The celebratory sounds of gunshots that echo through the Libyan air is a reminder that violence was a necessary means to freedom. But if the Libyan people intend to build a just, democratic country as they have stated, then those echoes must die with Gadhafi.
Gadhafi's lifeless body lay on full display in Misurata, Libya in a commericial cold room where he is stripped almost naked, patches of dry blood interspersed throughout hs torso. The Libyan people once feared the dictator and would cower at the whisper of his presence, until fear turned to anger, then to desperation, before finally boiling over into revolutionary revolt. These same Libyans stood in line only a day after Gadhafi was killed waiting to get near to the man that oppressed their country for over four decades.
Destroy and Rebuild
But the Libyans face a far more challenging task. They have spent the last eight months destroying 40 years of oppression. Now they must rebuild. And as difficult as it has been for the Libyan people to obtain their freedom, the challenge of shaping their future may be far more daunting.
Fair and equal treatment must be given to all Libyans, including supporters of the ex-dictator. Marginalizing any one group will be repeating the hatred and oppression Gadhafi so blatantly exercised over the country he once controlled. And since the prospective Libyan leadership should know all too well the capabilities of the oppressed, a fair of democratic solution must be discussed.
And while the decisions made in this transitional period are ultimately up to the Libyan people, it is in the interest of the international community that aided their fight for freedom that decisions be made in a humane manner.
The recent awakening of the middle-east has provided some perspective on the difficulty of moving forward. Look no further than Egypt, as they have seen brutal infighting between the minortiy Coptic Christians and extreme Muslim groups; namely the Muslim Brotherhood or the Salafis, whose influence has grown since the departure of former President Mubarak.
These ultraconservatives have burned Christian churches, opposed the hiring of Christian governors, and committed violent crimes, including dozens of murders, against the Coptic Christians. All of this after last February when the entire country, Muslims and Christians, fought as one for what they thought would be a more unified state.
Libya Under International Microscope
Controversy has already made its way into the headlines as NATO and the international community plead for some type of investigation into the killing of Gadhafi, even as his body is now buried in a publicly undisclosed location. Some uneasiness has also been sparked at the declaration of Sharia Law that will be used to govern Libya moving forward. And although the interim government immediately stepped down in sight of Libya’s first democratic election, there is a strange anxiety as the world watches every step of Libya’s progression.
www.almasryalyoum.com "Sharia Law decleration raises concerns in New Libya" (accessed October 26)
www.msnbc.com "Christians under siege in post revolutionary Egypt" (accessed October 26)
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