The Libyan Transitional Council’s members include several lawyers, a former political prisoner, a human rights activist, and a veterans affairs representative, among others. The LTC’s statement is brief, to the point, and inspiring. The Council states:
“Either we achieve freedom and race to catch up with humanity and world developments, or we are schackled and enslaved under the feet of the tyrant Mu’ammar Gaddafi where we shall live in the midst of history.”
The LTC announced its own establishment in March of this year, and its work towards devloping a permanent governance continues. Libya has been a member country of INTERPOL since 1954. The LTC stated that it intends to honor all international agreements signed by the former Libyan government, and this would seem to include its relationship with INTERPOL. Indeed, as mentioned in the previous post, INTERPOL’s issuance of the Red Notices against Muammar Gaddafi and his sons is seen as a recognition of the legitimacy of the LTC as a governing entity.
If the LTC steers Libya in the direction one would expect given a leadership body that is cognizant of human rights issues and sound legal policy, it would be fair to expect the new Libya to be a solid, rules-observant member country. It would follow that we should expect to see few or no politically based Red Notice requests from this Libya.
The LTC’s mission statement definitely leaves one hopeful for this possibility, and for the future of Libya after so many years of oppression. The statement also reminded me of something the comedienne Roseanne Barr once said:
No one gives you power. You just take it.
As always, thoughts and comments are welcomed.