Libya Amazighs reject recent election laws, demand fairness

The Libyan National Amazigh Congress (LNAC) affirmed its complete rejection of the electoral laws recently issued by the House of Representatives and the Supreme Council of State because they lack the minimum national and international standards, according to the Congress.

The LNAC added in a statement that dividing the electoral districts in this way is confirmation of the improper intentions targeting the rights of the Libyan people. It called for fairness and justice in dividing and distributing the districts and considering international standards.

The Supreme Council accused the United Nations (UN) mission of participating in “tampering with the Constitution,” considering that it had become a pawn in the hands of internal and external parties, according to the statement.

The Supreme Council called on the UN mission to play its role in investigating and confirming the adoption of international standards in setting electoral laws.

On Wednesday, the Libyan House of Representatives issued the two laws pertaining to the election of the President of State and the National Assembly to be referred to the Election Commissioner for implementation.

This came after the Committee on Monday announced its consent to issue the election laws approved by the joint “6+6” committee with the Supreme Council of State, according to which the President of the State and the National Assembly would be elected.

An Anadolu Agency report quoted a statement by the spokesperson for the Libyan House of Representatives, Abdullah Belhaq, in which he confirmed that the House: “Issued the law to elect the President of State and the law to elect the National Assembly in accordance with the 13th constitutional amendment and in accordance with what was approved by the 6+6 Committee.”

He also noted that the speaker of the House of Representatives, Aguila Saleh: “Ordered that it be referred and handed over to the High National Elections Commission.”

While the committee insisted that its laws were “final and effective,” two months ago, it announced a meeting of its 12 members at the headquarters of the House of Representatives in Benghazi to discuss observations on the draft laws.

The House of Representatives did not clarify whether the laws completed by the 6+6 committee, which it adopted last Monday and issued on Wednesday, are the same as the first or amended version. The Supreme Council of State announced that it remains committed to the results of the 6+6 Committee signed in Bouznika, Morocco, last June.

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