Attacks on the General National Congress (GNC) have become part and parcel of Libya’s transition. However, the recent Karimiyah incident, in which a group of the Political Isolation Coordination Committee cordoned off GNC members during their meeting inside the Meteorology Center in Karimiyah area in Tripoli—to force them to issue the political isolation law—has been the drop that made the cup overflow. Now, discussions are underway to transfer the GNC’s location to keep parliamentarians safer.
GNC member from the city of Shahat, Fawzi Oqab, said given the new transitional experience and exceptional circumstances, GNC members at the beginning understood such attacks, which did not assail them directly, as forms of protest. This time, Oqab said, was different.
“What happened at Karimiyah was dangerous, especially since it is not an isolated incident,” said Fawzi Oqab, a GNC member from Shahat. “The next day, headquarters of the Ministry of Interior was stormed and Undersecretary Omar Khadrawi was detained for several hours. In addition, some of those who stormed the Karimiyah hall asked us to issue the political isolation law even without a quorum, saying, ‘We can force the Supreme Court,'” Oqab explained.
Different opinions
The issue of transferring the GNC s to Bayda had already been discussed several times before the Karimiyah incident. According to Oqab, members have different points of view since some says going to Bayda under precarious conditions will convey a wrong message, especially to the world, that the GNC members are impotent and that the capital is insecure, while others believe it is important to move to Bayda “especially since we will be handling serious decisions, such as the political isolation and the constitution constituent committee.”
While the GNC spokesman Omar Hmedan said that the decision to transfer the sittings to Bayda had already been issued, voting this time might be for activating it rather than for issuing a new decision.
According to observers, the voting will be in favor of the transfer, especially following statements made by GNC member Zeinab Tarqi that 120 members signed the transfer voting request while 15 members are required to vote in such conditions.
A few weeks ago, 22 GNC members for the eastern area met (inside the GNC hall that was the home of the Libyan parliament before Gaddafi) with members of local councils and boards of elders, tribal dignitaries, police officers, rebels, and civil society organizations, representing seven local councils in the region; namely, Al Qubbah, Al Abraq, Shahat, Bayda, Sahel, Marj, and Janoub Marj to discuss the city’s ability to host the GNC sittings.
Healthy atmosphere
“I am a supporter of this decision since it will allow GNC members to make decisions in a healthy atmosphere, especially since there are serious decisions under discussion. In addition, the area is ready with its parliament, hotels and everything else,” said Njah Salwhe, GNC member for Bayda, who was part of the delegation.
“As GNC members for the eastern area, we met with councils in the parliament hall, which has symbolism and significance. A member even broke into tears because her father was an MP under the monarchy. The atmosphere of the meeting was so wonderful,” she added.
Salwhe said before that meeting she and a number of her colleagues had held a series of meetings with tribal elders and members of the army, the police and local councils, where they “welcomed the idea and showed willingness to protect and secure the sittings, stressing that area was very safe.”
Challenges
Although the welcoming by officials and dignitaries of the area, which is one of the most stable regions, is a green light to receive the highest elected legislative authority, the road to Bayda will not be made of roses, especially in light of several challenges, at the top of which is insecurity and proliferation of arms.
GNC member for Bayda Moussa Arifi downplayed that, saying, “The situation will be better than it was in Tripoli since no one out of this area or of remote areas will come to the GNC. Besides, security here is better. A joint security chamber comprising the region’s security departments, the army, and the rebels has been established and tasks, such as securing the hall and protecting the hotels, have been distributed.”
The city’s infrastructure and ability of its hotels to host GNC members with their families constitutes another challenge. Arifi said the number would amount to 1,000 who will be staying in the hotels of Bayda and Shahat, 14 kilometers to the east, while service companies will provide them with services.
When asked about the parliament’s headquarters, Arifi said, “Its hall has 600 seats and there are eight main offices associated with it. There are also offices for committees and a company will be assigned with maintaining the administrative building annexed to the hall.”
He explained that all these preparations were precautionary “so that those making such violations know that there is an alternative place where GNC members can meet.”
