Tripoli— As tension rises in Libya over the growing security threat of the huge numbers of illegal migrants and the influx of refugees in the country, the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) has issued a statement on Thursday calling for public discourse to be “fact-based”.
The statement said, “The UN in Libya is deeply concerned with a misinformation campaign that is fueling tensions in Libya and inciting hate speech against refugees and migrants”. Adding “misleading narratives only foster fear and hostility.”
On Thursday, the Government of National Unity (GNU) held an emergency meeting on illegal migration in Tripoli during which the Prime Minister warned that “Libya will not be a haven for illegal migration, and that the security and stability of the Libyan people are a red line”.
UNSMIL’s statement went on to say that “the UN recognizes the commitment of the Libyan national and municipal authorities to addressing the concerns of the Libyan people. Underscoring the importance of preserving the national sovereignty of Libya.” Adding “the UN support in strengthening migration governance is aligned with Libya’s national priorities.”
Libya has been under the UN Security Council mandate since March 2011. The UN mission in Libya and the international community have yet to make advances in helping Libyans to establish a unified government since then. A truly unified and sovereign Libyan government could very much take care of its own people, and deal effectively with problems such as illegal migration and the huge influx of refugees.
The UNSMIL statement concluded, “Misleading narratives only foster fear and hostility. The UN urges all actors to refrain from spreading unverified information and to ensure that public discourse is fact-based and respectful of human rights”.