LIBYAN CHAOS CONTINUES EVEN AFTER GADDAFI ERA

With the ouster and subsequent assassination of Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi, no one had expected Libya was at last liberated and that a people-friendly democratic regime would take over power which would change the atmosphere for the better. Even while fighting unitedly against the authoritarian regime, no one felt like thinking or worrying about the future of the nation after doing away with Gaddafi’s regime. The peace-loving citizens across the country might have dreamt of a golden future about to embrace them soon. International observers and experts on Libya had foreseen a chaotic atmosphere prevailing across the country as a result of the revolution. Their assumptions didn’t go wrong as their calculations were based on certain ground realties.

Libya under Gaddafi’s rule for more than forty years had experienced much hardships and sufferings like poverty, unemployment and loss of freedom, all unbearable and as a result got disillusioned, frustrated and discontented. The citizens had not mustered enough courage to fight against a formidable, wicked and wily ruler as he with an iron-fist could easily suppress all protests and could rule the country as per his whims and fancies. Like majority of malevolent dictators he too led a royal life flanked by heavy security and a powerful army always at his command. And to fight against his regime, none came to the front to lead the people and inspire them to fight against the autocratic regime. The entire nation and its citizens were in a state of constant fear and paranoia and were forced to subjugate themselves to the dictates of the iron-fisted ruler.

The Jasmine Revolution which first broke out in Tunisia, led to the ouster of Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, who was also ruling the nation like an autocrat. The sign of first resistance and the victory of people over a North African country like Tunisia inspired the repressed citizens of other African countries. The inspiring news about the ouster of Tunisian ruler spread to Egypt, Yemen, Bahrain, even Saudi Arabia and the world as a whole. But after Tunisia, the protests against the Egyptian dictator Hosni Mubarak who ruled like a king for more than three decades suppressing freedom and pushing the country into the ditch of poverty, corruption, unemployment et al made the people restive and angry and they were emboldened to unitedly fight against his regime drawing inspiration from the Jasmine Revolution. With much determination and confidence, the arrogant dictator directed his powerful army to suppress the agitation at all costs. The fighters gathered at Tahrir Square in lakhs and raised slogans against the wicked rule of Mubarak in spite of suffering heavy loss of lives on their side. They stuck to their stand and the angry crowds fought against the army with might and determination forcing the latter to concede defeat. Mubarak was dethroned and imprisoned and a temporary regime was installed as an interim arrangement till country-wide elections were held and a new regime installed. The rest is history.

After the fall of Tunisian and Egyptian dictators, the Libyan and Yemenese people drew courage to put an end to the rule of Libyan ruler Muammar Gaddafi and Yemenese ruler Ali Abdullah Saleh. Gaddafi in the beginning took the situation silly as he was that much confident of suppressing the protesters easily by his powerful militia. Thousands perished as a result and suffered major setbacks. The rebellion lasted a fairly long time and UN tried to intervene to bring an end to the rebellions as thousands were martyred but to no avail. As a result a resolution 1973 was passed in UN and sanctioned the establishment of a ‘no-fly-zone’ and other measures to protect the civilians. US and NATO forces with a purpose to end the blood-shed decided to arm the protesters and later took the decision to deploy their armies to fight against the dictator. Large-scale bombardments took place and the continuous pounding by the NATO forces led to heavy casualties among the Libyan militia which gradually eroded the strength and confidence of Libyan autocrat. Still he held the ground as far as he could and with the large-scale losses on his side, he too went into hiding to escape the clutches of emboldened rebels. With all escape routes closed he made a last ditch effort to hide inside a tunnel but could not escape from the eyes of the fighters hunting for him and consequently he was pulled out of the tunnel and was ruthlessly lynched. Thus came the end of an era and an era of nightmare. People went euphoric and celebrated victory for days.

Libya is a nation with more than 300 ethnic communities and after the country escaping from the iron-grip of a dictator as observers had foreseen ethnic conflicts and clashes were the result though elections were conducted and an Islamist govt took over power later. In addition to the ethnic problems getting worse terror elements sneaked into the country which made a mess of everything.

With days passing by, with uneasy calm prevailing in the atmosphere, US Embassy at Benghazi came under attack by a mob and a terrorist outfit Al-Sharia set ablaze the Embassy resulting in American Ambassador to US Christopher Stevens asphyxiated to death the previous day. The attack was in protest against a film ‘The Innocence of Muslims’ by an Israeli-US film-maker named Sam Bacile portraying Prophet Mohammad in bad light. Besides Christopher Stevens, three other US officials also succumbed to death which shocked the US as also the entire world

Now that terrorists attacked the American Embassy, security has been tightened around all US embassies across the world. Al-Sharia, later reportedly owned up responsibility for the attack on US Embassy in Libya.

Simultaneously, protesting against the showing of film, Egyptian protesters scaled the wall of US Embassy, tore the US flag and put up an Islamic banner in its place. Today also it is learned that a mob stormed the US Embassy in Yemen over the same issue.

Even after the ouster of a ruthless dictator Libya knows no peace with ethnic conflicts mounting and terror elements on the rampage with a namesake govt at the helm. All as foreseen by the international experts and observers.