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Libya may not be ready for democracy, says military strongman
Source: The Guardian
Libya may not be ready for democracy, says military strongman
Khalifa Haftar claims he has army of 75,000 men and could try to seize power if unhappy with outcome of UN-led election
Patrick Wintour Diplomatic editor
Wed 10 Jan ‘18 06.00 GMT
The Libyan military strongman Khalifa Haftar has warned that the country may not be ready for democracy even though the UN is planning to hold elections this year.
Haftar, a former CIA asset who controls nearly half of Libya from his base in the east of the country, said: “The upcoming elections in the country must bring a solution to the current bloodshed, but if the situation and the chaos continue after the elections, then we will say ‘enough is enough’ and take action.”
The UN’s plan to hold elections this year has been advanced by Ghassan Salama, the UN special envoy to Libya, and is part of an effort to break a three-year deadlock that has left the oil rich country divided and rudderless.
But the proposal has unnerved some observers who fear that the run-up to the elections will only lead to greater political instability and violence. Haftar’s apparent conditional support for democracy will only add to those fears.
-snip-
Khalifa Haftar claims he has army of 75,000 men and could try to seize power if unhappy with outcome of UN-led election
Patrick Wintour Diplomatic editor
Wed 10 Jan ‘18 06.00 GMT
The Libyan military strongman Khalifa Haftar has warned that the country may not be ready for democracy even though the UN is planning to hold elections this year.
Haftar, a former CIA asset who controls nearly half of Libya from his base in the east of the country, said: “The upcoming elections in the country must bring a solution to the current bloodshed, but if the situation and the chaos continue after the elections, then we will say ‘enough is enough’ and take action.”
The UN’s plan to hold elections this year has been advanced by Ghassan Salama, the UN special envoy to Libya, and is part of an effort to break a three-year deadlock that has left the oil rich country divided and rudderless.
But the proposal has unnerved some observers who fear that the run-up to the elections will only lead to greater political instability and violence. Haftar’s apparent conditional support for democracy will only add to those fears.
-snip-
Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jan/10/libya-may-not-be-ready-for-democracy-says-military-strongman
