By Umar Khan.
Tripoli, 28 May:
The Muslim cleric and political party founder, Ali Salabi, has sparked controversy by meeting with a group . . .[restrict]of former regime members in Cairo yesterday, including the cousin of the slain dictator, Ahmed Qaddaf El-Dum. Salabi has said that he was acting on the instructions of NTC Chairman Mustafa Abdul Jalil, and that the meeting was part of a bid to move towards national reconciliation.
The move has prompted strong criticism of both Salabi and Jalil, who, it is said, acted without first consulting the NTC. “Abdel Jalil must explain the motives that prompted him to take this initiative without consulting the council,” Intissar Al-Akili, a NTC member, said. Al-Akili added that she was even prepared to resign over the issue.
Salabi, who recently helped found the Al-Wataan (Nation) party told AFP that the meeting was intended “alleviate the suffering and bring together Libyans in a state of justice, liberty, equality and law.”
In addition to criticism from within the NTC, Salabi has also come under fire from the leaders of other poltical parties.
Abdur Rehman Shater, general secretary of the National Forces Coalition, said that the meeting was a move to gain support of the former loyalists before the elections to get more votes. “We all support national reconciliation in principle but it was not the right time to do it. It was a move to get more votes and support for his party (Nation). It will not only affect his party but his own credibility.”
The candidate for the National Congress from Misurata and former deputy secretary general of National Front for the Salvation of Libya echoed the same sentiments and said that the meeting was a step in the wrong direction. “He (Ali Salabi) doesn’t represent the Libyan People and the meeting had no legitimacy. Libyan people are very clear on their view regarding the loyalists of the former regime and want to know the reason behind the meeting.”
The Libya Herald asked Muhammad Ghula, coordinator of the Nation Party, regarding Ali Salabi’s meeting with the former regime members. Ghula said that Ali Salabi represents neither the party nor its views. “Ali Salabi is not a member of the party. Anybody can support us but their actions don’t represent the party. We condemn the meeting with the former regime members. National Reconciliation is top on the agenda but we will not talk to anyone who has blood of Libyans on their hands.”
However, Ghula also said that Salabi has already clarified that he was asked to go for the meeting, “It will affect him on a personal level and as a religious cleric but he has clarified that he didn’t arrange the meeting but was asked to meet them in the national interest.”
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