Muammar al-Gadaffi: Beleaguered

After the victorious protests of the Egyptians, the Libyans have begun street protests in the cities of Benghazi and Tripoli in an attempt to unseat their leader Muammar al-Gadaffi. According to Al Jazeera, some Government officials have already resigned and military officers have defected to sympathize with the street protests.

Muammar al-Gadaffi

However, the Libyan government is not yielding easily. Reports say that the government is using police and military force to crash the uprising. In a report, witnesses say that the huge anti-government march in Tripoli last Monday has come under live fire from military jets. Since the start of the violence in the Libyan capital, there have been at least 200 deaths reported.

Ironically, Gadaffi governed with a blend of Arab nationalism and popular democracy, which he called Islamic Socialism. In 1977, he changed Libya’s form of government to “Jamahiriya” or government by the masses. The people govern the country in direct democracy through local council with the General Peoples’ Congress at the top of the hierarchy. However, reports said that Gadaffi responded to oppositions with violence.

Gadaffi himself led a revolution with a bloodless coup d’etat in 1969. He overthrew King Ildris, abolished the monarchy and established the Libyan Arab Republic. A Revolutionary Council ruled the country, which he headed. He used the title of Prime Minister but he relinquished the title after two years. He did not promote himself to the military rank of general but accepted an honorary Colonel rank. He said that Libya is “ruled by the people”, so he needed no title.

He has been in power for 40 years and now the people are crying for change. This time; the peoples’ revolution faces Gadaffi’s iron fist. It is so sad that to preserve freedom and democracy, people would have to pay with their lives.

Image Courtesy Of:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muammar_al-Gaddafi