LIBYA: Militia fighters forcefully close down a voter registration centre in Tripoli, demanding more time be given for political entities to register for the June elections

Record ID: 327756

  • Title: LIBYA: Militia fighters forcefully close down a voter registration centre in Tripoli, demanding more time be given for political entities to register for the June elections
  • Date: 2nd May 2012
  • Summary: TRIPOLI, LIBYA (MAY 1, 2012) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF SCHOOL USED AS A REGISTRATION CENTRE FOR ELECTORAL PROCESS CLOSE OF BANNER READING: "VOTER REGISTRATION CENTRE, NATIONAL ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS" VARIOUS OF SECURITY CHECKING VEHICLES WITH DOGS HEAD OF LIBYA'S ELECTION COMMISSION, NOURI AL-ABBAR, WALKING TOWARDS REGISTRATION CENTRE (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) HEAD OF LIBYA'S ELECTION COMMISSION, NOURI AL-ABBAR, SAYING: "Libya has begun to move towards a democratic path. This day of voter registration is considered a celebration for all Libyans. It's true that today was a public holiday, but we can see that a lot of people have come since the first hour and this can be seen as a positive beginning and everyone is very happy." ABBAR IN VOTING CENTRE VOTING CENTRE OFFICIAL REGISTERING CITIZEN AS A VOTER MAN IN WHEELCHAIR ARRIVING AT VOTING CENTRE VARIOUS OF OFFICIAL PREPARING VOTING CARD (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) KHAYYIR ALI ABDULLAH, LIBYAN ARRIVING TO REGISTER AS VOTER, SAYING: "This is a first for our lifetimes. For 42 years we haven't known any elections, all we knew was the Fatih (anti-Muammar Gaddafi) revolution and his committees were everywhere. If the leader said anything, we'd all have to cheer him on. But, thank God, we now have elections and democracy in Libya, this is something extraordinary and something that makes us all very happy." MAN SIGNING AND THUMB PRINTING ON VOTING CARD PEOPLE QUEUING TO REGISTER AS VOTERS EXTERIOR OF VOTING CENTRE / MILITIA ARRIVING MILITIA GATHERING OUTSIDE VOTER REGISTRATION CENTRE HEAVY ANTI-AIRCRAFT WEAPONRY MOUNTED ON VEHICLES MILITIAMEN HOLDING BANNERS READING IN ARABIC: "NO TO AN UNCLEAR ELECTION, YES TO TRANSPARENCY" (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) REPRESENTATIVE OF THE SARAYA REVOLUTIONARIES UNION MUSTAFA AL-WA'IR, SAYING: "It's not only us as the Saraya Revolutionaries Union, all of Libya's political parties and the people are completely unaware of this (voter and political party registration). It came as a surprise which means only those who were ready and had their papers ready will participate, this is our only objection. They have to extend the period for voting registration." MILITIA VEHICLE PARKED OUTSIDE VOTING REGISTRATION CENTRE WOMEN REGISTERING TO VOTE VARIOUS OF MILITIAMEN ENTERING CENTRE WITH BANNERS AND WEAPONS OFFICIAL AT VOTING CENTRE CRYING FOLLOWING ENTRY OF MILITIAMEN TO CENTRE VARIOUS OF MILITIAMEN POINTING AT CONFISCATED BOXES ALLEGING CORRUPTION IN PROCEDURES EXTERIOR OF ENTRANCE TO VOTER REGISTRATION CENTRE AFTER ITS CLOSURE BY MILITIAMEN
  • Embargoed: 17th May 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Libya
  • Country: Libya
  • Topics: Conflict,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA1R462Z3O5A56TXMMUBS9BOGVX
  • Story Text: Libya opened voter registration centres to the public and political entities across the country on Tuesday (May 1), but militiamen unhappy with proceedings abruptly forced some centres to close early.
    Many people had queued up outside the voting registration centres equipped with their national identity papers in what was a relatively joyful mood.
    "Libya has begun to move towards a democratic path. This day of voter registration is considered a celebration for all Libyans," said Nouri al-Abbar, the head of Libya's electoral commission.
    Approximately 1,500 voting registration centres opened nationwide on Tuesday. Voters and political parties have to register in order to take part in national elections set for June that will elect the National Assembly, a transitional body given the task of writing the country's permanent new constitution.
    "Thank God, we now have elections and democracy in Libya, this is something extraordinary and something that makes us all very happy," said Khayyir Ali Abdullah, a Libyan who registered to vote.
    A group of militia fighters, armed with heavy weapons, staged a demonstration outside the voter registration centre in Tripoli demanding the electoral commission extend the period of time allocated for political groups to enter the election race.
    "It came as a surprise which means only those who were ready and had their papers ready will participate, this is our only objection. They have to extend the period for voting registration," said Mustafa al-Wa'ir, a representative of the Saraya Revolutionaries Union, a group claiming to represent former rebels.
    The group wants the period of registration for political groups extended until May 25 instead of the one week window they face at present.
    Libya has struggled to impose its authority on many of the armed groups that overthrew Muammar Gaddafi in a pro-democracy uprising last year.
    But in recent weeks, several militias have handed back state facilities such as the country's main airport and some fighters have been re-integrated into civil servant jobs or the armed forces.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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