Do Libyan Rebels Want Democracy?

While the media show Libyan rebels as fighter for freedom, the reality is as more complex. It is not possible to see the opposition as a block, it is built of number movements, most of them with divergent agenda. But first let's look at the groups that compose the rebels, at least the major groups.

National Front for the Salvation of Libya (NFSL)

Formed in 1981 and call for:


democratic government
Free elections
free press
separation of powers among the executive, judicial and legislative

National Conference for the Libyan Opposition (NCLO)

Created in 2005. Their goal is "to put together practical approaches for following up on many efforts made by various Libyan political groups and individuals in their challenge of the Libyan dictatorship" of Muammar al-Gaddafi.

The NCLO doesn't have an agenda for what will happen after the fall of Gaddafi and the creation of a legal mechanism to prosecute all members of the Ghaddafi regime.

Libyan League for Human Rights (LLHR)

Created in 1989. Their goal are:


establishment of a democracy in Libya as set forth in the Universal Declaration of Human Right
opposition to death penalty

Libyan Constitutional Union (LCU)

Created in 1981. It has for goal:


the return to the 1951 constitution
the restoration of the monarchy

Libyan Islamic Fighting Group (LIFG)

Also known as Al-Jama'a al-Islamiyyah al-Muqatilah bi-Libya. Formed in 1995 by people who had taliban and Al-Qaeda.

The LIFG may be changing it's name to Libyan Islamic Movement (Irishtime.com, March 29).

After two years of negotiation the LIFG achieved in 2009 an agreement with Libyan security where LIFG stopped it's jihad against Gaddafi regime.

Now LIFG has clearly returned to it's goal to destroy the current regime but it didn't tell it's goal for the future regime. Nevertheless it is possible to deduce their goal from the statement LIFG made in 2009 when it signed the agreement with the Libyan's security. It said that it now views the armed struggle it waged against Col. Moammar Gadhafi's regime as illegal under Islamic law. This point out that Islamic law for libya is within their goals.

The rebel groups have created the National Transitional Council (NTC) that act as the political face of the revolution. The goal of the NTC are to:


Ensure the safety of the national territory and citizens
Coordination of national efforts to liberate the rest of the Libya
Support the efforts of local councils to work for the restoration of normal civilian life
Supervise of the Military Council to ensure the achievement of the new doctrine of the Libyan People's Army in the defense of the people and protect the borders of Libya
Facilitate the election of a constituent assembly to draft a new constitution for the country; be put to a popular referendum
Form a transitional government to pave the holding of free elections
Guide the conduct of foreign policy, and the regulation of relations with other countries and international and regional organizations, and the representation of the Libyan people

While every rebel group agree on the elimination of Gaddafi regime, they disagree on everything else. Their differences will appear as soon as Gaddafi regime falls. At the end of the revolution, depending on the strength of each group within the rebel coalition, Libya may go toward a democratic regime or another tyranny.

David Frydman
http://blog.strategy4peace.com

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