The Report of Libya al-Hurra TV (قناة ليبيا الحرة )
The forum was held on the 12th of January 2013, at the Rixos Hotel, Tripoli -- just one day before the unofficial Berber New Year (13 January 2963). The new year is celebrated as a public holiday by the Berbers of Libya, even though they still campaign for the event to be declared "official holiday".
The constitutional forum was attended by a number of GNC members including Libya's acting president, Dr. Magarief, Berber GNC members, the deputy minister of culture, the president of the World Amazigh Congress, representatives from various political parties including the heads of the NFA and the Justice & Development party, representatives from a number of embassies, the European Union and the UN, Berberists from Egypt and Tunisia, and hundreds of Libyan Berbers and Arabs.
The Berber representative of the Berber-speaking areas in Libya has called for the establishment of "The Supreme Council for the Amazigh of Libya", to represent a united leadership which can assist the Berbers to achieve their goals.
The Berbers have made it clear that they will never accept a constitution that does not include "justice", "equality" and "complete citizenship"; and that their constitutional rights are not subject to "voting" or "referendum", because they are legitimate rights for all Libyans regardless of "language" or "doctrine".
Dr. Magarief has, once more, demonstrated his wholehearted support for Tamazight ('Berber language') to be constitutionally recognised, and stressed that he "personally" believes there is a unanimous agreement among Libyans that the Imazighen and the Tebu together with the Arabs form a fundamental component of the Libyan society.
The Deputy Culture Minister, Awatef Atashani, has also expressed support for Tamazight to be recognised by the constitution, and stated that the Berbers' right is not only a political right but also a "legal", "cultural" and "historical" right. Hopefully the ministry's website will mention Libya's indigenous culture by "name", instead of the usual marginalisation displayed by most government and private institutions.
This without a doubt signals a historical step forward; and the fact that government representatives and international organisations had finally began to respond to the Berbers pleas to join the debate is a great victory the patient Berbers are proud to achieve.
Dr. Magarief has, once more, demonstrated his wholehearted support for Tamazight ('Berber language') to be constitutionally recognised, and stressed that he "personally" believes there is a unanimous agreement among Libyans that the Imazighen and the Tebu together with the Arabs form a fundamental component of the Libyan society.
The Deputy Culture Minister, Awatef Atashani, has also expressed support for Tamazight to be recognised by the constitution, and stated that the Berbers' right is not only a political right but also a "legal", "cultural" and "historical" right. Hopefully the ministry's website will mention Libya's indigenous culture by "name", instead of the usual marginalisation displayed by most government and private institutions.
This without a doubt signals a historical step forward; and the fact that government representatives and international organisations had finally began to respond to the Berbers pleas to join the debate is a great victory the patient Berbers are proud to achieve.
To read more about Libyan constitutions, and for the five recommendations delivered by the president of Zuwarah's Local Council, Dr. Tariq Attoshi, please see: http://www.temehu.com/constitutions.htm
