The Tribal Factor in the Peaceful Settlement of the Libyan Crisis

Abstract

The research is focused on the tribal issue as a leading factor of the Libyan political life in the context of the current negotiation process. Particular attention should be paid to the activities of the Warfalla Libyan Tribal Public Council and the Tuareg Council of Elders. These representative institutions have been calling for many years for the end of the turmoil, focusing on the traditional Islamic category of fitnah. It confirms that the Libyan crisis cannot be solved outside the country and that foreign interference is detrimental to the interests of the Libyan people. The category of 'asabiyyah or social solidarity is of paramount importance in this case. Nevertheless, it is not necessarily an attribute of a traditional nomadic or tribal community and is not based solely on kinship. However, this term often has a negative connotation, since it denotes a radical cohesion to a particular group, which forms a distinctive family-clan relationship. The Libyan tribes play a prominent role in maintaining political balance, combating terrorist groups, and maintaining the level of security by the support to political leaders who claims to consolidate Libya again. This paper distances from the destabilizing manifestations of intertribal relations. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to define the role of the Arabic- and Berber-speaking tribes of the three constituent regions in Libya: Cyrenaica, Tripolitania, and Fezzan in de-escalating the conflict, aimed at restoring Libyan statehood and holding parliamentary and presidential elections.