve this problem, we ask the International Criminal Court to also prosecute human traffickers, smugglers and their cross-border networks in Africa and Europe, not just persons involved inside Libya. Without a doubt, we must bring to fruition the consolidation of State institutions and the reform and development of the judicial system in order to tackle the challenges I mentioned. In turn, that will require Government support and a stable country.”
2021-05-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/483 (2021) · source
“In that connection, it is important to note that, while some criminals may be benefiting from conditions as they are now, they will ultimately be held accountable because there is no statute of limitations on those crimes. I assure the Council that the Libyan authorities are committed to delivering justice to the victims and their families and to protecting all Libyan citizens and foreign nationals on Libyan soil. In that regard, we wish to stress that the Libyan State is determined to protect illegal migrants from any violations that they might be exposed to as a result of the ongoing crisis. In spite of all the challenges, we are doing everything in our power to protect and rescue them and return them to their countries whenever possible.”
2021-05-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/483 (2021) · source
“Bensouda has noted in her various reports regarding the occurrence of numerous human rights violations, war crimes and crimes against humanity in certain areas of Libya, including arbitrary detentions, enforced disappearances, secret prisons, extrajudicial military trials, human trafficking and mass graves discovered after the recent war on Tripoli and its environs. We are still awaiting the results of investigations conducted by the ICC team that visited Libya recently and the identification of the persons implicated in those grave violations, which were perpetrated for manifold reasons, including political or regional motives or, in the case of armed groups or mercenaries, criminal motives.”
2021-05-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/483 (2021) · source
“The Libyan judiciary is committed to guaranteeing all defendants a fair trial. We in Libya regard the role of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in delivering justice and preventing impunity to be a complementary one, especially with regard to persons outside State jurisdiction. Therefore, we hope that all States will cooperate with the Libyan judicial authorities to conduct the necessary investigations and assist in handing over wanted persons to the national justice system. In that connection, we welcome the cooperation between the Office of the Attorney General of Libya and the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court. We agree with what Ms.”
2021-05-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/483 (2021) · source
“In that context, in the spirit of forgiveness and reconciliation, which the Government has been attempting to foster, the Ministry of Justice announced a few days ago that tangible steps would be taken to release persons being held in detention facilities. To date, 78 detainees have been released, and a prisoner exchange was conducted just a few days ago under the auspices of the 5+5 Joint Military Commission. Efforts are being made throughout Libya to secure the prompt and unconditional release of wrongfully imprisoned citizens in respect of whom no charges have been brought or arrest warrants issued, or who have been proven innocent. We reaffirm that the national judiciary has a mandate to prosecute all defendants, in accordance with the Libyan penal code and the sovereignty of Libya over its territory and citizenry.”
2021-05-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/483 (2021) · source
“We hope that the international community will intensify its efforts to make the elections a success, thereby enabling the country to attain stability and allowing the values of liberty, justice and the rule of law to take root. There is no doubt that the Libyan people is determined to build a modern civil State, the country’s extraordinary circumstances at present notwithstanding. The principle of accountability can take root only once an inclusive national reconciliation process is under way. That process must begin with delivering justice, uncovering the truth, fostering openness and making reparations. As we all know, those steps are the building blocks of transitional justice. Without them, it will be impossible to turn the painful page on the past decade of suffering endured by the Libyan people.”
2021-05-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/483 (2021) · source
“At the outset, I should like to congratulate you, Sir, on your assumption of the presidency of the Security Council for this month and to wish you every success in your endeavours. I also wish to thank Ms. Fatou Bensouda for her report and briefing today. Positive developments in Libya over the recent period have resulted in the establishment of a unified executive authority, ending the crisis of legitimacy that for years had been one of the primary causes of the conflict. One of the key priorities of this new political arrangement has been to provide the country with leadership in the run-up to the presidential and parliamentary elections scheduled for the end of this year.”
2021-05-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/483 (2021) · source
“In conclusion, the Presidency Council and the Libyan Government call on the Libyan people to work hand in hand to shepherd country to safety and move from chaos and strife to stability and peace. It is time to embark upon the development and reconstruction stage and put an end to destruction and ruin. We can assure you that Libya will work to regain an active role at both the regional and international levels, with a view to strengthening cooperation and solidarity on a foundation of friendly relations, respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Libya and respect for its people’s right to determine their fate of their own free will and without foreign dictates.”
2021-03-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/292 (2021) · source
“To this day, we continue to see innocent people in prisons, forced disappearances, extrajudicial killings and unidentified bodies discovered in mass graves, as happened in Tarhounah. Recovering from these wounds and establishing the principles of mercy and forgiveness can be done only by enforcing the law, uncovering the truth, acknowledging fault and redressing damage. There can be no peace without justice. We reiterate our call on the African Union — through the African States represented here on the Council — to support the launch by the new executive branch of a comprehensive national reconciliation effort along the lines of the several successful experiences seen on our African continent.”
2021-03-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/292 (2021) · source
“I refer to a dialogue on national reconciliation and transitional justice, which the Presidency Council and Government of National Unity have just announced. National reconciliation and transitional justice are priorities because they are the true guarantors of the sustainability of any other dialogues or tracks. The problem in Libya is not division of power or who will occupy which post. The real problem in Libya is that the wounds suffered since 2011 have yet to healed. The problem in Libya is that some have pursued a policy of exclusion, marginalization and domination. The solution lies in starting from the ground up to bolster social peace and restore trust. We have seen numerous violations of human rights and crimes against humanity in recent years in most parts of the country.”
2021-03-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/292 (2021) · source
“This demand must be complied with first and foremost by the States that have inserted themselves into Libyan affairs and involved us in their proxy wars. Their cannon fodder is our youth. We are grateful for all the United Nations and international efforts in support of the Libyan dialogues in their various tracks. We particularly thank the international working groups that emerged from the Berlin Conference and take this opportunity to call upon them to officially include the Libyan Government in their upcoming meetings. We believe that the reasons for excluding Libya from official representation at previous meetings are no longer applicable. Speaking of those different tracks, we reiterate the importance of supporting an essential track that has been neglected over the past few years.”
2021-03-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/292 (2021) · source
“That must occur in conjunction with disarming them so that they do not become a new source of threat elsewhere, particularly in neighbouring countries or the Sahel States. I believe that the recent report (see S/2021/229) of the Panel of Experts showed the magnitude of these types of interventions and the names of those involved. I call on the States cited in that report to repudiate what is attributed to them, exonerate themselves and correct their mistakes. If these charges are mere allegations, then what is the point of these reports? The departure of all mercenaries and foreign forces from Libya is a sovereign demand that cannot be compromised. It is the only way to ensure the stability of the country and the region as a whole.”
2021-03-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/292 (2021) · source
“The Chair of the High National Election Commission has repeatedly pointed out that, if the necessary legislation is not enacted within the next two months, it will not be possible to hold the elections on the scheduled date approved by Libyans. The outcomes of the Libyan Political Dialogue can be achieved only with the support and success of the Joint Military Commission, whose members have demonstrated unparalleled courage and patriotism. They have paved the way to the point we have reached today. The Security Council should support the Commission and support the implementation of the provisions of the ceasefire agreement, the most important of which is the immediate departure of all mercenaries and foreign forces from all regions of Libya.”
2021-03-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/292 (2021) · source
“Such a draft resolution should affirm full support to ensure a transparent and fair electoral process and respect for its outcome, with participation by all Libyans at home and abroad, including displaced persons and migrants. The draft resolution should hold accountable anyone trying to obstruct the national electoral process. In that connection, we call on the United Nations Support Mission in Libya to expedite its support for efforts by both the House of Representatives and the Council of State to coordinate the constitutional and legal committees to reach agreement on the constitutional procedures and laws for the elections. As we know, these elections are not within the responsibility or purview of the executive branch.”
2021-03-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/292 (2021) · source
“It has a moral responsibility to the innocent victims, including children, young people and women, wherever they may be, and those left behind, whoever they are. In the end, they are all Libyans. We have heard time and again that the solution must be Libyan-owned and Libyan-led. We call on the Security Council to invest in the momentum and broad national and international support for the recent agreement. It must demonstrate its readiness to stand behind the legitimate demands of the Libyan people to transition towards building the State for which they have made such great sacrifices. The Council should adopt a draft resolution supporting the will of Libyans, the outcome of the Political Dialogue Forum and the road map leading up to the general elections.”
2021-03-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/292 (2021) · source
“These elections, which all Libyans have looked forward to for so long, will undoubtedly face numerous challenges at the internal and external levels. The State’s lack of a monopoly on arms and the proliferation of extra-legal armed groups remain among the most important internal challenges. Externally, the international community is presented with an opportunity to contribute positively at this stage. It can act to correct its mistakes and support the will of Libyans to make up for the suffering it has caused to my country through direct and indirect interventions since 2011. The Security Council has a moral responsibility to Libyans for allowing conditions to deteriorate to where they are now.”
2021-03-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/292 (2021) · source
“The crisis of competing legitimacies, which for years had been a major source of conflict, has now come to an end. Thanks to the declaration of the Presidency Council and the Head of the Government of National Unity, the will of Libyans will be resolutely fulfilled through early national elections, despite the short amount of time. The most important tasks at hand are to improve the living and working conditions of citizens fairly across all regions, consolidate institutions, establish security and stability throughout the country, support the work of the Joint Military Commission, combat terrorism and launch a comprehensive national reconciliation effort to pave the way for the presidential and parliamentary elections scheduled for 24 December.”
2021-03-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/292 (2021) · source
“This important event culminated in the vote of confidence by the House of Representatives in the Government of National Unity, in a scene that many were betting would end in failure. That was followed by administration of the constitutional oath and the peaceful transfer ceremonies in the east and west of the country. These events proved to all that, given the right conditions, Libyans are able to meet challenges. They affirmed that the democratic path and peaceful transfer of power is the best and only solution for stability and the exercise of State sovereignty over all of Libyan territory, and that there is no military solution to the Libyan crisis. In that regard, we welcome all international expressions of support for the recent agreements.”
2021-03-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/292 (2021) · source
“Despite all the challenges and difficulties and against all expectations, the Libyan-led political process has resulted in an achievement that many had thought impossible. After years of division and conflict, we now see harbingers of hope that Libya will make a comeback and turn the page on the suffering that has affected us all. Today we must pay tribute to all the innocent Libyans who lost their lives to the conflict over the past 10 years, as well as those who sacrificed their lives to fight terrorism and extremism and to defend the dream of building a civil State. The new executive branch was elected through the Political Dialogue Forum held in our sister State of Tunisia. The participants in the Dialogue carried out their responsibilities despite all the challenges.”
2021-03-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/292 (2021) · source
“At the outset, I should like to congratulate you on your appointment as the representative of the United States as well as on your assumption of the Presidency of the Security Council for this month. We also welcome Ján Kubiš, thank him for his first briefing and wish him and his team the best of luck in their new mission. Permit me to speak to you today directly and explicitly, and not necessarily from the script. There can be no doubt that this meeting is different from previous ones. Our meeting today coincides with a historic and important transformation in the history of the crisis in my country. Today I speak to you not of competing legitimacies, internal divisions and the positions of one party versus another. Today I speak on behalf of a single unified State of Libya.”
2021-03-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/292 (2021) · source
“And to the countries that are lying in wait for us, I say to you what our recently deceased Libyan poet Abdulmawla al-Baghdadi said: “He who sows thorns, thorns shall he reap, and he shall choke on the fruits of his harvest. God and history shall reveal who the traitors are, who the lamb is and who is the wolf preying upon it”.”
2021-01-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/97 (2021) · source
“In conclusion, we call on all Libyans to work together to ensure that the peace process succeeds, turn the page on the past and forswear violence, conflict and hateful rhetoric. Together let us overcome this crisis and take pride in our history and our cultural, social and geographical diversity. Let us put aside talk of east, west and south, and let us not establish a custom, lest it become a belief, one that our forebears already overcame. Do not give foreigners the opportunity to divide us, fragment us and create chaos among us, for that is what they aim to do as they attempt to control, exploit and plunder our land.”
2021-01-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/97 (2021) · source
“In that context, we will not stand idly by while certain countries attempt to tamper with those funds, as was the case recently when some Belgian Government institutions tried to seize €14 billion of Libyan sovereign funds and lay claim to nearly $50 million in compensation for Government cases. Therefore, we hold the Council responsible for taking a firm stand against this serious violation, if indeed it cares about protecting Libyans’ assets. We also stress that if this state of affairs continues, and if our request to manage our frozen assets is blocked, we will be forced to refer the matter to the International Court of Justice in order to seek redress for this unjust situation, and we will demand that the Libyan people be compensated for these losses.”
2021-01-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/97 (2021) · source
“We have repeatedly provided evidence of these successive losses, whether documented in our national reports or in impartial international reports. Each time, we are given excuse after excuse to prevent us from managing that wealth. We will therefore submit a specific request in the coming days to expedite adjustments to the sanctions regime in order to prevent the continued erosion of those funds and to address the damage done, as well as to enable the Libyan Investment Authority to manage funds and assets without lifting the freeze now. We hope to rectify this matter immediately, and we believe that the silence regarding this issue only makes sense when one considers how eager certain countries and financial institutions are to politicize it, take advantage of the situation and plunder the wealth of Libyans.”
2021-01-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/97 (2021) · source
“But I assure you that the statute of limitations will not expire on these crimes, and we will not wait for your justice. Sooner or later, the national judiciary will attend to them. This is only another test of how serious you are about upholding the human rights principles about which we are bombarded with slogans. The way to recover from wounds and establish peace is to reveal the truth and hold perpetrators accountable. There can be no peace without justice, no peace without justice. On another equally important subject, we are indignant about the state of Libyan funds and assets frozen pursuant to Security Council resolutions 10 years ago. We are indignant because the wealth of Libyans has been eroded, contrary to the claims made in those resolutions that the freeze is intended to preserve that wealth.”
2021-01-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/97 (2021) · source
“What are you going to say to the Harudah family, three sisters of which were killed in retaliation against the men of the family? They killed Layla, Rima and Hawa, and many others besides them. For God’s sake, how can we ask the families of those victims and others to respond to calls for dialogue and reconciliation when they see no practical steps being taken to seek justice? Several fact-finding commissions, dispatched either by the International Criminal Court or by human rights organizations, have documented what happened and know who committed these crime and who gave the orders to commit them. In spite of all that, the Council remains incapable of even condemning the perpetrators directly, and still there are those who are asking for more evidence.”
2021-01-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/97 (2021) · source
“When we speak of harmony and reconciliation, we must always remember the question of human rights and the war crimes that have been committed throughout Libya. You have listened to and read many reports that clearly indicate the scale of the violations perpetrated against civilians, foremost among which are the mass killings and the graves discovered in Tarhunahh to date. Just days ago, the bodies of entire families, men and women, were identified. They had been restrained and tortured, and some of them had been buried alive, only because they or their relatives had refused to participate in the attack on Tripoli. Tell me, what will you say to 12-year-old Walid, whose father and six uncles were kidnapped and killed, their bodies identified days ago?”
2021-01-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/97 (2021) · source
“The proliferation of weapons and armed groups and foreign interventions are some of the major obstacles to stability. Nonetheless, elections are a start, as well as the best way to lay the foundations of the democratic process and restore legitimacy to the people, so that these and other challenges can be met. We therefore call on the Legal Committee of the Political Dialogue Forum and the Constitutional Committee formed by the House of Representatives and the High Council of State to work together and urgently perform their mandated duty of establishing the constitutional basis for the holding of elections and of putting in place the necessary electoral laws so as to reach agreement on them without delay.”
2021-01-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/97 (2021) · source
“Despite the conflict and the controversy over the establishment of a new authority, we must not forget that the deadline is only a few months away. We therefore ask Special Envoy Kubiš to make this popular demand a top priority when he takes up his post early next month, because there is no more time to waste. We also ask UNSMIL to correct the timetable for the previously agreed road map at the upcoming Forum in Geneva. According to the timetable, the term of the new authority is 18 months, but that does not square with the number of months remaining in this year. In addition, we demand that the candidates pledge in writing to hold the elections on 24 December, the appointed date. We all know that elections alone will not resolve the Libyan crisis.”
2021-01-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/97 (2021) · source
“We ask that the Council adopt a resolution in which it establishes the ceasefire, endorses the political process, holds the obstructionists accountable, supports the holding of elections on the specified date and gives the United Nations a mandate to support the entire electoral process in order to ensure transparency and integrity and guarantee that the results are respected, that all Libyans at home and abroad, including the displaced, are able to participate freely and that those who seek to spoil the national elections are held accountable. Adopting such a resolution will attest to the goodwill of the international community, atone for past mistakes, restore some confidence and answer the question on many Libyans’ minds, namely, are they really serious about holding the elections on schedule?”
2021-01-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/97 (2021) · source
“The Libyan people will thus be able to choose its leaders and representatives freely, and legacy political bodies, division and the crisis of legitimacy will all end, allowing State institutions to unite and make the transition to peace, stability and reconstruction. Therefore, we ask that you commit to honouring the pronouncements that you made today, the most significant of which is that the solution must be Libyan-owned and Libyan-led, and that you prove your commitment by implementing what was decided at the Political Forum.”
2021-01-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/97 (2021) · source
“That is why the solution must begin from the ground up, by promoting social peace. In that regard, we once again call on the African Union to sponsor the national reconciliation track immediately and not to wait for permission to do so, because only Africa can play that role, owing to its previous experiences and its familiarity with the situation in Libya and its particular characteristics. We call on the Security Council to send a clear signal to all that the priority of any new authority is to implement the outcomes of the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum and the consensus welcomed by the Libyan people and the international community to set next 24 December as Libyan Independence Day, as the date to hold general, presidential and parliamentary elections simultaneously.”
2021-01-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/97 (2021) · source
“All the tracks that we have been following for years, although important, are essentially fragile because we are still lacking what continues to be the most important dialogue of all, namely, a dialogue of national reconciliation, which would ensure the sustainability of any outcome and facilitate the adoption of a permanent constitution for the country. That raises the question: what guarantees are there that any new authority will succeed, and how does the Skhirat dialogue differ from the Tunis dialogue? Have the fundamental problems that hindered the Libyan Political Agreement and the Government of National Accord been discussed? The problem in Libya is neither power-sharing nor who holds office. The real problem is that the wounds suffered in 2011 have not yet healed.”
2021-01-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/97 (2021) · source