Mustafa Abdul Jalil- Head of National Transition Council, Libya
After the fall of Tripoli and exit of Gaddafi regime, the political and strategic scenario has drastically tilted in favor of the people of Libya. The revolutionaries (who are wrongly being labeled and referred to as ‘rebels’ by the international media) now hold the reins of power in a country where a dissenting view was taken as the biggest crime. The people of Libya have got this freedom after lot of sacrifices. They should not be called as ‘rebels’ because the word ‘rebel’ has a different connotation. The Libyan uprising was not a rebellion against a legitimate government. Gaddafi is the record to have said that he was not holding any constitutional appointment, so the question of resigning could not arise. Same logic can now be given against him when he calls upon his tribes and countrymen to rise against the rebels and defeat them and that he (Gaddafi) will fight till death. How can he claim his rule back when he never held any constitutional position in the country? Was the rule of Libya his Divine Right that has been snatched from him? No, the sovereignty belongs to the people of a country and it is their free will that should decide about the formation of the government.
The people of Libya have got their legitimate rights of freedom of expression and political activity. However the leaders of National Transition Council (NTC) have a big responsibility on their shoulders. First is to resist against the temptation of power. The biggest threat to the stability and integrity of the nation would come from the chances of infighting amongst the revolutionaries. They must avoid such scenario at all cost. They should keep in mind the fate of Mujahideen after the withdrawal of USSR from Afghanistan in late 1980s. The infighting amongst Mujahideen groups led to such a political instability that paved the way for Taliban capturing power and subsequent catastrophe in the country.
Second is the challenge of rebuilding the country from the scratch. Gaddafi did not make any constitution, parliament, state institutions and even the armed forces. He ruled the country like a domestic affair. The NTC should not follow the foot prints of the previous dictator and try to give the country a true democracy, independent judiciary and free media. With large potential of oil production and very small population, Libya can be turned into a paradise for international investors and business ventures. With little innovation the vast desert areas can be converted into fertile, agricultural lands. The new government should adopt an independent foreign policy, at the same time gaining the confidence of African, Arab and regional stakeholders.
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