By Ayman Amzein.
Benghazi 26 October, 2015:
Friday’s missile attack in Benghazi which left nine people who had been demonstrating in Kish Square . . .[restrict]dead and 35 injured appears to have hardened local opinion against the final draft of the peace deal produced by the UN-brokered Libya Dialogue.
The Libya Herald randomly canvassed views about the peace deal and the planned national unity government to be led by Faiez Al-Serraj and while not done in the structured form of an opinion poll, not one person expressed support for the government or the final draft (that of 8 October). Some demanded the draft widely known as the fourth draft (in fact, it was the sixth version) be accepted. This was the one initialled at a ceremony in Skhirat, Morocco, on 11 July and which the House of Representatives says is the only Draft that they will accept.
“I’m happy with the Draft 4,” said 23-year-old student Ahmed Al-Warfali, “but I am opposed to many of the names that have been suggested for the government and other positions, especially [Abdurrahman] Sewehli.”
Support for the same version came from medical doctor Mohamed Al-Barasi, 33. It was the only that could be accepted, he stated. A number of other respondents also said they would back a deal but only the 11 July draft.
Most, however, rejected both the dialogue and the unity government completely. “I’m now opposed to the dialogue and proposed government, said Ali Elzawi, 40. For 28-year-old Saad Fathi, none of the drafts was acceptable. What was on offer was “far too complicated”, he added. Unemployed Abdullah Elshatshat , 24, agreed complaining that the Dialogue was imposed by the West and the unity government would work to the West’s agenda.
Several others demanded that a military council run the country with Khalifa Hafter in charge, or even independence for Cyrenaica.
“After the Kish massacre I’m not interested in a unity government or dialogue” said 35-year-old Bubakr Eljazwi. “I want a military council.”
Khalid Elkanduz, 37-year-old-teacher agreed. “I’m not interested in the Dialogue. I want a military council with Khalifa Hafter leading it,” he said.
Salem Elbadri, an 18 year-old student, took an even more radical position. “I don’t care about the Dialogue or the government. I want the country split into two.”
From other residents, however, there was simply hope that a deal could be done but pessimism that it would happen in the near future. “We get on with life as best we can,” said housewife Noura, “We go shopping, we visit family and friends. And we pray that a random shell will not fall on us.”
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