Fired Libyan ambassador to the UN lashes out at UN and unity government

The ambassador, Ibrahim Dabbashi, had already been fired three times as ambassador to the UN. He was fired twice by the al-Thinni administration of the House of Representatives (HoR) government.

He was also fired once by the Presidency Council(PC) of the UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA). He simply ignored the firings and up to August 26 had simply stayed on with the UN not taking any action. However, in the list of permanent representatives the definitive record of who is the envoy of each country, Dabbashi's name is gone and instead Elmahdi Elmajerbi represents Libya.

Dabbashi broke with the Al-Thinni HoR administration some time ago. He broke with the HoR government at the end of 2015. He then backed the UN-brokered and supported Government of National Accord (GNA). However, of late he has been distancing himself from it as well. He received a great deal of criticism when he questioned the loyalty of some Misrata brigades involved in the Sirte offensive to the GNA. Taha Siala the foreign minister said that Elmajerbi had taken over as Dabbashi had served the legal limit of four years on the job. Dabbashi had assumed office July 23 2013 so four years service would end July 23 next year.

In a letter to "Excellency and dear friend" Ban, Dabbashi claims that Libya is in effect under an undeclared trusteeship of the UN run by a Troika of Martin Kobler, Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG), and two ambassadors who make decisions on behalf of the Libyan people. The group is assisted by a dialogue committee dominated by foreigners but of Libyan descent, as well as radical Islamists." Dabbashi also protests that he had been ejected from the UN New York headquarters building.

In his letter, Dabbashi claimed that his ousting was illegal because the head of the GNA, Presidency Council (PC), Faiez Serraj did not have the power to dismiss him since the GNA has not yet been approved by the HoR. While Dabbashi insists he supports the Libya Political Agreemet (LPA) he claimed that he and others were astonished at the careless behavior of the United National Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL). He said that UNSMIL encouraged violations of the UNSMIL by delaying " the implementation of security measures and recognising non-consensual and unlawful decisions of the PC"'.

Dabbashi also criticized the UN for dealing with the High State Council, a mainly advisory body consisting of former members of the rival General National Congress, as the GNA had not yet been given a vote of confidence from the HoR. As well he condemned the GNA for relying on militia for its security. Finally, he targeted UNSMIL head, Martin Kobler, specifically for statements discrediting the Libyan National Army, and its war on terror in Benghazi and Derna. Haftar's siege in Derna has been classified as a war crime by some. Haftar is laying siege to jihadist groups who were instrumental in ejecting the Islamic State from Derna.