U.N.: Libya faces difficult transition

TRIPOLI, Libya, Jan. 26 (UPI) -- Libya faces a difficult transition, made harder by weak state institutions and no political parties, but officials are working to succeed, a U.N. envoy said.

Ian Martin, the secretary-general's special representative and head of the U.N. Support Mission in Libya, told the U.N. Security Council Wednesday that, despite the challenges, interim officials are committed to forming a democratic government, the United Nations said in a release.

"The former regime may have been toppled, but the harsh reality is that the Libyan people continue to have to live with its deep-rooted legacy; weak, at times absent, state institutions, coupled with the long absence of political parties and civil society organizations, which render the country's transition more difficult," Martin said.

Security remained a key concern, he said, citing an abundance of weapons still on the streets and armed brigades with no clear chains of command and control.

Martin said the National Transitional Council was laying the foundation for establishing democratic governance, but is hampered because of a tight timeline, inexperience in developing electoral legislation and an inadequate communications system, among other things.

Concerning human rights, U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay told the Security Council she was concerned about the conditions of detention facilities and treatment of detainees held by revolutionary brigades.

"The lack of oversight by the central authorities creates an environment conducive to torture and ill-treatment," Pillay said. "It is therefore urgent that all detention centers are brought under the control of the Ministry of Justice and the General Prosecutor's Office. Moreover, a structure and process for judicial screening of detainees should be in place immediately."

She also voiced concern about conditions for people subjected to internal forced and involuntary displacement, the status of women and past abuses.