The Berber Language: Official Not National

The NTC had recently made a number of statements and declarations in which it mentioned "minorities rights", "Nafousa Lions", and the "protection of minorities" among other descriptive phrases, without specifically mentioning the Berbers and without enlisting Berber as an official language in the constitution.   The NTC also said the minority languages will be considered as "national languages". The indigenous Libyan Berbers, however, were angered and quickly reacted with various online posts, Libya.TV debates, a conference in Tripoli, and an open letter to the NTC. So, what is the problem?

Native Berberists say downgrading Berber language to a national status gives the false impression that the language is not indigenous to Libya. For example, nationalising a foreign company does indicate the company is not Libyan. While some Berberists add that foreigners (or aliens: 'an unnaturalised foreign resident') who had acquired Libyan "nationality" in recent years cannot be compared with Berbers who had been in Libya for tens of thousands of years. This means that nationalising something or someone usually indicates the foreign nature of that something or someone. Fair enough; "but they are not aliens", the Berbers say.

What sort of norms that call the "majority" Moroccan Berbers "minority" in their own home? 

Berberists also feel marginalised because, they argue, speaking of the indigenous Berber tribes as "minorities" who were afforded protection by the constitution that refused to recognise them not only makes them feel like they are living in a "conservation camp", where tourists can flock in to have a glimpse at the fast-dying clan, but also violates the historical fact in that the Berbers are the original inhabitants of North Africa, long before the arrival of  the  Arabs in the 7th Century AD. They are "Libyans", they say, and not a "minority"!

Thus Imazighen reject the term "minority" and instead demand from the NTC to recognise them as "people", as "Libyan people", and as "the native people of Libya" (see the open letter sent by the Libyan Berber Congress (ALT) to the National Transitional Council (NTC) on the 17th of September 2011).


On the other hand, other Berberists say there are no "Libyan Arabs" and no "Libyan Berbers", but only (one) Libyan people who came to speak more than one language: Arabic, Berber, Tebo, etc. This attitude is much healthier as it unites the people of Libya as one people while at the same time grants all Libyans their full and equal rights. It is bizarre that this is not recognisably obvious.

If unprotected constitutionally a language may eventually die. On average, one language goes extinct every week in this modern age, simply because of democratic and totalitarian governments' open neglect. Berber language, however, is one of the oldest languages on the surface of the planet.


There are so many countries in the world which have a number of official languages without these countries being divided nor ruled by imperial powers. Democratic countries usually declare a number of languages as official languages, if there are that many, like in India where 23 languages are listed as official languages in the constitution. While dictatorial countries usually dictate one language (often its language - always the ruling language) and downgrade all others - often the indigenous languages. And there are countries that do not list any official language at all.

To read more about these and similar issues please visit:

• Berber Political Movements: http://www.temehu.com/imazighen/berberism.htm


• Libya TV:  Revolution Path: http://www.libya.tv/2011/10/ : Berberists debating the official status of Tamazight ('Berber Language')


• Libyan Berber Congress: an open letter to the NTC: http://www.libya-nclo.com/2011Bayanat/حولاستحقاقاتالحقالامازيغيفيليبيا.aspx

Libyan Visa Update (2): 15 October 2011:

As a result of the clashes in Tripoli in the past couple of days we are reviewing our advice by strongly advising against all travel to Libya for the time being. Business and diplomatic visits do not come under travel, as these missions have their own security arrangements.  Read the full update at: http://www.temehu.com/Visas.htm

Libya Visa Update: 01 October 2011:

Libyan Visa Update

There are a number of individual reports from visitors who say they had obtained visas on arrival at the border(s) or from Libyan embassies. Even though many of these remain unconfirmed reports, they do not represent the official view of the transitional government. What is the Transitional National Council (TNC) has to say in relation to the visa issue?

The new law according to the TNC's Constitutional Declaration:

The TNC has announced on the 3rd of August 2011 a 37-point interim "Constitutional Declaration" to provide a framework for the transition to an elected government, and to call for a constitutional assembly within eight months. This Constitutional Declaration updates the current (or the old) law, and also cancels a number of old laws that are related to constitutional matters. Article (35) of this Declaration specifically states that the law regarding all provisions decreed in the current legislations stay the same and remain effective as before, until they are amended or repealed. Here is what it says in Arabic:

TNC's Article (35), Constitutional Declaration.

Translation:

"All the current provisions decreed in the existing legislations shall continue to be effective, in as much as they do not conflict with the provisions of this "declaration", until the announcement of new provisions to amend or repeal them. Each reference in these [old] provisions to the so-called "People's Congresses" or the "General People's Congress" shall be taken as a reference to the "Interim Transitional National Council"  or the "General National Council [Congress]"; each reference to the "General People's Committee" or the "Peoples' Committees" is a reference to the "Executive Board" or to the members of the Executive Board or to the government or to the members of the government, each within his or her jurisdictional boundaries; and each reference to the (Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya) shall be deemed as a reference to (Libya)."

What this means is that almost everything stays the same, as before, with the change of the old names of Libya and its institutions to the new names, until the TNC completes the transition period and supervises an elected government. Therefore the old visa law should stay the same. Embassies provide diplomatic, study and business visas; tour operators and visa bureaus provide tourist visas on arrival. In fact Turkey was one of the first countries to take advantage of this when it reiterated that its citizens were allowed into Gaddafi's Libya without an entry visa (http://www.independent.com.mt/) and therefore they do not need any visas to enter new Libya. These issues are still being addressed, and the following update from the Libyan embassy in Malta hints at a new visa update to be released by the TNC soon.

Read Temehu.com's full visa update and download copies of the Constitutional Declaration at:
http://www.temehu.com/Visas.htm