TAWERGA
TAWERGHA
Tawergha was once a bustling town of 50,000 Libyans.
It is now completely abandoned.
Ethnic cleansing, genocide and war crimes!
On August 11, NTC fighters led by Misrata brigades overtook Gaddafi forces there. In the days following, Misrata brigades ransacked the town and forced the remaining population to flee. Since then, Misrata rebels and militias have carried out reprisal attacks against Tawerghans and are preventing the population from returning.
Tawerghans, known for their strong loyalties to Gaddafi, claim they are being collectively punished for the acts of a few soldiers from other towns. The Misratans maintain that the Tawerghans committed, or harbored those who committed, atrocities during the long and bloody three-month siege of Misrata, including indiscriminate shelling of civilians and systematic acts of rape.
Now a convoy of 100 Tawerghan families who had left from Ajdabiya were stopped near Bin Jawad on the road to Sirte. It was believed they were unable to receive permission from Bunyan Al-Marsous to cross any further.
In response, the Serraj PC had accused unnamed parties of “seeking to undermine the agreement” and had called on all those involved to work towards returning the people to Tawergha safely.
Tawerghans, known for their strong loyalties to Gaddafi, claim they are being collectively punished for the acts of a few soldiers from other towns. The Misratans maintain that the Tawerghans committed, or harbored those who committed, atrocities during the long and bloody three-month siege of Misrata, including indiscriminate shelling of civilians and systematic acts of rape.
Now a convoy of 100 Tawerghan families who had left from Ajdabiya were stopped near Bin Jawad on the road to Sirte. It was believed they were unable to receive permission from Bunyan Al-Marsous to cross any further.
In response, the Serraj PC had accused unnamed parties of “seeking to undermine the agreement” and had called on all those involved to work towards returning the people to Tawergha safely.
Following the announcement, on 1 February 2018, several hundreds of Tawergha IDP families coming from various areas across Libya, including Bani Walid (over 100km from Tawergha), Tarhouna (over 80km from Bani Walid), Tripoli, Sabha, Brak, and Benghazi, attempted to return to their homes. However, as the Tawergha IDPs approached their destination, they were blocked by armed groups, who threatened to use violence, including reportedly by firing live bullets and RPGs in the air.
In the evening of 4 February, the PC released a statement denouncing the attack by Misrata groups against the IDPs at Qararat al-Qataf, while expressing praise and support to the efforts of Misrata Municipality, the Tawergha Local Council and the joint committee to find a solution to the stand-off. However, the issue remains unresolved to date.
In the evening of 4 February, the PC released a statement denouncing the attack by Misrata groups against the IDPs at Qararat al-Qataf, while expressing praise and support to the efforts of Misrata Municipality, the Tawergha Local Council and the joint committee to find a solution to the stand-off. However, the issue remains unresolved to date.
Quick access guide to the core concepts contained in this Durable Solutions Framework for Libya
General Concepts
General Concepts
- Government is the primary mandated body to oversee the protection of IDPs and the search for / attainment of Durable Solutions for IDPs, as stated in the African Union Convention for the Protection of IDPs in Africa (Kampala Convention) to which the Government of Libya is a signatory
- Durable solutions can be achieved through return to place of origin, resettlement to a third location or local integration at the place of displacement. In the context of Libya, the principle focus is on return and resettlement.
- The attainment of a durable solution for IDPs is dependent on the achievement of the following 8 conditions: Promoting long term safety and security; enjoyment of an adequate standard of living; access to livelihoods and employment; effective and accessible mechanisms to restore housing land and property; access to personal and other documentation; family reunification as an element of durable solutions; participation in public affairs; access to effective remedies and justice.
- The Pre-conditions for achieving durable solutions include: Voluntary and informed choice of location for durable solutions; participation of IDPs in the planning and management of durable solutions; adequate mechanisms to provide IDPs with security of tenure at sites of return and resettlement; inclusion of host communities with respect to ‘Do No Harm’ principles
- Responsibility for coordination of IDP durable solutions programming rests with the Government of Libya and their appointed steering committee / technical working group.
- Durable solutions programming must take into consideration the vulnerability context, how it has changed post conflict and the risk profile of sites of return / resettlement.
- Durable solutions should seek to re-build the capital asset base of disaster affected households, taking into consideration the relationship between capital assets and the fact that support for restoration of certain capital assets will have trickle down benefits of others.
- Transforming structures and processes are key to achieving durable solutions and focus on the socio-political, legislative, policy and cultural environment in which communities return or resettle.
- The attainment of a durable solution / secure livelihood outcomes will only be achievable if the recovery process is addressed holistically, taking into consideration the multiple but related factors.
- On no account should the analytical, planning or logistical requirements of long term recovery programmes delay, complicate or prevent the provision of time critical humanitarian assistance.
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True, it is difficult if some are celebrating the revolution while others are living in camps and have a miserable life
Now, years on from the start of the Libyan revolution, one major humanitarian issue awaits resolution: the internal displacement
Libyan authorities must urgently find a durable solution to end the continued forcible displacement.
Sure We Do Not Want To Injustice Each Other.