Agreement to stop the bloodshed and open the door to dialogue in the Western Region

  • Country/entity
    Libya
  • Region
    Middle East and North Africa
  • Agreement name
    Agreement to stop the bloodshed and open the door to dialogue in the Western Region
  • Date
    16 Jun 2015
  • Agreement status
    Multiparty signed/agreed
  • Interim arrangement
    Yes
  • Agreement/conflict level
    Intrastate/local conflict ( Libyan Conflicts (1969 - 1994) (2011 - ) )
  • Stage
    Ceasefire/related
  • Conflict nature
    Inter-group
  • Peace process
    Libyan local processes
  • Parties
    The Municipal Council, Military Council and Elders, Dignitaries and Shura Council from 5 municipalities: al-Rajaban, al-Zintan, Sibratahm Surman and al-Ajilat.
  • Third parties
    -
  • Description
    9-point agreement providing for: (1) ceasefire; (2) ending media campaigns; (3) allowing persons from other sides enter towns unmolested and that their lands will not be used for staging attacks against other parties; (4) prisoner release; (5) the activation of security forces in all areas coved by the agreement, opening of roads, movement of goods and people; (6) to allow citizens to use the courts to protect their rights; (7) form a committee to solve problems in the community; (8) that entities in other areas will not be contacted except through official channels; (9) code of conduct between parties.

Local agreement properties

  • Process type
    Informal but persistent process
  • Rationale
    -> Link to national level; no external support mechanism; culture of signing Although it is unclear whether the agreement was supported by a formally-established mechanism, it is clearly embedded in a culture of signing (and supporting) agreement in this locale and timeframe. The agreement apparently is a fruit of a negotiation process in the form of "direct and indirect communication between the parties to the conflict and between the commanders of the regions".
  • Is there a documented link to a national peace process?
    Yes
  • Link to national process: articulated rationale
    The agreement seems to be clearly linked to the national process. It is introduced with the phrasing "To Our Great Nation". Moreover, the agreement was signed by representatives of cities that support opposing actors in the Libyan conflict.
  • Name of Locale
    Western Region
  • Nature Of Locale
    Region
  • GPS Lat/Long (DD)
    32.423055, 12.026596
  • Participant type
    Local state actor
    Local armed group
    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 adherence to the rulings of Allah when He said: “Let there be a group among you who call others to goodness, encourage what is good, and forbid what is evil.” (Quran, 3:104)

    Page 1, These councils call upon all of the parties to the conflict to answer the call of Allah when He said, “And settle your affairs” and when He said “that a settlement is best.”

    Page 2, We ask Allah to guide all of the parties and show them right way.
  • Grievance List
    Page 1, Through the direct and indirect communication between the parties to the conflict and between the commanders of the regions and the frontlines of the clashes in the Western Region, a truce was put in place for 10 days. Therefore, the elders, Shura, municipal, and local councils and prominent social figures in a number of cities in the Western Region, saw that it was their responsibility to reach a truce between the parties and stop the bloodshed.
  • Cattle rustling/banditry

    No specific mention.

  • Social cover

    No specific mention.

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Agreement to stop the bloodshed and open the door to dialogue in the Western Region

To Our Great Nation,

In adherence to the rulings of Allah when He said:

“Let there be a group among you who call others to goodness, encourage what is good, and forbid what is evil.” (

Quran, 3:104)

Through the direct and indirect communication between the parties to the conflict and between the commanders of the regions and the frontlines of the clashes in the Western Region, a truce was put in place for 10 days.

Therefore, the elders, Shura, municipal, and local councils and prominent social figures in a number of cities in the Western Region, saw that it was their responsibility to reach a truce between the parties and stop the bloodshed.

These councils call upon all of the parties to the conflict to answer the call of Allah when He said, “And settle your affairs” and when He said “that a settlement is best.”

On Tuesday, 16/6/2015, in the headquarters of the Taleel House in the city of Sibratah, the parties agreed to the following points:

To stop the fighting and for each party to return to the confines of their areas as soon as this agreement is signed between the two parties and approved by the official authorities, and to open safe passages for humanitarian aid to be delivered

To stop all media campaigns opposed to the other side that incite hatred, violence, and fighting between all of the parties

Both of the parties to the conflict, and they are the first party, which is made up of the municipalities of the Western Mountain, Al Zintan and Al Rajban, and the second party, which is made up of the municipalities of the Western Coast, Al Ajilat, Sibratah, and Sarman, pledge to not go in to, take positions, harass, or kill anyone from the other side within the confines of their cities in any case, no matter the reason.

They also pledge to not allow any party to use their lands to conduct attacks on the other side, including attacks by any other forces under any name at all.

To release all of the detainees that all of the parties are holding as soon as the third point in this agreement is implemented

Both of the parties to the conflict pledge to activate the army and the security agencies, each within the confines of their areas, to secure the public roads and determine the entrances to these areas and approve them.

The parties are also formally responsible to ensure freedom of movement of civilians and transportation of goods (except for ammunition and weapons), and they will not stop any civilian based on their identities, except for those that have committed crimes, who shall be punished based on the law and with an order from the public prosecutor’s office.

To protect the rights of affected civilians by submitting the cases to the courts against any individual or entity that has committed a crime against them

To form a committee made up of Islamic Sharia scholars, elders, and legal experts from both sides of the conflict to resolve the unresolved issues between the people of Libya, including returning the youth who had joined one of the two sides of the conflict, as long as the rulings of this committee and its decisions are binding to both sides of the conflict

The two parties to the conflict commit to not contacting or supporting any entities that are in within the areas of the other side, except through official channels.

A code of conduct shall be issued, and both parties shall be subject to it in order to implement the results of the mediation and its outputs during an agreed upon time period.

We ask Allah to guide all of the parties and show them right way.

Signatures and Stamps

Municipality

Municipal Council

Military Council

The Elders, Dignitaries, and Shura Council

Al Rajaban

[SIGNED and STAMPED]

[SIGNED and STAMPED]

[SIGNED and STAMPED]

Al Zintan

[SIGNED and STAMPED]

[SIGNED and STAMPED]

[SIGNED and STAMPED]

Sibratah

[SIGNED and STAMPED]

[SIGNED and STAMPED]

[SIGNED and STAMPED]

Surman

[SIGNED and STAMPED]

[SIGNED and STAMPED]

[SIGNED and STAMPED]

Al Ajilat

[SIGNED and STAMPED]

[SIGNED and STAMPED]

[SIGNED and STAMPED]