Revolutionary brigades affiliated with the Misrata Military Council have issued a sharp condemnation of a reported secret meeting held in Tripoli, describing it as a threat to national unity and democratic transparency.
In a statement released on Sunday, the brigades expressed "deep concern" over what they claim was a clandestine gathering aimed at forming a new government "behind the backs of the Libyan people" and outside the framework of national consensus.
The meeting reportedly took place in an area of Tripoli under the control of a militia "internationally accused of human rights violations," according to Karim Khan, the Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court.
"This represents a dangerous and unacceptable overstep of all political and national norms," the brigades said. They warned against what they described as "governing in the shadows" and the recycling of political failure by toppling one administration to install another, without addressing the entrenched political bodies such as the House of Representatives and the High Council of State.
The statement further accused those involved of attempting to bypass the proposal of the UN-backed advisory committee and perpetuate the rule of institutions that have "lost their legitimacy and become a burden on the state."
Should a new government be appointed without broad-based consensus, the brigades said they would support the current Government of National Unity, “despite its shortcomings,” as a defensive measure to protect the path towards real change.
The statement concluded with a direct appeal to the United Nations and the international community, urging them not to recognise any government "born of backroom deals made in areas under armed influence," and instead to respect the will of the Libyan people and push for comprehensive political reform.
