By Libya Herald staff.
Tripoli, 12 November 2014:
With the first anniversary of Tripoli’s Gharghour massacre just three days away and small clashes erupting in . . .[restrict]the capital between Libya Dawn and anti-Libyan Dawn supporters, the Libyan interim government has said it is watching events in Tripoli closely and that the protestors have a right to engage in peaceful demonstrations.
A year ago there was widespread incredulity and disgust when on 15 November members of a Misrata-led militia fired on a crowd of protestors in Gharghour, killing at least 45 people. The demonstrators had been demanding the departure of armed groups from outside.
A group opposed to Libya Dawn and calling itself the Capital Operations Centre has issued a call to residents in the Greater Tripoli area to take to the streets on 15 November and protest against the presence of Dawn forces.
Protestors in Fashloun, Zawiat Al-Dahmani and Ghut Shaal have already clashed with Libya Dawn-allied militias. As small numbers of pro-House of Representatives (HoR) groups have taken to the streets in these areas, Libya Dawn personnel have swept in and arrested several of the protestors.
The government statement released from Beida yesterday claimed that the demonstrations had been peaceful. It alleged that Libya Dawn armed groups have terrorised those who would protest against them, launching raids, arresting people, confiscating property and firing live ammunition at them.
These are the tactics of a dictatorship, the government declared. They are reminiscent of the systematic oppression used by the previous regime against any opposition.
Citing the 17 February Revolution several times in its statement, the government alleged that armed groups in the capital are trying to take away the very freedoms that had been fought for in the revolution. It reiterated the right of citizens to peaceful protest and to express their opinions without fear of violent reprisal.
The government called on the international community and human rights organizations to monitor and document all violations of human rights committed against protestors, activists and any other citizens.
The government said that, in light of the approaching anniversary of Gharghour, the international community needs to fix its attention on Tripoli because of the potential for violence against residents there. [/restrict]
