Libya: Misrata and Tawergha sign historic peace treaty
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The Libya Observer, and Libya Herald reports that Misrata and Tawergha signed a historic peace treaty to end dispute between the two cities and allow Tawergha IDPs to return “immediately” to their town, ending a seven-year long chapter of conflict and displacement.
The treaty was signed in Misrata by Misrata mayor and head of Tawergha Local Council. The Tawerghans apologized to the Misratans about the atrocities committed by their sons in 2011 in Misrata.
The peace agreement stipulated that Tawergha and Misratah should be coordinated in decisions of public interest, and that those wanted for justice and those belonging to terrorist or extremist groups should not be accommodated by either side.
The two parties will also cooperate in the search for missing persons and guidance to their graves and the search for mass graves, as well as the cessation of all negative media campaigns towards one another and the supervision of the parties to reaction to situations that would provoke discord.
The agreement also provided for the continuation of the “exceptional” Tawergha Local Council until the return of Tawergha to its previous administrative status and the guarantee of return to the town for those who had been residing in it prior to the February 2011 revolution, with the central region and the Misrata Security Directorate taking responsibility for ensuring the safe return for the Tawergha people, and the commitment of the concerned state authorities to fulfil their obligations under the Agreement.
The two sides agreed to “turn the page and forget the past,” and promote social peace and coexistence.
In a first reaction, Libyan Grand Mufti Sadiq al-Gharyani made a TV statement hailing the peace treaty and urging all Libyans to reconcile and allow all IDPs to return to their towns.
The Secretary-General of the Arab European Center for Human Rights and International Law (AECHRIL), Dr. Ramadan Benzeer has told Libyan Express that they were happy to see the cities of Tawergha and Misurata reconcile and bring an end to their dispute that lasted seven years.
“We were glad to see the two cities’ representatives sign the coexistence and reconciliation agreement that would allow IDPs to return to their city. I have been exerting efforts on this humanitarian issue since 2014, meeting with several stakeholders from both cities to reach a final agreement of consent to both sides.” Dr. Benzeer explained.
He added that the (AECHRIL) had put previously a plan on the table for ending the dispute between Misurata and Tawergha, yet the inaction of the government at the time did not help materialize the plan on the ground.
