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Almost all political and social debates about Libya nowadays are centred on the presidential and legislative elections scheduled to be held on 24 December. Ever since the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum (LPDF) agreed the date, the issue has dominated the lives of ordinary Libyans.

There is an overwhelming demand that the elections should not be delayed or cancelled under any circumstances. Logistical and security issues aside, commentators and political pundits avoid asking the fundamental question of whether or not the people of Libya are ready to decide their own future, and if they can actually do so in December. Most commentators seem to believe that the elections are an end in themselves.

Those who believe that the Libyans are not yet ready for elections usually point to the 2014 legislative election as an example where a popular vote failed to end the conflict. Instead, it created more divisions, political deadlock and war. Election opponents think that the 2014 elections not only failed to end the civil war, but also threatened the country's territorial integrity.

We also have to remember that it was the elected parliament, whose mandate has long since expired, that overwhelmingly supported self-styled Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar's attack on the capital, Tripoli. Much of the political division in the country today is linked directly to the April 2019 offensive on Tripoli which ended in defeat for Haftar in June last year. One consequence of that offensive has been increased foreign meddling in Libya's internal affairs. Turkey, for example, sent troops and scores of Syrian mercenaries to help the previous UN-recognised government repel the attack. Haftar also benefitted from thousands of mercenaries from Russia and a handful of African nationals from Chad and Sudan.

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However, the UN's mediators have long since viewed elections as the only way out of the current political impasse in Libya. They argue that the political legitimacy of almost all parties in power, including the parliament, has all but eroded thanks to their failure to deliver anything to the Libyan people. Furthermore, Ghassan Salame, the former UN envoy to Libya, believes that the political class has evolved into what he described as a "status quo" political party benefitting from the current situation and ready to do anything to prevent elections from taking place. This is the main reason for the UN's initiative of the LPDF acting as a mini-parliament to bypass the current parliament long since paralysed by seemingly never ending political quarrels while losing all moral and legal authority.

After succeeding in electing the current prime minister, Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh, along with a three-member Presidency Council, the LPDF talks stalled again. The 75-member forum failed to agree on a constitutional base for the 24 December elections. Dbeibeh's Government of National Unity has so far been unable to achieve much of main objectives such as unifying the military and security forces, and above all getting foreign forces and mercenaries out of Libya. Furthermore, and despite gaining the confidence of parliament in March in what was hailed as a great success, the same parliament is yet to approve the government's proposed budget. The prime minister blames the parliament for the delay while parliament accuses Dbeibeh of stalling the debate by rejecting budget amendments requested by its budget committee. Over two months has passed now and no budget deal is in sight, further limiting the government's ability to discharge its duties. In the meantime, the election deadline is getting closer by the day.

Many observers think that Libyan voters are not yet immersed in the election process while subjected to barrage of misinformation. Indeed, the number of registered voters inside the country is close to three million people, with more than a 53 per cent increase in the voters abroad. However, this does not mean that all registered voters will bother to cast their ballots.

As far as political expert Hussein Abdelsalam is concerned, the surge in voter registration is a "good sign" that people are ready to decide "their destiny despite all the hurdles." Abdelsalam pointed out that, "Libyans are not happy with the entire political class and they see elections as the only way to get rid of it."

However, for law professor Adil Suliman of Tripoli University, democracy is more than voting. It is a "complete package" that involves not only voting, but also "making the right choice when voting." This can only happen, according to the professor, in "a secure environment free from any constraints" in which the public "receives correct information." This; however, is absent in Libya. He said that while people are enthusiastic about elections, "they have little faith in the entire process while lacking the experience." Prior to the 2012 and 2014 elections, Libyans had not voted for decades.

None of which answers the simple question: can elections really settle the conflict and end the war? According to Prof. Suliman, there is no guarantee but it could help on the long road towards "a new Libya". What Libya really needs now, he explained, are not elections but "stability, reconciliation, independence from foreign meddling and a little accountability." The LPDF's roadmap that installed the current government envisions elections only after the departure of all foreign troops from Libya. In fact, that is one of the conditions for free and fair elections to take place.

For ordinary Libyans, though, as long as the current politicians still dominate the political landscape miserable living conditions will continue. Prof. Suliman agrees that daily life in the country is a "difficult struggle" for all Libyans but he thinks elections are unlikely to end the "hardship" we live in.

Political scientist Abdelgader Fathalla, from the University of Benghazi in eastern Libya, says that elections might not produce a "comprehensive solution but they are the only way out" of the status quo. Does that mean Libyans are ready to decide their own destiny in December? "We can only know the answer to this question if elections go ahead," he concluded.

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The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Middle East Monitor.

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Are the people of Libya ready to decide their future? - Middle East Monitor

Libyan citizens can now head to the Maltese Embassy in Tripoli in order to require visa services, as the latter will start processing visa applications.

The Maltese Embassy has signed a contract with VFS Global to ease the visa application process and will start issuing visas at the end of this month, according to Libyan news media, SchengenVisaInfo.com reports.

However, due to the current COVID-19 situation, the visas will be granted only for essential travel, and following the EU Council recommendations for business, medical and educational purposes, the reunion of family members, or other similar reasons.

Travellers are also urged to follow strict health restrictions on travel amid the ongoing pandemic.

In December 2020, Malta agreed to start issuing Schengen visas from the visa application centre in Tripoli. Such an announcement came after a visit to Tripoli by Finance Minister Clyde Caruana. He met Former Libyan PM Ahmed Maiteeq, Interior Minister Fathi Bashagha, and Transport Minister Milad Maitouq.

Back then ministry stressed that various topics of mutual interest for both countries were discussed, amongst them; air connection between Malta and Libya, the resumption of Air Malta flights to and from Libya, the training of Libyan public sector employees in Malta, as well as investment between the two countries.

Previously, the Prime Minister of Libya, Abdul Hamid Dbeibah, sought more support from Maltas government in order to ease the travel process within both territories.

In April, it was reported by Libyan media that the flights between both countries would resume within days.

Back then, it was reported that both countries reached an agreement in order to ease the visa procedures for Lybian citizens who would be able to obtain a visa from Libyas capital.

However, the COVID-19 situation provoked a decrease in the number of Schengen Visas issued worldwide, as Schengen countries temporarily suspended the issuance of visas in a bid to stop the spread of the virus and its new strains.

SchengenVisaInfo.com previously reported that in 2019, nearly 17 million people from third countries applied for a visa in order to reach Schengen Zone countries, while in 2020, the number of visas issued was under three million (2,924,365).

Despite the 82.7 per cent decrease recorded in the number of applications, the rate of visa denials also increased from 9.9 worldwide in 2019 to 13.6 per cent in 2020.

Original post:
Malta's Embassy in Libya to Start Processing Travel Visas at the End of August - SchengenVisaInfo.com - SchengenVisaInfo.com

The conflict at the center of Star Wars between the evil Galactic Empire and the brave heroes of the Rebellion is one of the most famous in cinema history. Ever since A New Hope in 1977, audiences have been enthralled by Luke Skywalkers efforts to bring peace to the galaxy but did you know that the film almost caused a very real war?

The very first Star Warsmovie, now calledA New Hope, was filmed in the North African country of Tunisia, in 1976. After rejecting his own idea of setting the movie on a jungle world as it would make him itchy, director and creator George Lucas decided to start the story on a desert planet and searched the globe for a suitable location. Given Tatooines key role as the hiding place of Obi-Wan Kenobi and Luke Skywalker, getting it right was essential.

With its blazing sun and unspoiled sand dunes, the Tunisian desert was perfect, and principal photography began on March 22, 1976. The work immediately ran into problems as Lucas fell behind schedule thanks to malfunctioning props and equipment. To make matters worse, an ultra-rare rainstorm hit the desert production. As cinematographer Gilbert Taylor remembered, you couldnt really see where the land ended and the sky began. It was all a gray mess, and the robots were just a blur.

Construction crews at the southwest town of Tozeur worked for eight weeks on the project. Eventually, Lucas and his team were able to film with the completed sets and vehicles for two weeks. Still, little went well. Anthony Daniels (C-3PO) couldnt see out of his costume thanks to corrosion proofing and sand sent R2-D2 haywire. And then there was the threat of war

Tunisia has two neighbors: Algeria to the West and Libya to the East; at the time, Libya was ruled by dictator Colonel Muammar Gaddafi.

Relations between Gaddafis Libya and almost everyone else in the world were tense. The colonel was undoubtedly nervous following a failed coup against him just the year before. Libyan relations with Tunisia were particularly poor, with Libya expelling thousands of Tunisian workers the same month that principal photography on Star Wars began in the desert. The situation only worsened when Tunisia claimed to have uncovered a plot targeting high-ranking officials, and that Libya was involved. They even alleged that Gaddafi was plotting to assassinate then-Prime Minister Hadi Nouira.

And now we go back to Star Wars. You see,from a distance, Sandcrawlers can look quite like military vehicles

We can only imagine the horror of Libyan border guards when they spotted this massive construct lumbering around the desert. Gaddafi was incensed by the reports, and demanded that Tunisia immediately end their provocations caused by the deployment of a massive military vehicle near the border, warning that war was inevitable if Tunisia did not comply and withdraw.

Not wanting to see his beloved new sets blown to smithereens nor spark a war, Lucas agreed to move the Sandcrawler to a less provocative location. He wrapped filming just a few days behind schedule and Star Wars went on to become a cultural touchstone, grossing $775.8 million and generating millions of dollars in tourism revenue in Tunisia for decades to come.

We can only pity the messenger who had to tell Colonel Gaddafi that the enemy had, in fact, been Jawas.

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How Star Wars nearly sparked a real-life war between Tunisia and Libya - Winter Is Coming

Another batch of Nigerians repatriated from Libya on Tuesday

By Lizzy Okoji

The Embassy of Nigeria in Tripoli, Libya, on Wednesday, repatriated another batch of 107 Nigerians stranded in Libya in continuation of its rescue operations to ensure no Nigerian is stranded in the country.

Mr Kabiru Musa, Charg Daffaires en titre of Nigeria to Libya disclosed this in statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday.

According Musa, the 107 evacuees, mostly victims of human trafficking were expected to arrive the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja on Wednesday night.

Musa said that the Nigerian mission in Libya had made it a priority to ensure no Nigerian was left stranded in Libya or subjected to inhuman treatment.

The evacuees, mostly young men and women were either irregular migrants or victims of human trafficking, some of whom were cajoled into the dangerous journey in search of proverbial and elusive greener pasture.

The evacuation exercise was carried out by NAF aircraft C-130 H which arrived same day with all the 107 passengers at Nnamdi International airport at 12 midnight (Nigerian time).

In compliance with COVID-19 regulations, a day before their departure from Mitiga International Airport in Tripoli, all the passengers took the mandatory PCR test for coronavirus and only those with negative results were allowed to board the aircraft.

With sustained coordination of Ministry of Foreign Affairs and support of Ministry of Defence, the Mission will continue to render usual consular assistance to Nigerians in difficult circumstances in Libya, Musa stated.

Musa also appreciated the cooperation of the Libyan authorities for the successful evacuation exercise.

The mission had earlier evacuated 100 stranded Nigerians on Aug. 13.

Read more here:
FG repatriates another batch of 107 Nigerians stranded in Libya - The News

A new body was recovered from a mass grave in Tarhuna city, south of the capital Tripoli, the Libya Observer reported Thursday.

In March, the Libyan authority said it has a list of 3,650 missing persons in different Libyan cities, including 350 in Tarhuna, which was a stronghold of putschist Gen. Khalifa Haftar before he was defeated and forced to leave the city in June 2020.

According to official Libyan sources, Haftar's forces and affiliated militias committed war crimes and acts of genocide in the period between April 2019 and June 2020.

As of July, over 140 bodies have been exhumed in a slow process that began in June 2020 after the town was captured from eastern-based forces loyal to warlord Haftar. The al-Kaniyat militia had first supported the internationally recognized Government of National Accord (GNA) based in Tripoli, which was mainly backed by Turkey and Qatar.

But when Haftar's forces used Tarhuna as a launchpad for an offensive against the capital in April 2019, the al-Kaniyat switched loyalties. They chose the losing side.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) says at least 338 people were abducted or reported missing during the five-year rule of the al-Kaniyat. "Residents reported that the militia often abducted, detained, tortured, killed and (caused the) disappearance of people who opposed them or who were suspected of doing so," the HRW said.

The rest is here:
Another body recovered from Tarhuna mass grave in Libya | Daily Sabah - Daily Sabah