Libyan Member of Parliament Jaballah Al-Shaibani has said that the reconciliation agreement between Misrata and Tawergha does not grant Misrata the right to maintain permanent control over Tawergha or deprive its residents of their rights.
In a statement on Facebook, Al-Shaibani said he did not wish to “reopen wounds” or provoke painful memories, but argued that an important truth had to be stated. He said the return of Tawergha’s displaced residents came as a result of international and local pressure, the determination and sacrifices of Tawergha’s people, and the refusal of several wise figures in Misrata to support the displacement project.
He said the former Government of National Accord issued a decision allowing the unconditional return of Tawergha’s residents, followed by the Misrata-Tawergha reconciliation agreement in response to these efforts.
However, Al-Shaibani claimed that the agreement later planted the seeds of a long-term strategy of control and domination. He argued that the deal was a social agreement, not a legally binding document, and did not provide any basis for permanent control or for placing one side under the authority of another.
He added that the agreement could not be used as evidence that Tawergha had accepted subordination or the loss of its basic human rights.
Al-Shaibani said this position was supported by legal opinions, noting that the agreement was signed under difficult circumstances marked by the absence of the state, the collapse of institutions, and a serious imbalance of power between the two sides.
He also said he had previously discussed the issue of Tawergha Municipality with Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbaiba, who told him that “there is an agreement that must be respected.”
Al-Shaibani concluded by saying that efforts would continue to push back against what he described as injustice facing Tawergha and its people.