NTC Abdel-Jalil Hails Berber Protesters Agents of Foreign Agenda

The Revelations of the R-evolution.




The usual "Foreign Agenda" is back on the menu.

Why take things out of proportion at this volatile stage when simple recognition of identity is the "magic word" ?

First of all, Libya needs peace and all Libyans need to know that only peace can defeat war. But Libyans have a problem to effect "diligent dialogue", and that is "lack of definitions", "lack of understanding" and "lack of democratic experience", resulting from the various dictatorships imposed upon them -- always by force, of course.  "Words" no longer mean what they mean, terms occasionally hijacked to meet political ends, transparency is invisible, and some media stories edited to achieve desired public opinions.

Berber protesters during the revolution were rightly hailed "revolutionaries" and "lions of Nafousa", but now they were sent back to being the "agents of foreign agendas". Why this sudden and sad change when the people remained the same and still are "shaken", "disoriented", and "healing their deepest wounds"? There is no need to condemn "protesters" because without protests many of these defected leaders would have remained loyal to Gaddafi, and therefore "protesting" is a healthy sign of democracy the NTC ought to encourage and respond to positively.

In theory, the NTC did welcome the protesters' cries for "transparency", "published policies" and "equal representation in the transitional government".  But in practice, whenever Libyan revolutionaries and ordinary citizens demonstrate or protest, they were labelled by all sorts of names, including "sleeper cells" (still loyal to the old regime of Gaddafi), "agents to sabotage the revolution" (just like Gaddafi had said before), and, of course, the historic "agents of foreign agendas" (used by various dictators to suppress the voices of their own people). The conflict is within and not outside. Tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets of Benghazi, whom we all know they are not Berbers, demanding "transparency" and "clear policy" from the NTC among other things.

All Libyans need to know that the Berbers fully support the NTC and what it represents, as they have always called for justice, freedom, dignity and loving peace. The NTC must rest assured that the Berbers took a leading role in the revolution and that they will continue supporting the "revolution" for "dignity", "independence" and "freedom". This however must not be confused with revolution for "integration", "disappearance" and "inclusion". 

Mr. Abdel Jalil in the above video does not provide any evidence for the alleged foreign link between the "foreign powers" (presumably the same as the foreign forces he cooperated with during the operation that saw at least 30,000 Libyans dead) and the "Berber activists" (who have been peacefully demanding no more than their basic human rights). Where is the evidence for this foreign agenda?

Nonetheless, the honourable leader  did make the inflammatory and unnecessary comments, which everyone agrees serve no positive purpose. He starts by telling his Berber brothers and protesters (mentioning Suleiman Dogha by name) that "in Libya we have three authorities: judicial, legislative and executive, and that the highest judicial post was given to the Amazigh [Imazighen]." This is a reference to the appointment of judge Kamal Dehan, a Berber from Zuwarah, as the Supreme Judge in Libya. Mustafa Abdel Jalil visited Zuwarah late in the evening of the 11th of September and thanked the people and the "revolutionaries" of Zuwarah for their participation in the "revolution", and also informed them of the appointment of Kamel Dehhan as the head of the  Libyan High Court.

Secondly, Mr. Abdel Jalil, likewise Prime Minister el-Keib, so far has managed to avoid speaking about the issue of constitutionalising Tamazight "identity" and "language" as the primary cause of the protests, and instead easily criticised the ministerial demands of the Berber protesters as "euphoric reactions" deviated from "the path" and activated by "foreign political agenda" from outside Libya (video, minute: 1:30). It would have been more reasonable if the NTC came out, met the people, and exercised the benefits of democracy by explaining to people the issues at hand. Cannot we talk first before we start arguing or even fighting? Aren't we supposed to walk before we run?

The NTC needs to, first of all, organise debates and conferences across Libya to discuss what the Libyans themselves need and should do about the Berbers and about the Arabs, as well as discuss all the other more important issues; and only then one can find out what the people want, which the NTC says is exactly its objective.  They need to educate all Libyans about all the real components of the Libyan society and learn to live with them; equally dignified we hope.

One is tempted to wonder if this is a deliberate deviation from the true cause of the protests to label the Berber "revolution" for justice and freedom as a "separatist movement" that must "disappear", or it was an error of judgement! For example, the Berber Tuareg of Libya, Niger and Mali have been labeled as "terrorists", "bandits", "traffickers", "greens" and "slave masters", when in reality most of them are just Berbers. Add to them the Berbers of Nafousa and Zuwarah as agents of foreign forces and you have a complete categorisation of the entire Berber tribes, like Gaddafi had said, as "enemies of the revolution". What did they do or say to deserve this persecution at this regional level? What did they ask for? Constitutional recognition of their language and identity, freedom of expression, official representation, sharing the wealth, etc. One would assume all these constitute proper grounds for revolution, but ambiguously they do not when it comes to the Berbers or many other indigenous peoples!

Of course, there is always the possibility of misunderstanding, since the "definition" principle implies "Arab Revolution" from the Arab perspective; the Berbers should not have a perspective of their own, and should not have an identity of their own; and hence they should  "integrate", he says  -- presumably  "integration into another's freedom".

A kind of sub-freedom or semi-human state, expected from "good Berbers", who, Abdel Jalil  adds, are "his friends". But those Berbers who speak for "unconditional freedom" (which his ethnic group Fully enjoy with the "aid of foreign powers" and the implied UN mandate) must "disappear", he says.

He also said they had meetings with "intelligent Berbers" over the Berbers' rights and that only time will show the services "will be" provided for them in the future; but those who are calling for constitutional recognition and are manipulated by foreign agendas have left the meeting room, and those he too says have "his amnesty". Merciful mother knows most Libyans agree that those are "harsh comments" that could have been avoided for the common good, and that addressing the Berbers' and the Arabs' demands directly with them would have been the ideal way to lead forward out of Libya's darkest period in history. What do you think?

This means that we now have been divided into two classes of Berbers: "intelligent Berbers" (who will be rewarded later); and "foreign agents" (who must "disappear") -- not an intelligent catalyst to restore peace to a war-torn society. Why cannot the honourable Leader tell his people right now what "services will be provided later to the Berbers" ? Why has no one so far from the NTC had the courage to address the issue of "constitutionalising Tamazight" in the open?

All Berbers are strongly urged to remain united with their Arab and Tebu brothers and sisters, as they have always been, and resist all attempts to divide. Libya must stay united for freedom and justice (for all Libyans) and uphold the principles of the Uprising for the good of Mother Libya -- only One Libya. They must do this peacefully and only through "diligent dialogue"; nothing else.  If others would like to spread negative rumours about the Berbers then that is up to them; they are free after all to express how they feel; they should not be afraid to bring their fears to the open; they should be who they are, as that is exactly what all Libyans want to see: to get to know the NTC.

The NTC leader also advised the Berbers to avoid "seclusion", despite their "exclusion" by his draft constitution and despite the Berbers' main demand being "inclusion", in the first place; which he refuses not only to provide but even to "talk about" in the open. Apply the "definition" principle to the above red-coloured words and the problem the Libyans need to peacefully resolve begins to take shape. Why take things out of proportion at this volatile stage when simple recognition of identity & unity is the "magic word" ?