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By Sami Zaptia.
Tripoli, 1 September 2014:
Speaking in an extended interview on Libya Awalan TV Saturday night, House of Representatives (HoR) member . . .[restrict]Abubaker Baera said that “the General National Congress (GNC) has no legal or constitutional basis. They cannot let go of power. They do not want a political solution. They want a political crises”, he stressed.
Baera is the oldest member of the HoR and as a result acted as its president in its opening meeting. He lost out to Ageela Salah Issa in the election of president of the HoR.
“The GNC ‘s authority and rein are over. They are looking for a straw to hang on to power. The GNC’s Libya Dawn (military operation in Tripoli) is a political game which (like the GNC) is unrecognized by the international community. Baera pointed out how Algeria did not receive the former GNC president Nurri Abusahmain in a recent trip, as an example of lack of international recognition.
He contrasted Algeria’s snub of Abusahmain to the announcement last week by the Gulf Cooperation Council of its recognition of the legitimacy of the HoR. “The GNC is ill with power. They forget history quickly”, Baera said.
On the competing Prime Minister appointed by the GNC, Omar Al-Hassi, Baera said that Hassi was looking for a job explaining that Hassi had put forward his name unsuccessfully for other jobs, such as that of the prime minister. “Now he enters Libyan history in a bad light”, claimed Baera. Hassi’s GNC appointed government is “an overthrow of legitimacy”, said Baera
Division of Libya
Baera accused the anti HoR political stream of wishing to divide Libya. “The HoR has no part in the splitting of Libya. It is being forced upon us”.
International community sanctions
The international community should impose tough sanctions against the GNC and its supporters, Baera said, referring to the recent UN Security Council resolution. Baera said that he expects that a list of 250 people against whom there will be action taken will be released on Monday.
Baera admitted that the HoR did not do enough to contact the international community. “We should have sent delegations on a tour of countries to explain our case”, he explained.
“We should visit Russia. We have a lot of arms from them. We need to fix them and we need expertise from them”. On Turkey’s position on Libya, Baera thought that there may have been confusion between Libya and Turkey. “They invited the HoR president but he did not go. This could have been misinterpreted”.
Libya: a risk for international stability
Libya is a headache for its neighbours and the dispersion of weapons and the problem of illegal migration is a big problem, especially for Europe. If security fails in Libya, the whole world will suffer, Baera said ominously.
“The international community must help Libya collect the arms of the military groups in order to achieve internal stability in Libya”.
Democracy
“The losing party should learn to lose sportingly as happens in the rest of the world. In our country they do not accept defeat. This is the people’s will. The people turned on them in a big way after three years of the GNC without progress”, Baera said of the losing political stream that is currently opposing the HoR politically and militarily.
Libya’s Grand Mufti
Baera said that he thought that the Grand Mufti should be on top of the list of 250 people and referred to revelations in a recent Guardian (British) newspaper article which questioned how the Grand Mufti could be allowed to remain in the UK in view of his inciting comments.
Dialogue – not under the barrel of a gun
On the possibility of dialogue with those in opposition to the HoR, Baera said that there must be dialogue between all sectors of Libyan society, but that there could not be dialogue between the legitimate and constitutional HoR and an illegitimate and unconstitutional body – the GNC. ” There can be no dialogue under the barrel of a gun”, he stressed.
Thinni resignation and the new government
On the recent resignation of the Abdullah Thinni government, Baera said that it was right that his government resigned in order to enable the HoR to choose a new prime minister and government.
Baera thought that, in his personal view, Thinni should be reappointed as prime minister to avoid a divisive battle for prime minister and ministerial positions. He felt that Thinni should choose a reduced crises government of 9-10 ministers.
He also felt that there should be less Deputy Ministers and that Ministers should have a say in their appointment so that they do not become a burden to their Ministers.
Baera anticipated that the issue of the new Prime Minister and government would be debated by the HoR on Sunday. [/restrict]
