By Sami Zaptia.
Tripoli 10 August 2014:
Caretaker Prime Minister Abdullah Thinni called upon army personnel yesterday to adhere to military laws and . . .[restrict]regulations and have pride in and loyalty to the army for the defence of the nation and its borders.
Thinni was speaking to mark the occasion of the 74th anniversary of the formation of the Libyan army under King Idris. The Caretaker Prime Minister said that there is a need for security personnel to participate in building police and army in order to lay the foundations of security and stability in Libya.
Thinni praised the Senusi army for its role in the liberation of Libya against Italian occupation, and taking a broadside at regular complaints from current Libyan security personnel of a lack of resources, Thinni added that the Senusi army was able to achieve despite the lack of material resources and human resources.
He further implicitly criticized the current militias and security forces by saying that the Senusi army went on to become an army that represented all regions of Libya gathered under the banner of the nation.
He expressed regret that what is happening now after these long years of demolition of this great creation and the assault on the army’s prestige and the change of loyalty and belonging by those who have inherited it.
The Caretaker Prime Minister was speaking at a time when opposing militias seem intent on tearing apart the capital and maybe the whole nation in a war over power and territory. The irony is that both fighting camps of militias are officially recognized – and paid handsomely – by the state as part of the army.
However, both camps have been outside the central democratically elected control of the Chief of Staff, government or legislature, and have shown loyalty only to their own interests, leaders, militia, tribe, city or region. [/restrict]
