When the House of Deputies (CoD) Information, Culture and Civil Society Committee (ICCSC) expressed its discontent with the media, accusing it of not working toward reconciliation and unity, and demanding the removal of ICCSC leadership, the interim Libyan government appointed Khaled Abdulhamid Najm, a new chairman before the formation of the Government of National Accord (GNA). Najm was also nominated Minister of Culture and Information in the GNA.

When the House of Deputies (CoD) Information, Culture and Civil Society Committee (ICCSC) expressed its discontent with the media, accusing it of not working toward reconciliation and unity, and demanding the removal of ICCSC leadership, the interim Libyan government appointed Khaled Abdulhamid Najm, a new chairman before the formation of the Government of National Accord (GNA). Najm was also nominated Minister of Culture and Information in the GNA.

Chairman Najm, your appointment has come after a state of discontent about ICCSC’s past performance and failure to support reconciliation efforts between the disputing groups, as stated in the ICC’s report. What have you done during your month into office? And what are you going to do to support reconciliation efforts?

We are trying to examine all previous issues, resolve all problems and put the ICCSC back in order before embarking on implementing two major issues:

First, developing strategic solutions through drafting laws that regulate the ICCSC, and submitting them to the CoD for adoption during the coming period, ensuring that the ICCSC is governed by legislative and legal controls and regulations.

Second, with regard to the current Libyan crisis, pacifying all media channels and creating some kind of truce so as to clear things for all involved groups and double and focus our efforts on our common goal of combating terrorism and extremism, which are sweeping Libya and threatening our national interest.

We will facilitate all efforts made by the interim government and the GNA to achieve this goal.

The ICC’s decision mentioned dissatisfaction with the unprofessional discourse of Libya Al-Rasmeya TV channel, which resorted to verbal abuse and slander. As a newly appointed ICCSC chairman, do you expect a concrete change in discourse in the near future?

The government’s discourse is supposed to be geared towards unity, pacification and avoidance of abuse and slander. It must work to reconcile differences and unify the country. Any efforts to the contrary will not serve the interests of building and strengthening the Libyan state in the face of the ongoing crisis. The former administration of Libya Al-Rasmeya TV channel further aggravated the problem and the country’s crisis.

Ordinary Libyan citizens ask: If such is the case with the country’s official TV channel, what will be your position vis-à-vis private channels?

At this juncture, the media is a soft weapon used by all groups, whether ideological, regional, opportunistic or tribal, to achieve certain political goals and agendas against political rivals.

How will you handle the private media when you do not control it?

At this point in time, no one can deprive anybody of the weapon they have held through the February 17 revolution. However, we can persuade them to direct these weapons towards a common goal that serves the best interest of the state and its institutions. I believe that our most important mission now is to convince these uncontrollable private organizations to have a common narrative geared to a common goal under the homeland banner.

Is it not an arduous task to assume this office at this time?

I have been there before. I assumed the post of Deputy Director of Information at the Executive Bureau – EB – immediately after the revolution. During the revolution, however, people were united by and around the revolution. I was offered the office during periods of stability, but now I accepted considering that this stage requires a man who can resolve outstanding problems.

The general evaluation of your experience in the EB was not positive because it added nothing to the Libyan media and what came after that was discouraging. Why have you repeated the experience again?

Actually, I assumed that office for only six months and I was only expected at that time of infighting to manage the crisis and keep pace with the media. The task of organizing and restructuring was left to our successors, although we set the visions and plans to help realize that. Unfortunately, our successors neglected these visions and plans.

Who guarantees that your successors will benefit from your plans and laws?

There will be an independent technical committee comprised of media professionals, intellectuals, lawmakers and stakeholders to develop a law to be presented to the CoD. The committee will work in parallel with the Constitution Drafting Assembly. Consequently, our successors are obliged to observe the committee’s decisions to be endorsed by the CoD to regulate the ICC. There has been no media-regulating law since 1970, which is the genuine crisis facing the information system.

We have agreed with the Prime Ministry to issue the committee-regulating law away from political polemics and the prevailing political circumstances. Over four to six months, the committee will be drafting a new regulatory law before referring it to the CoD for endorsement. From that point on, organizing the ICC will start in earnest.

Why do you need up to six months? Can the committee not finalize the draft law within a shorter amount of time?

We did not want to set a short deadline that would not allow for participation of all those involved because we wanted to leave no chance for others to object that they were not involved. Although there are plenty of experiences  to draw upon from other countries, we may need some time to adapt those experiences to the Libyan society with all of its complexities.