Libya's aspirations to replace Muammar Gaddafi's repressive rule with a just, democratic state are being undermined by armed militias who trample on human rights and are outside the government's control, Amnesty International said Thursday. The militias spearheaded the rebellion that ended Gaddafi's 42-year rule but they have so far refused to disband. With their heavily armed units patrolling the streets, they have more power on the ground than Libya's official rulers. Amnesty said in a report that its researchers had documented dozens of cases of militias committing war crimes, torturing detainees and forcing whole communities to flee their homes. It said Libya's interim leadership, the National Transitional Council (NTC), had to date failed to assert its authority over the militias by investigating the abuses. “Militias in Libya are largely out of control and the blanket impunity they enjoy only encourages further abuses and perpetuates instability and insecurity,” said Amnesty's Donatella Rovera. “A year ago Libyans risked their lives to demand justice. Today their hopes are being jeopardized by lawless armed militias who trample human rights with impunity.” “It is imperative that the Libyan authorities firmly demonstrate their commitment to turning the page on decades of systematic violations by reining in the militias,” Rovera said in a statement.
