LIBYA:Reshuffle of Libya opposition group a chance to restore confidence – U.S. + More Related News
Laaska News August 11,2011
Two Libyan diplomats expelled from Denmark
Libyan rebels issue timetable for post-Gaddafi constitution
South African protestors demand NATO forces out of Libya
Reshuffle of Libya opposition group a chance to restore confidence: U.S.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) — The U.S. State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland said on Wednesday that the reshuffle of the National Transitional Council (NTC), Libya’s main opposition group, is a chance to restore confidence for the opposition leadership.
“This is an opportunity for renewal, not only in political terms, but in terms of the confidence that the Libyan people are going to have to have in NTC leadership,” Nuland told reporters.
“So it’s in that spirit that we want to see the next step, which is for Prime Minister Jalil to propose, and for the NTC to consider a new government,” she said, urging it to be “open, transparent and broadly representative.”
“I think in terms of the U.S. role in this, or other countries’ role, it is simply to ensure that we are providing any advice that they would like, and that we are making clear that the principles of transparency, openness, unity, broad representation are goals that they share,” Nuland added.
Mustafa Abdel Jalil, leader of the NTC, dismissed the council’s executive board on Monday, saying the 14 board members dismissed should take responsibility for the assassination of the opposition ‘s military commander Abdel-Fattah Younis.
Younis was killed on July 28 and the reason for his death remained unclear. His death was a strong setback for the rebels, for the situation not only exposed internal rifts in the opposition camp, but also embarrassed the Western countries supporting the rebels.
The United States had asked the opposition camp to keep solidarity and internal order. Analysts believed Jalil’s move to sack the old cabinet was an effort to restore the opposition’s credibility.
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South African protestors demand NATO forces out of Libya
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JOHANNESBURG, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) — A South African society group demanded the withdrawal of North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) forces out of Libya on Wednesday.
The group named the South Africans for Peace in Africa Initiative handed over a memorandum to the U. S. embassy in Pretoria, demanding NATO “stop murdering innocent women and children” in Libya.
According to South African Press Association (SAPA), David Maimela, spokesman for the group, said, “NATO has no legitimate right to be in Libya. It must withdraw and do so unconditionally.”
He rejected the West’s “re-colonization” of Africa.
In the memorandum, the initiative, which campaigns for peaceful resolution of conflicts on the continent, expressed concern about the destruction of clinics, hospitals, schools, houses and other facilities in Libya.
Almost 50 marchers sang and chanted as they walked to the embassy accompanied by police. They included students and members of the Pan Africanist Congress wearing white T-shirts bearing the slogan: “NATO stop bombing Libya now.”
The group also criticized the United States for trying to be “policeman of the world” and interfering in the internal affairs of other countries.
U. S. Embassy spokeswoman Elizabeth Trudeau received the document and promised to send it to Washington. She took the group’s demands “very seriously.”
The initiative wants an immediate withdrawal of this resolution, which the South African government supported when it was announced.
SAPA reported that the march also had support from the Young Communist League, the SA Council of Churches and the Muslim Judicial Council of SA.
Protesters dispersed peacefully after marching to the British High Commission and the French Embassy to deliver the same memorandum.
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Libyan rebels issue timetable for post-Gaddafi constitution
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BENGHAZI, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) — Libyan rebels had formulated a timetable concerning its constitution-drafting in post-Gaddafi era, National Transitional Council (NTC) spokesman Abdel Hafiz Ghoga announced on Wednesday at a press conference.
The constitution announcement contains 37 items, Ghoga said.
After nationwide liberation, Libya will establish its government within 30 days, publish its electoral law within 90 days, and launch congress elections within 240 days and by that time Libyan Prime Minister would be elected and laws be made, according to the announcement.
Thirty days after the establishment of national congress, a committee will be formed and a draft constitution be made in the ensuing 60 days, it said.
Then in the following 30 days, Libya will ignite a referendum on the draft constitution, according to the announcement.
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Two Libyan diplomats expelled from Denmark
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COPENHAGEN, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) — Two remaining Libyan diplomats serving in Denmark would be sent home to Libya within the next five days, the Danish foreign minister has said.
“The two remaining diplomats are declared persona non grata,” said Lene Espersen in comments to Denmark’s Politiken newspaper published on Wednesday.
The two diplomats are named as Vice-Consul Saleh Omar Abu Rwesha and Economic Affairs Attache Khaled Mansour Salem el-Asfar.
They received their marching orders at a meeting of Denmark’s Foreign Ministry’s protocol division Monday night, Espersen said.
The Danish government’s initial hope was that the two diplomats concerned would switch loyalties to Libya’s Transitional National Council, which Denmark now recognises as the legitimate authority in Libya, instead of the government led by Muammar Gaddafi.
On May 27, Denmark expelled Libya’s Consul-General Muner Eldawani who had openly declared his loyalty to Gaddafi.
But the two other diplomats had initially been allowed to stay, and have not made any public statements about where their allegiance lies.
“They have decided to remain as diplomats chosen by Gaddafi. Therefore, we have decided to say that they must leave the country,” Espersen explained.
She said that the marching orders would not come as a surprise to the diplomats, who now have five days to pack up and leave.
Libya has been embroiled in a civil-war like situation since February, which has pitted the forces of Gaddafi, headquartered in the country’s capital Tripoli in western Libya, against a broad coalition of rebel forces who have their stronghold in Benghazi, the country’s second-city, in the east.
Since March, a UN mandate has permitted a NATO-led coalition, including military aircraft from Denmark, to enforce a no-fly zone over the embattled country.
Xinhua
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