Humanitarian Appeal for Benghazi

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Country/entity: Libya
Region: Middle East and North Africa
Agreement name: Humanitarian Appeal for Benghazi
Date: 16 Mar 2016
Agreement status: Multiparty signed/agreed
Interim arrangement: Yes
Agreement/conflict level: Intrastate/local conflict
Libyan Conflicts (1969 - 1994) (2011 - )
Agreements relate to two distinct conflict dyads.
Libya-Chad. Since the 1970s, Libya under Colonel Muammar Gaddafi had a tense relationship with its neighbour Chad, predominantly focused on the resource-rich Aouzou Strip in northern Chad. Libyan claims of the Aouzou Strip were held in an un-ratified treaty between France and Italy in 1935, similarly Chadian claims of the Strip were argued with support of a 1955 treaty between Libya and France. In 1973, Libya effectively annexed the Strip to gain access to natural resources. This spurred cross-border clashes between 1979 until 1987 until escalated to a brief war known as the Toyota War, wherein Chadian government troops succeeded in repelling Libyan forces. A brief and repeatedly violated ceasefire was held from 1987-88, followed by a series of unsuccessful negotiations, until an International Court of Justice ruling in 1994, which granted sovereignty of the Strip to Chad.

Libya post-Gaddafi. Gaddafi’s downfall following the Libyan Civil War in 2011-2012, led to several factions fighting for the country’s leadership. Since 2013, the country effectively split into three entities, with the National Army controlling the east including the city of Benghazi, and the New General National Congress and their militias such as the Golden Dawn controlling the northwest including the capital of Tripoli. Significant portions of the country in the south-west are currently held by Tuareg forces. The civil war and chaos continued into 2014 as the General National Congress refused to disband after the expiry of its mandate, resulting in eruption of mass protests. The UN efforts continue to broker peace between the Libyan Army and the Libya Dawn factions, and a partial ceasefire was declared in January 2015. A new interim-government (Tunisia-based) called ‘Government of National Accord’ is formed with the backing of UN despite the refusal of the other forces to recognise its authority and arrived to Tripoli with the UN in 2016. A state of emergency was declared by the UN backed government amid clashed between rival militia in Tripoli’s southern suburbs. Since April 2019 there has been sustained fighting between the Libyan National Army and the UN-backed government in Tripoli as the Libyan National Army aims to seize Tripoli.
Stage: Pre-negotiation/process
Conflict nature: Inter-group
Peace process: Libyan local processes
Parties: Halimah Abdelmatloub; Sherif Abuzakouk; Aisha Agouryl Abdalla Aguilah; Naeima Aissa; Nuri Al Abbar; Khaled Al Agily; Soliman Mahmud Al Bassi; Awad Ibrahim Al Brassi; Morad Al Honi; Abdeljalil Al Rhamouk; Ziad Ballam; Jamal Belnour; Abdulmenem Ben Dardf; Abubakr Buera; Amel Bugaguis; Eman Bugaguis; Fawzi Bukatef; Mohamed Bukheyt; Lamia Busedra; Ahmed Busneinah; Muhammed Faraj Doghaim; Aminah Drsy; Attiyah Edreinah; Mansour El Ammary; Fathallah El Barani; Salem El Barani; Abdulsalam Mohammed El Basyouni; Nisreenn El Bishari; Nouh Isbak El Fakhry; Issam El Fallah; Omelez El Farsi; Abdelsalam El Farsi; Anwar El Feitori; Mohamed El Ferjani; Ahmed El Gasir; Aminah El Gehani; Munem Mohammad El Gumati; Abdel Hamid El Khodar; Wanis El Mabrook; Emhamed El Magherby; Sheib El Majbari; Hussam El Majri; Abdulmenem Hassan El Manfi; Fadelallah El Mehdi; Khalil El Mismary; Moeimen El Obeidi; Giumma El Omami; Muftah Issa El Qatrani; Labib El Ramli; Mohamed El Senoussi; Jalah El Shweihdi; Marwan El Tashani; Mohamed El Taynaz; Ammani El Zwei; Mona Esswed; Abdelgader Gadoura; Allam Hassan; Abir Imneinah; Jamila Issaoui; Naeima Jebril; Mehdi Kashbur; Tarek Khalil Lamloum; Salem Lengui; Halima Magharby; Idriss Mismary; Esam Omeish; Mohamed Omeish; Tarek Awad Orfi; Abdulhafid Muftah Rajab; Nassralah Saadi; Merei Salem; Ali Sallabi; Issam Tajoury; Muhammad Ammari Zaid; Fawzi Zairi.
Third parties: -
Description: A Pre-pre-negotiation document establishing a common position among Civil Society Organisations in Benghazi, highlighting the importance of adhering to International Law, acquiring humanitarian aid for those in need, urging the importance of the right of return for Internally Displaced Persons; and working within the confines of Islam, among other matters.

Agreement document: LY_160316_Humanitarian Appeal for Benghazi.pdf (opens in new tab) | Download PDF

Groups

Children/youth: Groups→Children/youth→Rhetorical
Page 1, 2) record that:
• over half the population of Benghazi are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance, especially women, children, and people with special needs;

Page 1, 5) believe that providing education for all Benghazi’s children and youth is critical if we are not to lose a whole generation;
Disabled persons: No specific mention.
Elderly/age: No specific mention.
Migrant workers: No specific mention.
Racial/ethnic/national group: No specific mention.
Religious groups: No specific mention.
Indigenous people: No specific mention.
Other groups: No specific mention.
Refugees/displaced persons: Groups→Refugees/displaced persons→Rhetorical
Page 1, 2) record that:
... • thousands of displaced persons have found shelter throughout the country and abroad; families are unable to return to their homes because of the war, or have found them uninhabitable because of damage, mines or unexploded ordinance (UXO); people are living in conditions of utter depredation and are in urgent need of assistance, above all, healthcare and shelter;

Page 1, 3) stress the right of return for these displaced people to their city and homes in the shortest possible time;
Groups→Refugees/displaced persons→Substantive
Page 2, 3. As citizens of Benghazi, we call upon international humanitarian actors to:
... 2) increase and improve immediate assistance to populations in need, including the restoration of electricity to the city, the clearance of all UXO and mines to allow the safe return of those displaced, the provision of medical care to the population, and the provision of all forms of urgent assistance to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) throughout the country;
Social class: No specific mention.

Gender

Women, girls and gender: Page 1, 1. We, the sons and daughters of Benghazi, protectors of the nation and its unity, coming from diverse backgrounds and sharing the common goal of saving our city and its population, unite behind this Humanitarian Appeal. We solemnly adopt this Appeal and:

Page 1, 2) record that:
• over half the population of Benghazi are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance, especially women, children, and people with special needs;
Men and boys: Gender→Men and boys→Gender neutral wording
Page 1, 1. We, the sons and daughters of Benghazi, protectors of the nation and its unity, coming from diverse backgrounds and sharing the common goal of saving our city and its population, unite behind this Humanitarian Appeal. We solemnly adopt this Appeal and:
LGBTI: No specific mention.
Family: No specific mention.

State definition

Nature of state (general): No specific mention.
State configuration: No specific mention.
Self determination: No specific mention.
Referendum: No specific mention.
State symbols: No specific mention.
Independence/secession: No specific mention.
Accession/unification: No specific mention.
Border delimitation: No specific mention.
Cross-border provision: No specific mention.

Governance

Political institutions (new or reformed): No specific mention.
Elections: No specific mention.
Electoral commission: No specific mention.
Political parties reform: No specific mention.
Civil society: Page 1, 2. Within the limits of our power and influence, we commit and call upon all others to:
... 3) respect the role played by the Libyan Red Crescent, municipal council, Benghazi Crisis Committees, and other Libyan Civil Society Organizations in providing humanitarian assistance;

Page 2, 3. As citizens of Benghazi, we call upon international humanitarian actors to:
1) provide life-saving humanitarian assistance without preconditions, discrimination or delay;
2) increase and improve immediate assistance to populations in need, including the restoration of electricity to the city, the clearance of all UXO and mines to allow the safe return of those displaced, the provision of medical care to the population, and the provision of all forms of urgent assistance to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) throughout the country;
3) work in all areas affected by military operations to establish the conditions and agreements for the terms of this declaration to be effective;
4) coordinate to respond to the urgent humanitarian needs; and,
5) ensure that there is an urgent response to these critical needs.
Traditional/religious leaders: No specific mention.
Public administration: No specific mention.
Constitution: No specific mention.

Power sharing

Political power sharing: No specific mention.
Territorial power sharing: No specific mention.
Economic power sharing: No specific mention.
Military power sharing: No specific mention.

Human rights and equality

Human rights/RoL general: Page 1, 7) condemn violations of IHL and Human Rights, particularly any targeting of civilians, residential areas, and vital civil infrastructure, inter alia hospitals, educational establishments and electricity plants; and

Page 1, 2. Within the limits of our power and influence, we commit and call upon all others to:
1) respect IHL and Human Rights, and remain loyal the principles of Islam and the values of coexistence;
Bill of rights/similar: No specific mention.
Treaty incorporation: Page 1, 6) demand that humanitarian assistance is not politicized and that all actors provide humanitarian assistance without discrimination in accordance with International Humanitarian Law (IHL);

Page 2, 2. Within the limits of our power and influence, we commit and call upon all others to:
... 4) establish the conditions under which humanitarian assistance may be provided safely to all the civilian population, in accordance with IHL;
Civil and political rights: Human rights and equality→Civil and political rights→Other
Page 1, 3) stress the right of return for these displaced people to their city and homes in the shortest possible time;
Socio-economic rights: No specific mention.

Rights related issues

Citizenship: No specific mention.
Democracy: No specific mention.
Detention procedures: No specific mention.
Media and communication: No specific mention.
Mobility/access: No specific mention.
Protection measures: No specific mention.
Other: No specific mention.

Rights institutions

NHRI: No specific mention.
Regional or international human rights institutions: No specific mention.

Justice sector reform

Criminal justice and emergency law: No specific mention.
State of emergency provisions: No specific mention.
Judiciary and courts: No specific mention.
Prisons and detention: No specific mention.
Traditional Laws: No specific mention.

Socio-economic reconstruction

Development or socio-economic reconstruction: Socio-economic reconstruction→Development or socio-economic reconstruction→Humanitarian assistance
Page 1, 6) demand that humanitarian assistance is not politicized and that all actors provide humanitarian assistance without discrimination in accordance with International Humanitarian Law (IHL);

Page 2, 3. As citizens of Benghazi, we call upon international humanitarian actors to:
1) provide life-saving humanitarian assistance without preconditions, discrimination or delay;
2) increase and improve immediate assistance to populations in need, including the restoration of electricity to the city, the clearance of all UXO and mines to allow the safe return of those displaced, the provision of medical care to the population, and the provision of all forms of urgent assistance to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) throughout the country;
3) work in all areas affected by military operations to establish the conditions and agreements for the terms of this declaration to be effective;
4) coordinate to respond to the urgent humanitarian needs; and,
5) ensure that there is an urgent response to these critical needs.
Socio-economic reconstruction→Development or socio-economic reconstruction→Infrastructure and reconstruction
Page 1, 4) request the relevant Libyan authorities to undertake all efforts to facilitate the reconstruction of the city and provide compensation to those civilians adversely affected by the conflict;
National economic plan: No specific mention.
Natural resources: No specific mention.
International funds: Page 2, 3. As citizens of Benghazi, we call upon international humanitarian actors to:
1) provide life-saving humanitarian assistance without preconditions, discrimination or delay;
2) increase and improve immediate assistance to populations in need, including the restoration of electricity to the city, the clearance of all UXO and mines to allow the safe return of those displaced, the provision of medical care to the population, and the provision of all forms of urgent assistance to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) throughout the country;
3) work in all areas affected by military operations to establish the conditions and agreements for the terms of this declaration to be effective;
4) coordinate to respond to the urgent humanitarian needs; and,
5) ensure that there is an urgent response to these critical needs.
Business: No specific mention.
Taxation: No specific mention.
Banks: No specific mention.

Land, property and environment

Land reform/rights: No specific mention.
Pastoralist/nomadism rights: No specific mention.
Cultural heritage: Land, property and environment→Cultural heritage→Intangible
Page 1, 2. Within the limits of our power and influence, we commit and call upon all others to:
1) respect IHL and Human Rights, and remain loyal the principles of Islam and the values of coexistence;
Environment: No specific mention.
Water or riparian rights or access: No specific mention.

Security sector

Security Guarantees: Page 1, 2) record that:
... • thousands of displaced persons have found shelter throughout the country and abroad; families are unable to return to their homes because of the war, or have found them uninhabitable because of damage, mines or unexploded ordinance (UXO); people are living in conditions of utter depredation and are in urgent need of assistance, above all, healthcare and shelter;

Page 1, 2. Within the limits of our power and influence, we commit and call upon all others to:
... 2) avoid collateral damage induced by the war and fighting;

Page 2, 2. Within the limits of our power and influence, we commit and call upon all others to:
... 5) provide security guarantees for humanitarian workers;
Ceasefire: No specific mention.
Police: No specific mention.
Armed forces: Page 2, 3. As citizens of Benghazi, we call upon international humanitarian actors to:
... 3) work in all areas affected by military operations to establish the conditions and agreements for the terms of this declaration to be effective;
DDR: No specific mention.
Intelligence services: No specific mention.
Parastatal/rebel and opposition group forces: No specific mention.
Withdrawal of foreign forces: No specific mention.
Corruption: No specific mention.
Crime/organised crime: No specific mention.
Drugs: No specific mention.
Terrorism: No specific mention.

Transitional justice

Transitional justice general: 2. Within the limits of our power and influence, we commit and call upon all others to:
... 7) establish a system of transitional justice, adapted to the Libyan context, which will help heal the wounds of the victims of the conflict and facilitate social reconciliation and a return to stability.
Amnesty/pardon: No specific mention.
Courts: No specific mention.
Mechanism: No specific mention.
Prisoner release: No specific mention.
Vetting: No specific mention.
Victims: 2. Within the limits of our power and influence, we commit and call upon all others to:
... 7) establish a system of transitional justice, adapted to the Libyan context, which will help heal the wounds of the victims of the conflict and facilitate social reconciliation and a return to stability.
Missing persons: No specific mention.
Reparations: No specific mention.
Reconciliation: 2. Within the limits of our power and influence, we commit and call upon all others to:
... 7) establish a system of transitional justice, adapted to the Libyan context, which will help heal the wounds of the victims of the conflict and facilitate social reconciliation and a return to stability.

Implementation

UN signatory: No specific mention.
Other international signatory: No specific mention.
Referendum for agreement: No specific mention.
International mission/force/similar: No specific mention.
Enforcement mechanism: No specific mention.
Related cases: No specific mention.
Source: Copy on file with author, courtesy of Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue.
Also available at https://www.hdcentre.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Humanitarian-Appeal-for-Benghazi-English-16-March-2016.pdf (Accessed on January 8, 2020; archived in the WaybackMachine)

1. Arabic and French versions of the Appeal available below / Versions arabe et française de cet Appel disponibles ci-dessous.

2. The list of those who have endorsed the Appeal as of 16 March 2016 is available at the end of this document /La liste des représentants ayant endossé cet Appel est disponible à la fin de ce document.

Humanitarian Appeal for Benghazi

1. We, the sons and daughters of Benghazi, protectors of the nation and its unity, coming from diverse backgrounds and sharing the common goal of saving our city and its population, unite behind this Humanitarian Appeal.

We solemnly adopt this Appeal and:

1) express the utmost alarm at the suffering which the people of Benghazi have endured over the last years, during which all aspects of normal life have been disrupted, and during which the majority of the population have lost their possessions, their homes and, above all, their loved ones;

2) record that:

• over half the population of Benghazi are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance, especially women, children, and people with special needs;

• thousands of displaced persons have found shelter throughout the country and abroad;

families are unable to return to their homes because of the war, or have found them uninhabitable because of damage, mines or unexploded ordinance (UXO);

people are living in conditions of utter depredation and are in urgent need of assistance, above all, healthcare and shelter;

3) stress the right of return for these displaced people to their city and homes in the shortest possible time;

4) request the relevant Libyan authorities to undertake all efforts to facilitate the reconstruction of the city and provide compensation to those civilians adversely affected by the conflict;

5) believe that providing education for all Benghazi’s children and youth is critical if we are not to lose a whole generation;

6) demand that humanitarian assistance is not politicized and that all actors provide humanitarian assistance without discrimination in accordance with International Humanitarian Law (IHL);

7) condemn violations of IHL and Human Rights, particularly any targeting of civilians, residential areas, and vital civil infrastructure, inter alia hospitals, educational establishments and electricity plants;

and

8) commit to using all of our influence, within our power and limitations, to ensuring that all aspects of this Appeal are respected.

2. Within the limits of our power and influence, we commit and call upon all others to:

1) respect IHL and Human Rights, and remain loyal the principles of Islam and the values of coexistence;

2) avoid collateral damage induced by the war and fighting;

3) respect the role played by the Libyan Red Crescent, municipal council, Benghazi Crisis Committees, and other Libyan Civil Society Organizations in providing humanitarian assistance;

Humanitarian Appeal for Benghazi

4) establish the conditions under which humanitarian assistance may be provided safely to all the civilian population, in accordance with IHL;

5) provide security guarantees for humanitarian workers;

6) work towards social peace, based upon tolerance and according to the principles of moderate Islam, which rejects all forms of radicalism;

and,

7) establish a system of transitional justice, adapted to the Libyan context, which will help heal the wounds of the victims of the conflict and facilitate social reconciliation and a return to stability.

3. As citizens of Benghazi, we call upon international humanitarian actors to:

1) provide life-saving humanitarian assistance without preconditions, discrimination or delay;

2) increase and improve immediate assistance to populations in need, including the restoration of electricity to the city, the clearance of all UXO and mines to allow the safe return of those displaced, the provision of medical care to the population, and the provision of all forms of urgent assistance to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) throughout the country;

3) work in all areas affected by military operations to establish the conditions and agreements for the terms of this declaration to be effective;

4) coordinate to respond to the urgent humanitarian needs;

and,

5) ensure that there is an urgent response to these critical needs.

May God protect Benghazi and all its children.

List of Endorsers

Those who have endorsed the Appeal, include the following (in alphabetical order, by last name):

First Name Last name

Halimah

Abdelmatloub

Sherif

Abuzakouk

Aisha

Agoury

Abdalla

Aguilah

Naeima

Aissa

Kuri

Al Abbar

Khaled

Al Agily

Soliman Mahmud

Al Brassi

Awad Ibrahim

Al Brassi

Morad

Al Honi

Abdeljalil

Al Rhamouk

Ziad

Ballam

Jamal

Belnour

Abdulmenem

Ben Dardf

Abubakr

Buera

Amel

Bugaguis

Eman

Bugaguis

Fawzi

Bukatef

Mohamed

Bukheyt

Lamia

Busedra

Ahmed

Busneinah

Muhammed Faraj

Doghaim

Aminah

Drsy

Attiyah

Edreinah

Mansour

El Ammary

Fathallah

El Barani

Salem

El Barani

Abdulsalam Mohammed

El Basyouni

Nisreen

El Bishari

Nouh Isbak

El Fakhry

Issam

El Fallah

Omelez

El Farsi

Abdelsalam

El Farsi

Anwar

El Feitori

Mohamed

El Ferjani

Ahmed

El Gasir

Aminah

El Gehani

Munem Mohammad

El Gumati

Abdel Hamid

El Khodar

Wanis

El Mabrook

Emhamed

El Magherby

Sheib

El Majbari

Hussam

El Majri

Abdulmenem Hassan

El Manfi

Fadelallah

El Mehdi

Khalil

El Mismary

Moeimen

El Obeidi

Giumma

El Omani

Muftah Issa

El Qatrani

Labib

El Ramli

Mohamed

El Senoussi

Jalah

El Shweidi

Marwan

El Tashani

Mohamed

El Taynaz

Ammani

El Zwei

Mona

Esswed

Abdelgader

Gadoura

Allam

Hassan

Abir

Imneinah

Jamila

Issaoui

Naeima

Jebril

Mehdi

Kashbur

Tarek Khalil

Lamloum

Salem

Langui

Halima

Magharby

Idriss

Mismary

Esam

Omeish

Mohamed

Omeish

Tarek Awad

Orfi

Abdulhafid Muftah

Rajab

Nassralah

Saadi

Merei

Salem

Ali

Sallabi

Issam

Tajoury

Muhammad Ammari

Zaid

Fawzi

Zairi