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UN appeals for ‘unity’ in Libya

March 21, 2017 at 9:35 pm

The Head of United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) Martin Kobler has appealed for calm and unity in the North African country.

In a statement Kobler called “for all parties to put Libya and the unity of Libya ahead of their own narrow interests”.

All political and security stakeholders in a position to influence their constituencies should act now.

He also attempts to lobby Libyan leaders to remain focused on the Libyan Political Agreement (LPA).

Reminding them of their obligation to Libyans.

Calm must be restored immediately, democratic bodies and ideals must be respected and freedom of speech must be protected.

In reference to the Libyan National Army’s exhumation of corpses of opposition fighters killed in battle, Kobler said: “The violence, hate speech, and mutilation of corpses in Libya is completely unacceptable. Calm must be restored immediately, democratic bodies and ideals must be respected and freedom of speech must be protected.”

The statement comes only a brief period after the Libyan Nation Commission for Human Rights (LNCHR) released a sobering account of human rights violations, condemning the mutilation of corpses by the Dignity Operation. The human rights violations included unlawful killings, torture, hostage taking, executions and wide spread raids of civilian homes.

“The responsibility, however, lies first and foremost with the Libyans themselves to end this escalating violence,” Kobler added.