Libya’s new rulers came under fire from disgruntled protesters for the first time yesterday as hundreds rallied in Benghazi, cradle of the uprising that toppled Muammar Gaddafi and brought them to power.
...the ruling body decided to make the eastern city the future ‘economic capital’ of the North African country
Faced with angry calls from crowds demanding that National Transitional Council chief Musfata Abdel Jalil quit, the ruling body decided to make the eastern city the future “economic capital” of the North African country.
In Benghazi’s Shajara Square, men and women chanted slogans against Abdel Jalil and the NTC, which have run Libya since Colonel Gaddafi’s ouster, complaining of a lack of transparency and willingness to forgive the ex-dictator’s fighters.
The square, whose name means “Tree” in Arabic, was the place where the first anti-Gaddafi rally was held on February 15, jump-starting the revolution that eventually overthrew the 42-year old regime.
“The NTC (National Transitional Council) must quit. Jalil must go out! The people want another revolution!” chanted the crowds as they waved Libya’s new flag.
“Abdel Jalil has lot of questions to answer. The regime has not changed. It is the same which oppresses and marginalises cities,” Tahini al-Sharif, a lawyer from Benghazi, said. She said the protesters were also furious over Abdel Jalil’s remarks that the Council was ready to forgive Col Gaddafi’s fighters.
“Abel Jalil is asking us to forgive Gaddafi fighters. Would he say the same thing if his son was killed or wounded in the revolution?” asked Ms Sharif. On Saturday, the NTC held the first post-Gaddafi conference on national reconciliation in which Abdel Jalil said the new Libyan rulers were ready to forgive the fighters of the now slain dictator who fought the rebels.
“Despite what the army of the oppressor did to our cities and our villages, our brothers who fought against the rebels as the army of Col. Gaddafi, we are ready to forgive them,” Abdel Jalil said.
“We are able to forgive and tolerate,” he added. But in response to yesterday’s protests, Abdel Jalil called on Libyans to be patient.
“I want to reassure Libyans that a lot will be done. Be patient,” he said, promising more transparency.
“The NTC will start its own website on which the list of its members and the activities of the NTC will be made public.”
Calling for “restraint and preservation of public property”, Abdel Jalil said the NTC was investing in priorities including the integration of former rebels in society.