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By Sami Zaptia.
Tripoli, 15 August 2014:
Members of the House of Representatives (HoR) adjourned their extended sitting in Tobruk and set off . . .[restrict]on a weekend break until Sunday 17 August – their first break since their first unofficial meeting on 4 August and the official inauguration on 6 August.
During this historic and politically contested sitting the HoR passed two landmark laws, one calling for international intervention in protecting civilians against indiscriminate attack by warring militias in Tripoli and another law disbanding the officially recognized and funded militias formed since the February 2011 revolution.
Former Deputy Prime Minister and former Prime Minister designate Mustafa Abushagur, Representative for Sug Il Juma (Tripoli) rounding up the HoR’s week, objected yesterday to the law passed by the HoR calling for international help in protecting civilians from indiscriminate militia attacks in Libya – on the basis that the draft law had not been listed the previous day on the next day’s agenda – as prescribed by HoR internal regulations.
He also said that as many as 50 Representatives had left Tobruk early for the weekend which resulted in only 104 attending the session. This was in response to public criticism querying why there had been such a low turnout for that particular vote.
Furthermore, Abushagur complained that the HoR is “almost isolated” from the media in Tobruk as a result of the absence of many TV and media stations, which has led to a lack of contact between the HoR and Libyan public.
This, he explained, was the reason why many returned to their constituencies to enable them to reveal directly the real picture their electorate and to debate with them various issues.
On the controversial issue of foreign intervention, Abushagur said: “I personally, and many Representatives totally reject foreign intervention in Libya because it involves the giving up of national sovereignty, especially since the HoR did not exhaust its efforts in dealing with the present challenges in the field”.
Nevertheless, he was clear as to his position on the indiscriminate attacks on Tripoli’s innocent civilians in residential areas as well as the wanton destruction of Tripoli’s airport, fleet of aircraft, fuel depot etc. “We condemn with full force the attack on the people and their assets”, he said. [/restrict]
