Statement from The Supreme Council of the Tribes and Cities of Fezzan calling for a Ceasefire

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Country/entity: Libya
Region: Middle East and North Africa
Agreement name: Statement from The Supreme Council of the Tribes and Cities of Fezzan calling for a Ceasefire
Date: 7 Apr 2018
Agreement status: Multiparty signed/agreed
Interim arrangement: Yes
Agreement/conflict level: Intrastate/local conflict
Libyan Conflicts (1969 - 1994) (2011 - )
Agreements relate to two distinct conflict dyads.
Libya-Chad. Since the 1970s, Libya under Colonel Muammar Gaddafi had a tense relationship with its neighbour Chad, predominantly focused on the resource-rich Aouzou Strip in northern Chad. Libyan claims of the Aouzou Strip were held in an un-ratified treaty between France and Italy in 1935, similarly Chadian claims of the Strip were argued with support of a 1955 treaty between Libya and France. In 1973, Libya effectively annexed the Strip to gain access to natural resources. This spurred cross-border clashes between 1979 until 1987 until escalated to a brief war known as the Toyota War, wherein Chadian government troops succeeded in repelling Libyan forces. A brief and repeatedly violated ceasefire was held from 1987-88, followed by a series of unsuccessful negotiations, until an International Court of Justice ruling in 1994, which granted sovereignty of the Strip to Chad.

Libya post-Gaddafi. Gaddafi’s downfall following the Libyan Civil War in 2011-2012, led to several factions fighting for the country’s leadership. Since 2013, the country effectively split into three entities, with the National Army controlling the east including the city of Benghazi, and the New General National Congress and their militias such as the Golden Dawn controlling the northwest including the capital of Tripoli. Significant portions of the country in the south-west are currently held by Tuareg forces. The civil war and chaos continued into 2014 as the General National Congress refused to disband after the expiry of its mandate, resulting in eruption of mass protests. The UN efforts continue to broker peace between the Libyan Army and the Libya Dawn factions, and a partial ceasefire was declared in January 2015. A new interim-government (Tunisia-based) called ‘Government of National Accord’ is formed with the backing of UN despite the refusal of the other forces to recognise its authority and arrived to Tripoli with the UN in 2016. A state of emergency was declared by the UN backed government amid clashed between rival militia in Tripoli’s southern suburbs. Since April 2019 there has been sustained fighting between the Libyan National Army and the UN-backed government in Tripoli as the Libyan National Army aims to seize Tripoli.
Stage: Ceasefire/related
Conflict nature: Inter-group
Peace process: Libyan local processes
Parties: the prominent figures and sheikhs of Fezzan;
Supreme Council of the Tribes and Cities of Fezzan
Third parties: -
Description: Statement calling for a ceasefire and the opening of roads, sparing government buildings from combat damage; forming working committees; dissolve all armed formations; calling on the return of security institutions in the south; calling upon southern politicians working in state institutions outside of Fezzan to return to help solve the crisis.

Agreement document: LY_180407_Statement calling for a ceasefire_EN.pdf (opens in new tab) | Download PDF
Agreement document (original language): LY_180407_Statement calling for a ceasefire_AR.pdf (opens in new tab)| Download PDF

Local agreement properties

Process type: Informal but persistent process
Rationale: -> Link to national level; no external support mechanism; culture of signing The agreement is clearly embedded in a culture of signing (and supporting) agreements to bring an end to violence between the tribes inhabiting this locale (Fezzan region).
Is there a documented link to a national peace process?: Yes
Link to national process: articulated rationale: [Summary] Agreement is a statement from a self-appointed Supreme Council of Fezzan which acts as a local governing body. However, the agreement legitimises the role of the state and does not challenge it. Indeed, point five states: Page 1, 8. The attendees of this meeting call upon all of the elected officials from Fezzan, including the members of the two houses of parliament, state officials, and members of the Presidential Council, to suspend their memberships and return immediately to Fezzan until a suitable solution is found.
Name of Locale: Fezzan
Nature of Locale: Region
GPS Lat/Long (DD): 27.380364, 12.780010
Participant type: Local state actor
Domestic religious organisation/leader or other elder
Mediator, facilitator or similar: No mention of mediator or similar

Local issues

Ritual/prayer and process (including use of scripture): Page 1, In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
And Peace and Blessings be on Prophet Muhammad, His Family, and His Companions

Page 1, May Allah Preserve Libya
Grievance List: Page 1, Due to the danger of the situation in the area of Fezzan, and the resumption of clashes between armed groups, which has caused worry and has negatively affected all aspects of the lives of the people in the different parts of Fezzan, the prominent figures and sheikhs of Fezzan, while holding a meeting called by the Supreme Council of the Tribes and Cities of Fezzan, realize the imminent danger to the area and the negative effects of these conflicts that have benefited no one.
Cattle rustling/banditry: No specific mention.
Social cover: No specific mention.

The Supreme Council of the Tribes and Cities of Fezzan

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

And Peace and Blessings be on Prophet Muhammad, His Family, and His Companions

Due to the danger of the situation in the area of Fezzan, and the resumption of clashes between armed groups, which has caused worry and has negatively affected all aspects of the lives of the people in the different parts of Fezzan, the prominent figures and sheikhs of Fezzan, while holding a meeting called by the Supreme Council of the Tribes and Cities of Fezzan, realize the imminent danger to the area and the negative effects of these conflicts that have benefited no one.

They hold this meeting while stressing the importance of the following:

1. An immediate ceasefire between the two sides

2. Public roads and facilities are owned by everyone, and benefitting from them is everyone’s right, while taking advantage of them during the ongoing conflicts and using them as a tool of war is an action that is criminalized and prohibited, and is considered, morally and legally, a war crime

So, the attendees today have agreed on:

1. The necessity of immediately opening all internal and external roads

2. Sparing government facilities any kind of conflict or fighting, and this does not involve the regulations and laws in effect for the armed forces

3. Forming working committees through contact with the military and all officials in the Libyan government

4. Working to dissolve all armed formations and rebuilding the military on a professional basis

5. Calling upon the people of the south who are in the military, police, and security agencies to immediately return to their military bases and positions with the armed forces, the police, and the security agencies

6. The Supreme Council shall be kept in a permanent session to monitor and support the work of the committees that were formed

7. The attendees confirm that the Supreme Council of the Tribes and Cities of Fezzan is the legitimate representative of the social components in it, and all governments, states, and international organizations need to take this into account

8. The attendees of this meeting call upon all of the elected officials from Fezzan, including the members of the two houses of parliament, state officials, and members of the Presidential Council, to suspend their memberships and return immediately to Fezzan until a suitable solution is found

May Allah Preserve Libya

Sabha

(Al Jadid Manarat Al Hudhairi)

7/4/2018

Supreme Council of the Tribes and Cities of Fezzan

Statement from The Supreme Council of the Tribes and Cities of Fezzan calling for a Ceasefire

Local agreement properties

Local issues

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