The role of the United Nations in Libya’s suffering
On 9 February, the Panel of Experts of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Committee concerning Libya provided its interim report to this committee. The UN has not published the interim report nor made public its 11 recommendations but the Committee declared it would be following up 8 of these which related to its own work. This committee is currently chaired by Olof Skoog, Sweden’s representative to the UN and its resolutions are drafted by the UK mission to the UN, which is the current penholder for this committee.
However, on 7 February, Reuters news agency published an article in which it claimed to have seen the interim report. It stated that the Panel of Experts had reported to the committee that “most armed groups involved in human smuggling and trafficking in Libya have links to the country’s official security institutions”. The report went on to say that these groups “have specialized in illegal smuggling activities, notably human smuggling and trafficking”. The report further stated that Eritrean migrants reported being “arrested by the Special Deterrence Force (SDF), which is an armed group affiliated with the internationally recognized Government of National Accord’s Ministry of Interior” and then being handed over to various smuggling rings.
However, on 7 February, Reuters news agency published an article in which it claimed to have seen the interim report. It stated that the Panel of Experts had reported to the committee that “most armed groups involved in human smuggling and trafficking in Libya have links to the country’s official security institutions”. The report went on to say that these groups “have specialized in illegal smuggling activities, notably human smuggling and trafficking”. The report further stated that Eritrean migrants reported being “arrested by the Special Deterrence Force (SDF), which is an armed group affiliated with the internationally recognized Government of National Accord’s Ministry of Interior” and then being handed over to various smuggling rings.
Libya's capital, Tripoli, before NATO destruction
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Sirte in Libya after NATO destruction
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In a mid-January briefing to the UNSC, Ghassan Salamé, Special Representative and head of the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), stated that the “spectre of violence” is present in many parts of the country and that the “the fabric of Libyan society is frayed”. As well as the widespread violence which still racks the country, 7 years after NATO’s barbaric attack, the UNSC was informed that there are also summary executions and that “the displacement crisis in Libya is one of huge complexities”.
UN Security Council passing resolution 1973:
(10 in favour (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Colombia, France, Gabon, Lebanon, Nigeria, Portugal, South Africa, United Kingdom, United States of America)
(Against 0)
(5 abstentions (Brazil, China, Germany, India, Russian Federation)
The UNSC cannot claim it is unaware of the consequences of the destruction of Libyan society, which was carried out by NATO and greenlighted by its own notorious resolutions 1970 and 1973 of 2011. However, at no point has the UN or its Security Council acknowledged their responsibility for the current suffering of the Libyan people nor the gross human rights abuses which are taking place in that country. The UNSC in providing diplomatic cover for NATO’s war of aggression against Libya acted in violation of its own charter which charges it with defending world peace and opposing wars of aggression. With regard to Africa, this is consistent with the UN’s previous activity. The UN must end its interference in Africa in defence of war and violation of the rights of Africa and her people.
