Nobel Peace Prize laureate Leymah Gbowee was recently invited to Tripoli to deliver a speech on the role of women in transforming conflict and leading reconciliation in Libya. When she saw who was in the audience, she changed her prepared speech...
Foreign companies and investors already unsure about returning to Libya will be further dissuaded by this targeting of a foreign embassy in the heart of Tripoli.
While many foreigners working in Libya are genuinely interested in helping the country move forward towards a more stable future, it seems very unlikely that this is the case for these western mercenaries.
By blackmailing the state and disrupting crucial legislative work, protesters are doing more to harm to the aims of the revolution than probably even the most diehard Gaddafi supporter could manage at this moment in time.
There was much hype about Libya's deteriorating security situation. However anyone who experienced the celebrations in Libya this year would have been hard placed to match these descriptions to the reality. Martyrs' Square itself was incredible.
Libyans want stability. They want to live in a clean, safe, free society where rule of law and justice is paramount. However given the turmoil of the past few years and the weakness of the government, opinion is clearly divided over the best way to ensure such a society can blossom.
Many are questioning why the congress appear to be doing nothing, while for their part parliamentarians seem reluctant to make the necessary decisions for fear of making the wrong ones.
Libyans asked for assistance during the revolution and they received it: the Syrian opposition has been asking for international assistance for eighteen months yet has received little or no response.
A year on from Libya’s liberation many aspects of life have improved. The Libyan public, however, still needs to use their new found voice to stop the militias from hijacking their revolution, and call for peace and reconciliation instead of force and violence.
