Libyans say ‘we’ll oust the regime ourselves’
They want no foreign intervention, pro-democracy protesters can do it alone
Libyan pro-democracy protesters say they are determined to unseat strongman Muammar Gaddafi without any foreign military intervention, even at the cost of further bloodshed.
With world powers weighing options to end Col Gaddafi’s 41-year hardline rule, protesters who overran Benghazi, Libya’s second city, hoisted a banner spelling out their message loudly and clearly: “No foreign intervention, Libyan people can do it alone.”
The devastating sectarian violence that rocked Iraq in the aftermath of the 2003 US-led military intervention that brought down dictator Saddam Hussein haunts many Libyans.
“The Iraqi example scares everyone in the Arab world,” said Abeir Imneina, a professor of political sciences at the university of Benghazi.
“We know very well what happened in Iraq, which is in the throes of instability. Following in those footsteps is not appealing at all,” she said.
“We don’t want the Americans to come and then to have to regret (the end of the rule of) Gaddafi,” she added.
The national fibre appears strong in Libya, where on Sunday Gaddafi opponents announced the creation of “national councils” in all freed cities that would serve as the “face of Libya in the transitional period”.
In a clear signal of their intentions, the revolution’s spokesman said Libya’s people would liberate cities across the oil-rich north African nation and leave the task of freeing the capital Tripoli to the army.
The anti-regime protesters are “counting on the army to liberate Tripoli”, said Abdel Hafiz Ghoqa.
But “the people of Libya will liberate their (other) cities.”
Mr Ghoqa also rejected the need for “any foreign intervention or military operation.”
And on Saturday former Justice Minister Mustafa Abdel Jalil, who has joined the rebellion against Col Gaddafi and quit the regime, said that a transitional government would pave the way for elections.
France’s Prime Minister Francois Fillon said yesterday “all options” were being discussed by world powers. One option on the table was using Nato air power to impose a no-fly zone over Libya to stop Col Gaddafi from using air strikes against his own people. However, such a step would require UN approval, experts said.