Benghazi author Mohammed el-Mufti believes that all factions in Libya need to be brought around the negotiating table in order to ensure peace in the beleaguered country.

 “I think every faction in Libya has a genuine point to make, but of course they have different interests and competing presences in the country. What I would like to see is a real government of national unity. That would include not only the government in Tripoli or Tobruk, but also various representatives of the various areas in the country, like Misrata, Bani Walid, Sirte and so on.”

“You have to bring in the largest number of people, people who are able to influence events.”

Dr el-Mufti says this process was not done after the 2011 revolution.

 “Soon after the revolution the national transitional council was setup. It was an ad-hoc council, people joined for various reasons, not necessarily because they took part in the revolution.

“As a result the national congress was weak and unable to fulfil its brief. We need a strong government, we need a government of national unity. We need negotiations with the various armed groups.

“Unfortunately everyone is calling the armed groups terrorists. This is unfair and in the long run will backfire. Most of the militias are patriotic Libyans, they are a carryover from the times of the revolution and the fight to bring down Gaddafi’s government.”

“Rather than spent your money and blood fighting these people, I’m sure a large percentage of them can be brought to the negotiation table and therefore can be part of the national reconciliation.”

Dr el-Mufti avoids the question when asked whether the Islamic State (IS) should be brought to the negotiation table.

 “There are the political Islamic groups, they constitute a wide spectrum from the moderates to the extremists. Some of them can be persuaded to negotiate and compromise for the interests of the country as a whole.”

“You have armed people, probably around 50,000. These people, many of them are moderates like any other Libyan. Libyans are Muslim by nature and fairly devout. I am not worried about people professing Islam and being able to negotiate, because they are negotiating with their brother Libyans who are Muslims anyway.”

“Since the fall of Gaddafi the various areas have consolidated, resulting in  multiple city-states, where every area is almost independent. Misrata, Bani-Walid and Tobruk are all examples.

“These areas have to be included in the negotiations as well. My reservations about the present dialogue are that it is between two weak governments and whatever comes out in the end will be just another feeble end result.”

“Foreign powers like the UN would help if they introduced an observer force to observe the ceasefire. Otherwise the present negotiations, I doubt if they will lead to much.”