Far From Reality
"We guarantee that we are going to build a nation that respects human rights and does not accept the abuse of human rights. But we must have time." Libya's new interim prime minister, Abdel-Rahim al-KibNo sooner the celebrations have abated slightly in Libya in view of the jaundiced view by NATO of their victory over Moammar Gadhafi, concluding in his summary execution, than the atmosphere of civility appears to be swiftly evaporating. Stories seeping out of the country of both the regime loyalists and the revolutionaries equally engaging in atrocities targeting one another have sullied that victory.
Not particularly in the estimation of the National Transitional Council and the various militias representing some of Libya's many tribes and clans, but certainly in the estimation of the West. It is also a matter of grave concern to the United Nations ... they say ... imploring Libyans to behave themselves in a mannerly way.
The National Transitional Council has issued an ultimatum in the manner of a reasonable plea that they may have felt would be ignored, just as it truly was, that the militias hand in to them their arms. Heavy machine guns and anti-aircraft guns remain in use. Used, as a matter of fact, in a stand-off between rival militia clans in Tripoli.
The scene at the site of the city's Central Hospital was one where militia from Zintan were stopped by guards from the Tripoli Brigade from entering the hospital. What ensued was a firestorm of bullets causing doctors and patients to attempt escape from the hospital. Nonetheless, two elderly patients died of heart attacks during the prolonged shooting event.
The gunmen from Zintan had arrived at the hospital with the intention of seeking out and killing someone whom they'd shot earlier in the day, only to discover later he had survived and was taken to hospital. When doctors asked them to leave, one began shooting, but was soon overpowered. Whereupon hundreds of Zintan men arrived with their heavy weapons.
"We had to call for back-up", said Mohamad Hamza, a Tripoli Brigade fighter who had been in charge of security at the hospital. "We couldn't believe that they were shooting at us. I had to say to them, you are shooting at a hospital, not at Muammar Gadhafi's 32nd Brigade. Eventually, after several hours, a sheikh came from the mosque and persuaded them to stop."
Revenge attacks have been proceeding elsewhere. Libya has a super-abundance of weapons, and gangs of Gadhafi loyalists wander about trolling the land. Locals of one town southwest of Tripoli claim people were killed in raids by former rebel brigades from other tribes seeking revenge against those they believe had fought for Col. Gadhafi.
In Bani Walid, tribesmen from the Warfalla tribe are claiming they are organizing themselves to represent as an insurgency. In Sirte, the NTC has been urged to investigate dozens of bodies in decay. Militias from the city of Misurata were terrorizing displaced residents of a nearby town in retribution for collaboration in atrocities committed by the regime's forces.
An allied population in Libya, striving to move forward together to forge a modern, civil country seems at the present time to be far from reality.
Labels: Chaos, Conflict, Libya
posted by Pieface @ Wednesday, November 02, 2011
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