Statement by the Council of Tebu Tribes to Coordinate and End the Crisis in Sabha

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Country/entity: Libya
Region: Middle East and North Africa
Agreement name: Statement by the Council of Tebu Tribes to Coordinate and End the Crisis in Sabha
Date: 9 Apr 2018
Agreement status: Unilateral document
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: Ceasefire/related
Conflict nature: Inter-group
Peace process: Libyan local processes
Parties: Council of the Tebu Tribes to Coordinate and End the Crisis in Sabha
Third parties: -
Description: Unilateral ceasefire statement by the Tebu Council to Coordinate and End the Crisis in Sabha, issued in response to a call for a ceasefire by the Supreme Council for the Tribes and Villages of Fezzan. Calls for the opening of a the Agricultural Rd, and a ceasefire with the right to self-defence.

Agreement document: LY_180409_Tebu Council Sabha Ceasefire_EN.pdf (opens in new tab) | Download PDF
Agreement document (original language): LY_180409_Tebu Council Sabha Ceasefire_AR.pdf (opens in new tab)| Download PDF

Local agreement properties

Process type: Formal structured process
Rationale: -> Link to national level; (external) support mechanism; culture of signing The signing party, the Tebu Tribal Council, was formally established to "coordinate and end the Sabha crisis". Moreover, the agreement is embedded in a culture of signing (and supporting) agreements to end the crisis in Sabha.
Is there a documented link to a national peace process?: Yes
Link to national process: articulated rationale: The agreement is not clearly linked to the national peace process. Yet, it focuses on the activities of a (self-appointed) local state actor "Council for the Tribes, Cities and Villages of Fezzan" and emphasises that this actor's activities are "in the interest of the country".
Name of Locale: Fezzan
Nature of Locale: Region
GPS Lat/Long (DD): 27.038389, 14.427959
Participant type: Local state actor
Domestic religious organisation/leader or other elder
Mediator, facilitator or similar: No mention of mediator or similar

Local issues

Ritual/prayer and process (including use of scripture): Page 1, In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful - “Our Lord, decide between us and our people in truth, and You are the best of those who give decision” - God is great
Grievance List: Although the agreement does not refer to specific causes of the conflict, it lists three provisions to address local grievances.

Page 1,
First:- A ceasefire, and the Council maintains the right of self-defence.
Second:- Open the Agricultural Road in al-Qurdah [neighbourhood] for a period of seven days effective from Tuesday 10/04/2018 so as to make room for the efforts of the High Community Council for the Tribes, Cities and Villages of Fezzan.
Cattle rustling/banditry: No specific mention.
Social cover: No specific mention.

Statement

Council of the Tebu Tribes to Coordinate and End the Crisis in Sabha

In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful - “Our Lord, decide between us and our people in truth, and You are the best of those who give decision” - God is great [Surah al-A’ref 7:89]

In response to the efforts exerted by the High Community Council for the Tribes, Cities and Villages of Fezzan to end the fighting.

The Council of the Tebu Tribes to Coordinate and End the Crisis in Sabha recognized that these efforts are in the interest of the country and people of Fezzan and allow room for endeavors to restore security and safety.

As such, the following shall be declared:

First:- A ceasefire, and the Council maintains the right of self-defence.

Second:- Open the Agricultural Road in al-Qurdah [neighbourhood] for a period of seven days effective from Tuesday 10/04/2018 so as to make room for the efforts of the High Community Council for the Tribes, Cities and Villages of Fezzan.

Council of the Tebu Tribes to Coordinate and End the Crisis in Sabha

[Stamped]