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By Libya Herald reporters.
Tunis, 8 March 2017:
The House of Representatives’ decision yesterday to suspend its involvement in the National Dialogue and reject parts of the Libya Political Agreement has drawn criticism from two of its members.
Hamuda Siyala, who represents Tripoli Central, said the fighting in the Oil Crescent demonstrated why continuing with the political process was so important.
Siyala told the Libya’s Channel TV that the country had to set aside political conflict to defend its people and protect its most important source of income, oil. Siyala said the HoR deputies should convene a meeting and tell its president Ageela Saleh that it was a terrible idea to leave the ddialogue.
The HoR needed to be given a chance to defuse the Oil Crescent crisis and it had to be united to do so. Everyone would lose out if hostilities continued, he added.
Musab Abulgasim, one of the members for Hay Al-Andalus, described the vote as “illegal” and told reporters such an important decision could not be made with only 38 voting in favour, from a reported turnout of 56. Abulgasim’s comments are ironic because he is one of the 73 boycotters of the Dialogue discussions and was not therefore present for the vote that has completely pulled the HoR from the Dialogue.
He added that the LPA had to be the framework on which to base any amendments or discussions.
Misrata HoR member Mohamed Raied has also condemned the vote as illegal.
So too has the National Commission for Human Rights in Libya, insisting it would badly affect the country’s unity.
