World
Libya Advances on Post-War Missing Persons Issue After Years of Delay
UN-backed talks in Tunisia reached near-final agreement on a comprehensive law addressing Libya's missing persons since 2011, posing a major challenge for future authorities.
Discussions facilitated by the United Nations Support Mission in Libya have brought the issue of missing persons since 2011 back to the forefront of the national agenda.
A recent meeting held in Tunisia gathered 27 representatives from state institutions, legal bodies, and civil organizations, culminating in consensus on the need to draft a comprehensive law to address this complex humanitarian matter. The law aims to establish clear frameworks for determining the fate of missing individuals and safeguarding the rights of their families.
According to Member of Parliament Miloud Al-Aswad, the meeting produced a "near-final version" of the new legislation, which will tackle this issue that is expected to present a significant challenge to Libya's forthcoming authorities.
The Political and Ethical Dimensions of the Missing Persons File
Libyan political analyst Khaled Mohammed Al-Hijazi stated that the missing persons issue in Libya has evolved beyond a mere humanitarian or isolated human rights concern. It is gradually becoming one of the most critical political and ethical files capable of redefining the very concept of legitimacy within the Libyan state.
Al-Hijazi explained that, over recent years, most political settlements were based on power balances, influence-sharing, and quotas among conflicting parties. Meanwhile, the files concerning victims, missing persons, and collapsed institutions were deferred under the pretext of prioritizing stability. However, the current reality is different, as Libyan society has become increasingly aware that any authority ignoring the suffering of thousands of families still searching for their children establishes an incomplete and fragile legitimacy, regardless of international recognition or external support.
He emphasized to "Iram News" that the missing persons issue has transcended administrative and judicial dimensions to become a moral and political test for the state. He noted that the legitimacy of post-war regimes fundamentally depends on addressing transitional justice files.
Al-Hijazi added that while societies may overcome political disagreements, they do not forget their children, asserting that the missing persons issue has become the "mandatory gateway" for any governing project aiming for continuity and stability in Libya.
He warned that ignoring this file is no longer possible as before, especially amid growing local and international pressures, the expanding activity of human rights organizations, and renewed discussions about mass graves and violations that accompanied years of chaos and division. He said every incoming authority will face a direct question from the Libyan public: What will you do about the missing persons file?
Al-Hijazi concluded that this development may lead to a significant shift in the criteria of political legitimacy in Libya. Possession of weapons, control over institutions, or even international recognition will no longer suffice; uncovering the truth and achieving justice will become integral to the new political contract between the state and society.
Challenges in Addressing the Missing Persons Issue
Libya currently lacks official statistics on the number of missing persons. Their circumstances vary widely, including political and human rights activists, journalists who disappeared under unclear conditions, and victims of natural disasters such as Cyclone Daniel, which struck the city of Derna several years ago.
Political analyst Ibrahim Aswiti described the recent consensus in Libya as genuinely important. He suggested it could legally, politically, and morally obligate any future authority to reveal the fate of the missing persons, a sensitive file that involves political and human rights figures in a country dominated by militia control, especially in the west.
Aswiti told "Iram News" that the current transitional authority is unable to open this file, making it a priority for the next government. He highlighted that this issue has become a demand from the public, particularly given the large number of missing persons despite the absence of official figures.
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