الرئيسية
Libya's former rebels, who battled the forces of dead dictator Moamer
Kadhafi, are demanding greater representation in the National
Transitional Council, a commander from Misrata said on Monday.
The "thwars" (revolutionaries) demand that 40 percent of the NTC be
composed of former rebels "because they are the symbol of this
revolution," said Fraj al-Soueili from Misrata, the port city east of
Tripoli that was besieged by Kadhafi's men.
He was reading the final communique after a conference of the "Union
of Thwars in Libya," which says it represents up to 70 percent of the
ex-rebels.
On Wednesday, NTC chief Mustafa Abdel Jalil called on the former
rebels at the conference in Tripoli to come up with a list of potential
candidates to join the interim body.
"We will choose seven, eight or nine to become members of the national council," he said.
Abdel Jalil's announcement, which came as the NTC faces unprecedented
criticism since the fall of the former regime, was welcomed with rounds
of applause and cries of "Allahu Akbar (God is greatest)."
There are currently around 50 members of the NTC, which must be
dissolved following the election next June of a national congress.
Soueili said civil society groups and local councils should also have
a former rebel representation of 40 percent, 10 percent women and 10
percent from the Amazigh Berber, Toubou and Tuareg minorities.
"The council is not representative enough ... The question is being
discussed (with the authorities), but it's going to happen," said
Al-Bahlul Essid, one of the conference organisers.
He said was it was not a question of dissolving the NTC but enlarging it.
Kadhafi, are demanding greater representation in the National
Transitional Council, a commander from Misrata said on Monday.
The "thwars" (revolutionaries) demand that 40 percent of the NTC be
composed of former rebels "because they are the symbol of this
revolution," said Fraj al-Soueili from Misrata, the port city east of
Tripoli that was besieged by Kadhafi's men.
He was reading the final communique after a conference of the "Union
of Thwars in Libya," which says it represents up to 70 percent of the
ex-rebels.
On Wednesday, NTC chief Mustafa Abdel Jalil called on the former
rebels at the conference in Tripoli to come up with a list of potential
candidates to join the interim body.
"We will choose seven, eight or nine to become members of the national council," he said.
Abdel Jalil's announcement, which came as the NTC faces unprecedented
criticism since the fall of the former regime, was welcomed with rounds
of applause and cries of "Allahu Akbar (God is greatest)."
There are currently around 50 members of the NTC, which must be
dissolved following the election next June of a national congress.
Soueili said civil society groups and local councils should also have
a former rebel representation of 40 percent, 10 percent women and 10
percent from the Amazigh Berber, Toubou and Tuareg minorities.
"The council is not representative enough ... The question is being
discussed (with the authorities), but it's going to happen," said
Al-Bahlul Essid, one of the conference organisers.
He said was it was not a question of dissolving the NTC but enlarging it.