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By Libya Herald reporter.
Tunis, 13 February 2016:
Cyrenaica federalists protested in Benghazi yesterday against the new constitution proposed by the Constitutional Drafting . . .[restrict]Assembly (CDA). The latest 110-clause draft was released by the CDA earlier this month.
The protests coincided with a number of CDA members meeting in Tunis which looked at further consultation on the draft – “to listen to additional inputs and opinions” as a press release put it – ahead of the final version being published. CDA president Ali Tarhouni and 22 other members took part in a roundtable session on Wednesday and Thursday which also included lawyers and 17 representatives of Libya civil society organisations.
The main aim, however, was to “explore the challenges that may still lie ahead” in getting the next constitution approved and activated.
At a press conference yesterday, Tarhouni indicated that the main challenge was the division and lack of stability in the country. Until that was ended there certainly could be no referendum, whatever the constitution proposed.
He also called on those boycotting the CDA to assume their responsibilities and to return and finish the task.
Tuareg and Tebu members started a boycott in August claiming that the rights of Libya’s minorities were being deliberately ignored. There are other divisions that have affected the work of the assembly. [/restrict]
