Video: Libya to Citizens: Give Up Your Guns

Posted on January 7, 2012 by admin

In the civil war before the downfall of Muammar Gaddafi, a lot of guns and weapons were distributed in Libya. The National Transitional Council is now trying to take them back

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Video: Libyan children return to school after uprising

Posted on January 7, 2012 by admin

About 1.2 million Libyan children are going back to school, for the first time since Libya’s revolution started.

But many schools have been destroyed and most do not even have basic facilities.

Al Jazeera’s Imran Khan reports from Zlitan.

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Libya NTC says to review investments in Arab world, Africa

Posted on January 7, 2012 by main

Libya will review its investments in the Arab world and Africa, the chairman of the National Transitional Council said on Saturday.

“We have a general view to review all investments in the Arab world, the African continent and elsewhere,” Mustafa Abdul Jalil said at news conference with visiting Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir.

“There are some countries where investment will increase and others where projects will stop.”

“There are investments that are worthy of developing and there may be investments that would be better for the Libyan people for them to be closed.”

Source: Reuters

Feb17.info note: Do you believe this is something the NTC has authority to do? Yes or No  – Share your thoughts…

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Libyan schools to teach anti-Gaddafi revoltution

Posted on January 7, 2012 by main

By Jay Deshmukh

Libya’s 1.2 million schoolchildren returned to classrooms nationwide on Saturday, to learn a revamped curriculum that includes the revolution that ousted Moamer Kadhafi and purges his personal teachings.

The country’s old textbooks have been revised to eliminate chapters that “glorified” Kadhafi with new material added on the nine-month conflict that led to his downfall and death, Education Minister Suleyman Ali al-Saheli told AFP.

Libyan students chant the revolution anthem and wave the "V" for victory sign at a school in Tripoli (AFP, Joseph Eid

“We will not repeat the same mistakes. Our children will study the entire conflict, including details of Kadhafi’s death,” Saheli said on the sidelines of an event marking the start of the national school year.

“For sure they will study what happened in Libya last year.”

The bloody rebellion which erupted last February saw tens of thousands of Libyan men, backed by NATO forces, take up arms against Kadhafi, who was killed on October 20 following a conflict that left thousands of people dead. Continue reading →

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Rights group condemns Libya visit by Sudan’s Bashir

Posted on January 7, 2012 by main

Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir, wanted by the International Criminal Court on genocide charges, arrived in Libya on Saturday, drawing criticism from a human rights group.

Bashir, wanted by The Hague-based court on charges of orchestrating genocide in the Darfur region of Sudan, was met by Mustafa Abdul Jalil, chairman of Libya’s ruling National Transitional Council, at Tripoli airport, a Libyan official, who asked not to be named, told Reuters.

“Welcoming Bashir … raises questions about the NTC’s stated commitment to human rights and the rule of law,” Richard Dicker, international justice director at Human Rights Watch, said in a statement.

“Following the end of decades of brutal rule in Libya, it is disturbing if Tripoli hosts a head of state on the run from international arrest warrants for grave human rights violations.”

Abdul Jalil, who visited Khartoum in November, has said Sudanese weapons and ammunition helped Libya’s former rebels oust Muammar Gaddafi last year and take control of the North African country. Continue reading →

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Libya asks Turkish navy’s cooperation after civil war

Posted on January 7, 2012 by admin

Libyan Naval Forces Command has asked Turkey’s cooperation in reconstruction of its armada, training of mariners and in military issues.

Bases in Tripoli, Homs, Misurata, Sirte and Benghazi cities have been damaged during NATO’s operations in May following the the uprising against Moammar Gadhafi’s 42-year rule.

Libyan officials recalled that several Turkish companies had constructed the ports in Tripoli and Homs 20 years ago, noting that some Libyan officers had been trained in Turkey too.

Commander Mustafa Joha in Tripoli base told AA that Turkey had an advanced fleet force, adding that they wanted to make cooperation with Turkey. Continue reading →

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Libya’s Belhadj won’t join UK’s torture inquiry

Posted on January 6, 2012 by admin

Lawyers for the commander of Libya’s military council say he won’t take part in Britain’s inquiry into possible abuses during its pursuit of terrorism suspects.

Abdel-Hakim Belhaj is already suing Britain and its security forces for their alleged role in his rendition to Libya in 2004.

Lawyers Leigh Day & Co said Friday that Belhaj wouldn’t cooperate with a government-commissioned investigation as it had insufficient powers to “get to the truth of Britain’s involvement.”

Retired judge Peter Gibson leads a three-member panel asked to carry out a sweeping review of Britain’s role in the so-called “war on terror.” Continue reading →

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For Libya’s Rape Victims, the War Continues

Posted on January 6, 2012 by admin

By:Shafi Khan

After driving through countless checkpoints, some manned by young men dwarfed by the very guns they were holding, we meet Dr. S at an upscale hotel in the capital of Tripoli.  Introduced to us by a contact from Human Rights Watch doing research on mass rapes, she is a French-trained doctor, one of many Libyans who has returned to her homeland.

She insists on anonymity, and just minutes into the meeting I see she is suffering from secondary trauma-her hands tremble incessantly as she speaks.  Although no one is near enough to hear our conversation, from time to time she feels compelled to lean over and whisper details-because this is Libya, a deeply religious and conservative society, and the topic she is discussing is rape.

The women Dr. S is helping are Ghadaffi’s last victims, countless women who were raped in a scorched earth campaign on the western front. No one knows the real numbers of rape victims; this is not an issue about which many families come forward. Continue reading →

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