Temehu

Unliberated Zuwarah Left To Defend Against Green "Black Crescent"

2012-01-15T08:56:00.000Z

The Black Crescent:

shown by the green flags representing the Arab areas still loyal to Gaddafi, as of January 2012.

The Black Crescent:

Most Libyans and international media institutions speak about Libya being liberated, some three months ago. But many Berbers from Zuwarah say their city is not liberated yet, as the Arab loyalists of the "Black Crescent" still fly the green flag, and as they are still to this day (January 2012) being attacked by Gaddafi's loyalists still surrounding the Berbers (unofficial) capital Tamort ('Zuwarah'). So what is the story?

The Black Crescent refers to the area surrounding Zuwarah from all land sides - east, south and west, from Lajilat and all the way to the Tunisian border. The only safe side is the sea, obviously. This area is inhabited by Arab Bedouin tribes who still are loyal to Gaddafi and his vanished regime. A number of fights took place between the Arabs and the Berbers before and after the liberation day, as they still take place today, albeit not reported internationally as they were early on during the bombing campaign!

After rebel forces from Nafousa, Zuwarah, Zawiya and Mesratha captured Tripoli, some of Gaddafi's remaining units fled to the Crescent area, where they remained, practically unchallenged by the NTC. The people of Zuwarah say the loyal units attacking them were initially commanded by Saadi Gaddafi (now in Niger) and Alkhwildi Alhamidi from Lajilat (at the eastern tip of the crescent).

On the 24th of August 2011 they began shelling the town of Zuwarah as well as the seaport of Zuwarah. Anees al Fonas, a member of the rebel media council from Zuwara, has reported that rockets and mortars continued to be fired from the nearby towns of Zelten, Riqdalin and Ejmeil "for the last 24 hours, nonstop". At least 8 civilians were killed and many more were wounded. One civilian was killed on Monday by a rocket which landed on the roof of his house, and four others were injured. But somehow the Zuwarah rebel forces eventually succeeded in seizing Mazraq al-Shams army base and even took the fight to Ejmeil and Regdalin.

Ras Ejdir crossing was closed and barbed wire set up along the border. However, on the 27th of August 2011 Zuwarah rebels took control of Ras Ejdir border point with Tunisia, after fighting with government loyalists, who fled back to the safe haven of the Black Crescent. Both flags, the Berber and independence flags, were raised over the border point.

Many Berber revolutionaries and members of Zuwarah's local council had openly criticised both NATO and the NTC for not doing enough to enforce the "protection of civilians" as called for by the UN mandate. They have sent coordinates to NATO, but no bombers arrived. They were left alone. Reinforcements from nearby Sabratha could not reach Zuwarah because Gaddafi forces were in control of the area between the two towns (the crescent part between Ejmeil and Lajilat).

On the 6th of October 2011 at least three more missiles hit Zuwarah, two landed in the sea and the other on an empty house. The missiles were fired by Gaddafi's loyalists from the Regdalin area. Three days later the battle was still raging, with both sides sustaining more casualtuies. Reports from Zuwarah said at least 15 Gaddafi loyalist and two fighters from Zuwarah were killed, but the true figures could be much more. On the 8th of October 2011 another rocket landed in Zuwarah, but luckily the occupants of the destroyed house were in Tunisia at the time. Even after Liberation, rockets and missiles continued to fall on civilian homes in Zuwarah, when others were celebrating the liberation of libya and the completion of NATO's mission "with precision". The Berbers defended themselves and a full battle broke out again.

To avoid escalating the conflict into a full tribal war, Arabs against Berbers, it was decided to bring a military force from Mesratha to keep the two sides apart. But even though the force did succeed in wearing down the resistance after a serious of battles and bringing the situation under control, the Berbers continued to be attacked whenever they ventured inland in an attempt to visit their farms. The Mesratha force stayed in place until last week (first week of January 2012), when they suddenly left the area, thereby leaving Zuwarah without any protection, once more. This means that Zuwarah now remains unprotected and heavily surrounded by Gaddafi loyalists who still fly the green flag in liberated Libya.

Ever since whenever the Berbers attempted to reach their farms (located all around the Arab villages), they came under attack by the Arabs of Ejmeil and Regdalin. Their cars were either smashed or stolen; they were beaten up and robbed, and left to flee home. With Mesratha rebels back at home, understandably, one can only continue to live in fear and terror when others already sharing the spoils of Liberated Libya and compiling glossy reports at the Roxis Hotel.

Many Berbers left for Tunisia after living conditions became impossible due to the UN harsh sanctions, the scorching heat of summer sun, and the war, with the shops empty and the economy under siege, those who stayed often drive to nearby Tunisia for shopping, and to visit friends. But most often there too they get attacked by the loyalists living inside Tunisia (at the end of the western edge of the crescent), and even by Tunisians themselves. In the way back they get ambushed by Regdalin's loyalists and loose everything, and go back to Zuwarah empty handed once again.

The frequent attacks took place near the border and near Bengerdan, in Zahra, where they were stopped, their money taken, and their cars broken -- almost the exact revenge attacks seen at the heart of the crescent and further east, while the green flag was seen waving on top of lamp posts (inside Tunisia). Eventually the revolutionaries of Zuwarah decided in early December to defend themselves against the loyalists, as they did before liberation day, since there was no other law authority in sight at the strategic border between the two turbulent countries nor in or around the Black Crescent; leading to a shooting incident and trouble erupting now and then.

Zuwarah Media Centre.

Zuwarah Police Station speaking of the attacks in Tunisia, 31 December 2011.

The official reaction to all of this is perhaps summed up by Libya's new ambassador in Tunis, who warned that there are those individuals who want to create divisions between Libya and Tunisia - as if Libya and Tunisia were one and united country! Both authorities eventually intervened and closed down the border point for two weeks. On the 15th of December the border was reopened after an agreement was reached between the Libyan army and the Tunisian authorities. The new Libyan army has now taken control over the border points at Ras Ejdir and Dehiba.

However, two weeks later, on the 31st of December 2011, the last day of the last year, Berber citizens from Zuwarah were once again attacked inside Tunisia by Tunisians and Gaddafi loyalists, near Bengerdan. They were stopped while driving through (road blocks), hit with stones, their money and property taken, and their cars smashed or even taken. The victims now have no option but to report the attacks to Zuwarah's Police Station; the station passes on the messages; then no one hears anything, except the new reports that continue to arrive in and from Zuwarah.

The NTC made an obligation early on, and according to this obligation the NTC is urged to send an official Libyan army unit to this volatile zone to ensure the protection of Berber civilians of Zuwarah by all necessary means. It is indeed the irony of the UN that its mandate to end the "Protection of Civilians" came so soon when war was still going on in so many parts of Libya and when civilians were killed, missiles blasted, and homes shelled with rockets.

The Libyans were told to resolve their issues alone, now, after they were plunged into deep chaos, and their infrastructure was completely obliterated! Thank you Banki; Libya is now free for all.

To read more about Zuwarah, the unofficial capital of the Berbers of Libya, please visit:
http://www.temehu.com/Cities_sites/Zwara.htm

United Nations & Split Nationality !

2011-12-29T15:31:00.000Z

United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

The United Nations General Assembly Declaration calls for member states, thestates already enjoying the benefits of the declaration, to respect the full humanrights of persecuted indigenous minorities (and majorities in the case ofMorocco) including the rights to "self-determination", "self-government",and "nationality".

The Declarationaffirms that "alldoctrines, policies and practices based on or advocating superiority of peoplesor individuals on the basis of national origin or racial, religious, ethnic orcultural differences are racist,scientifically false, legally invalid, morally condemnable and socially unjust".

Why then is it right the principles of justice apply only to certain peoples who are often the colonisers, my dear declared friends, while at the same time the persecuted ones are always the helpless and law-abiding uncitizens? Good question some might say, but who has the answer, and who masterminded the "question"?

The Declaration of course is not a legally binding document under international law; but it does however "represent the dynamic development of international legal norms [and all that] and it reflects the [recommended] commitment of the UN's member states to move [on] in certain [future] directions". Needless to say, the UN "hopes" the declaration will set an "international standard", a kind of precedent, for the treatment of indigenous peoples, the ancient humans who brought all of us onto this earth, and for "thank you" the offspring kill them, in so many ways.

The first "resolution1/2 " was passed on the 29th of June 2006; but it was not until the 13thof September 2007 that the resolution was voted on during the General Assembly's61st regular session. Some countries were not happy with the implications-- the complications of "foreign agendas". 143 countries voted in favour, fouragainst, 11 abstained, and 34 were absent.

The four countries that voted against the Declaration are: United States,Australia, Canada and New Zealand, all of which were originally recent Europeancolonies, and all of which have a large number of indigenous minorities! Thousandsof native American languages were still in existence when the colonisers arrived,but now the number is reduced to a mere few hundreds -- still very large incomparison to one ruling foreign language, and a good sign of the kind of protectionthey were afforded. However, all four countries have moved to endorse the declaration.

The declaration affirms that "indigenous peoples are equal to allother peoples, while recognizing the right of all peoples to be different, toconsider themselves different, and to be respected as such".

The Declaration is hoped to "enhance harmonious and cooperative relationsbetween the State and indigenous peoples, based on principlesof justice, democracy, respect for human rights, non-discrimination andgood faith."

Article 1:

"Indigenous peoples have the right to the full enjoyment, as a collectiveor as individuals, of all human rights and fundamental freedoms as recognizedin the Charter of the United Nations, the Universal Declaration of Human Rightsand international human rights law."

Article 2:

"Indigenous peoples and individuals are free and equal to all other peoplesand individuals and have the right to be free from any kind of discrimination,in the exercise of their rights, in particular that based on their indigenousorigin or identity."

Article 3:

"Indigenous peoples have the right to self-determination. By virtue of thatright they freely determine their political status and freely pursue their economic,social and cultural development."

Article 4:

"Indigenous peoples, in exercising their right to self-determination,have the right to autonomy or self-government inmatters relating to their internal and local affairs, as well as ways and meansfor financing their autonomous functions."

Article 5:
"Indigenous peoples have the right to maintain and strengthen their distinctpolitical, legal, economic, social and cultural institutions, while retainingtheir right to participate fully, if they so choose,in the political, economic, social and cultural life of the State."

Article 6:
"Every indigenous individual has the right to a nationality".

Article 7:
"1. Indigenous individuals have the rights to life, physical and mentalintegrity, liberty and security of person."

"2. Indigenous peoples have the collective right to live in freedom, peaceand security as distinct peoples and shall not be subjected to any actof genocide or any other act of violence, including forcibly removing childrenof the group to another group."

Article 8:

"1. Indigenous peoples and individuals have the right notto be subjected to forced assimilation or destruction of their culture."

Article 9:

"Indigenous peoples and individuals have the rightto belong to an indigenous community or nation, in accordance with thetraditions and customs of the community or nation concerned. No discriminationof any kind may arise from the exercise of such a right."

Downloadthe full United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples:
http://www.temehu.com/imazighen/berberdownloads/UN-declaration-on-the-rights-of-indigenous-people.pdf

NTC Abdel-Jalil Hails Berber Protesters Agents of Foreign Agenda

2011-12-11T03:42:00.001Z

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 recognitionof identity is the "magic word" ?

First of all, Libya needs peace and all Libyans need to know that only peacecan defeat war. But Libyans have a problem to effect "diligent dialogue",and that is "lackof definitions", "lackof understanding"and "lackof democratic experience", resulting from the various dictatorships imposedupon 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 publicopinions.

Berber protesters during the revolution were rightly hailed "revolutionaries" and "lionsof Nafousa", but now they were sent back tobeing the "agentsof foreign agendas". Why this sudden and sad change whenthe people remained the same and still are "shaken", "disoriented", and "healing their deepest wounds"? There is no need to condemn "protesters" becausewithout protests many of these defected leaders would have remained loyal toGaddafi, and therefore "protesting" isa 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 videodoes 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 operationthat saw at least 30,000 Libyans dead) and the "Berber activists" (whohave been peacefully demanding no more than their basic human rights). Whereis the evidence for this foreign agenda?

Nonetheless, the honourable leader did make the inflammatory and unnecessary comments, which everyoneagrees serve no positive purpose. He startsby telling his Berber brothers and protesters (mentioning SuleimanDogha by name) that "inLibya we have three authorities: judicial, legislative and executive, and thatthe highest judicial post was given to the Amazigh[Imazighen]." This is a reference to the appointment of judgeKamal Dehan, a Berber from Zuwarah, as the Supreme Judge in Libya. Mustafa AbdelJalil visited Zuwarah late in the evening of the 11th of September and thankedthe people and the "revolutionaries" of Zuwarah fortheir participation in the "revolution", and also informed them ofthe appointment of Kamel Dehhan as the head of the Libyan High Court.

Secondly, Mr. Abdel Jalil, likewise Prime Ministerel-Keib, so far has managed to avoid speaking about theissue of constitutionalising Tamazight "identity" and "language" asthe primary cause of the protests,and instead easily criticised the ministerial demands of the Berber protestersas "euphoricreactions"deviated from "the path" and activated by "foreignpolitical agenda" from outsideLibya (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. But instead they come out with "rules", "orders", and "accusations" even before they were elected to run Libya, without any consultation with the Libyan people! 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 thetrue 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 labeledas "terrorists", "bandits", "traffickers", "greens" and "slavemasters", whenin reality most of them are just Berbers. Add to them the Berbers of Nafousaand Zuwarah as agents of foreign forces and you have a completecategorisation of the entire Berber tribes, like Gaddafi had said, as "enemiesof the revolution". What did they do or say to deserve this persecution at this regional level? What did they ask for? Constitutionalrecognition 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 isalways the possibility of misunderstanding, since the "definition" principle implies "ArabRevolution"from the Arab perspective; the Berbers should not have a perspective of theirown, and should not have an identity of their own; and hence they should "integrate", he says -- presumably "integrationinto another's freedom".

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

He also said they had meetingswith "intelligent Berbers" over the Berbers'rights and that only time will show the services "will be" providedfor them in the future; but those who are calling for constitutional recognitionand are manipulated by foreign agendas have left the meeting room, and those he too says have "hisamnesty". 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 "foreignagents" (whomust "disappear") -- not an intelligent catalyst to restore peace toa war-torn society. Why cannot the honourable Leader tell his people right nowwhat "serviceswill be provided later to the Berbers" ?Why has no one so far from the NTC had the courage to address the issue of "constitutionalisingTamazight" in the open? Where is the "democracy" the new Libya supposed to have?

All Berbers arestrongly 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 and its allies.

The NTC leader also advised the Berbers to avoid "seclusion",despite their "exclusion" by his draftconstitution 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. Applythe"definition" principle to the above red-coloured words and the problemthe Libyans need to peacefully resolve begins to take shape. Why take thingsout of proportion at this volatile stage when simple recognition of identity & unity is the "magic word" ?

Berber Protesters Storm PM's Office & Demand Constitutional Recognition

2011-12-01T05:04:00.001Z

Peace

The constitutional recognition of Imazighen is a "Red Line", Berbers say!

No constitutional legitimacy without Tamazight, protesters say.

(1):

The failure of the first temporary government announced by the former interim prime minister Mahmoud Jibril, which contained names previously associated with the Gaddafi regime, had triggered the first ever protest against the NTC when demonstrators from Mesratha took to the streets and declared they will never be ruled again by anyone who served Gaddafi - not even with "one word". The long overdue second cabinet line-up, announced on the 22nd of November 2011 by el-Keib, has created even more protests than ever before. Protesters took to the streets in Benghazi, Jado and Zuwarah, holding up banners saying: "down to the new government", "No to a government of outsiders" and other similar slogans that express anger more than anything. One Berberist noted that: "Our people want . . . to know why we are being isolated. Our people fear that there will be repetition of what happened during Gaddafi's rule".

A few days later, on Sunday the 27th of November 2011, hundreds of Berbers peacefully stormed the prime minister's office in the capital Tripoli and called for greater representation and constitutional recognition of their Berber identity. Chanting "no difference between Amazigh and Arab", and "we are the indigenous people of Libya; give us our rights and we want them now", while waving yellow, blue and green Amazigh flags, pushed their way past the security at the gates, before they were stopped by the entrance to the PM's office. They asked to speak to the prime minister, who appeared an hour later, wearing a cap in the colours of the Berber flag -- an insulting gesture some would say. [How many hats has he got?] He tried to defuse the angry crowds with irrelevant rhetoric, while avoiding to address their specific issue of recognition. The angry protesters shouted back: "go home!", "go home", while hailing empty cans, forcing the prime minister to flee back to his office "within minutes" -- presumably the first thing he did was to throw the "hat" against the corner of the room!

When the protesters attempted to follow him, they were stopped by his "ministerial guards"; leading to an argument but no violence. The Berbers played a crucial part in the war for freedom from oppression and persecution, and without the checkpoints at Wazin and Ras Ejdir the western part of Libya would have remained 100% under Gaddafi' control. The Berbers were also among the first to enter Tripoli and Bab Alaziziya, and their militias now control several districts of the capital. In response, the local council of Zuwarah, Libya's first elected council, has suspended relations with the NTC and withdrawn its representative from the National Council.

There is no doubt that diligent dialogue is always required to negotiate solutions and therefore suspending all relations perhaps is a matter for the Berbers to vote for! Zuwarah's councils have no right to make such euphoric decisions without consultation with the people of Zuwarah. Like Nato had said after the job was "completed with precision", Libyans now need to resolve their own problems on their own. Some members of the NTC, on the other hand, accused the Berber protesters of being manipulated by foreign sources, just like Gaddafi and others had said before them. It was reported that Fathi Turbil, the current Youth Minister and the human rights lawyer whose arrest back in February sparked the first protests for justice, has again sparked a heated debate among the Berbers and the Arabs of Libya when he made "racist" anti-Amazigh remarks and threatened members of the NTC who were calling for Tamazight to be listed in the draft constitution!! A lawyer taking up the role of prosecution to deny the defendant both: justice & freedom, because he was self-appointed in the name of "revolution". For the sake of free speech and "lack of definitions", one only needs to look up the definition of r-evolution to know the outlawed truth! (See http://ossanlibya.org/?p=21292 ; http://www.newstatesman.com/blogs/the-staggers/2011/11/amazigh-arab-libya-wail-public ; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3qv62V_-N8 )

First of all, Libyans must realise this is a "transitional government" and not a permanent one, and should recognise that ministerial jobs cannot be awarded or gifted for those who took part in the fight against the ousted regime -- even though most of the fighting was done by foreign forces from the air. Indeed one should worry if government posts are assigned on such merits.

This means that Libyans need to stand united and give the transitional government a helping hand. All Libyans need to know that nearly all Berbers cherish the unity of Libya as they always did before. This Berber protest representing most of Tripolitania is also taking place in Arab areas like Benghazi -- the spark that ignited the uprising.

But equally important the transitional council needs to listen and take into consideration the issues troubling the population they ought to represent; and therefore it is important that all major communities in Libya are included in the transitional, temporary government so that each representative from these areas can competently represent and put forward the issues relating to their community. Why is this required? Because the temporary government needs to secure the country and restore peace to the hundreds of heavily-armed communities from across Libya before they can do anything else. In order to disarm angry, turbulent revolutionaries and peaceful protesters and bring the country under just control, one needs to convince these people that there is really a r-evolution going on, and not just a sack of promises, and that all Libyans are now 100% equal before the law.

All Libyans need to feel they are free and fully recognised on equal terms in every sense in this "free Libya"; otherwise they have no reason to stop protesting as they did before in February. Freedom then was not a matter of voting, it was a matter of martyrdom and a conflict that ended the lives of at least 30,000 Libyans.

It is always okay for the ruling party to criticise the persecuted part, but it is never right for the persecuted to speak out the "truth" against oppression and marginalisation. Libyans need to "wake up", before they can "rise up", accept the integrity of the Berber society and respect other people in the same way they seek the same respect for themselves.

Secondly, one needs to know that the Berbers were wrongly criticised for protesting about not getting any ministerial jobs, which is not true, since that was not the only thing the Berbers were protesting for (see video below). Maybe some media outlets like playing with destinies and editing selected stories to manipulate responses according to preconceived objectives, as their critics say, but the truth of the matter is the Berber protesters' main demand was (and still is) the constitutional recognition of their identity (not language) by the temporary "constitutional declaration" (of August 3, 2011), which the self-appointed rebels wrote by themselves without any authorisation or approval from the Libyan people. The Berbers also say the NTC and the new government have "deliberately excluded them".

When the controversial constitutional declaration was announced a few months ago, the Berbers protested and complained (at all levels), but apart from Reuters and few others no one took any notice of their legitimate struggle for freedom and an end to persistent persecution. The Arabs of Libya need to understand (peacefully and with an open heart) that the Berbers' case is different to theirs, because the Berbers were stigmatised and marginalised by all the previous governments of Libya, ending with their identity being outlawed and them being attacked as "sons of Satan" and "agents of colonialism". So far, all the recent manifestos, constitutional declaration, resolutions, press releases, and interim governments are flawed, as they all had miserably failed to recognise Tamazight Identity as part of indigenous Libya -- something they need to do now, rather than later, even though most Libyans agree that it is not up to them to do so.

Thirdly, some critics replied to these questions and issues by saying all these demands can be supplied later once the new constitution is voted for by the people and once the new government is elected. But the constitutional declaration was already written and announced by the NTC way back on the 3rd of August 2011, and therefore this does not make any sense. Others, like Mr. Turbil, said if it is language rights the Berbers want then they will have all the cultural freedom they want without having to officially recognise them in the constitution -- a clear attempt to divert from the true demand: "Identity Recognition As The Indigenous People of Libya".

No one has forced the NTC to write and publish this on the 3rd of August, and in fact it would have been much better for the security of Libya if it was not written in the first place, until, as they say now, a proper constitution is endorsed by the elected government of next year.

The NTC mentioned Arabic and even other laws regarding culture and faith in its temporary constitutional declaration but failed to mention Berber. The NTC should have recognised the Berbers' identity on the so-called "Liberation Day", but they did not. If this temporary constitution is "nothing" and "transitional" and the Berbers should wait for the final copy, then why bother writing it in the first place? By mentioning only one language (Arabic) and not the other (Berber), one is led to worry about "hidden agendas". Why bother writing such a (temporary) constitution just to divide the community and create friction, tension and further protests at this critical stage? If they had kept both identities out (Arabic and Berber), then the Berbers would have had nothing to complain about. Many Libyans even asked the daring but simple question: who gave them the legitimacy to write a constitution without consultation with and feedback from the Libyan people they claim to represent?

We will probably never know the answers to these legitimate questions, but according to the Guardian (London, UK) the constitutional declaration seems to have been influenced by planning advice from the UN, the US and the UK (
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/aug/22/libya-government-post-gaddafi).

4: a veryimportant point saidby another Berber politician (above video)was that the Berbers backed the NTC at the start of the uprising becausethe NTC claimed it will represent all sections of Libya for justice and not justfor Benghazi -- not that Benghazi is happy now! And he added that the Berbers make up nearly a fifth of the country and therefore they must be equally represented in the temporary government simply because the new government will draft the constitution (via the self-appointed 'constitution committee'); and therefore the need for the Berbers to be included in this "drafting committee" to make sure their rights, not demands, are represented. Quite a valid point, one should agree. Article (30) of the NTC Constitutional Declaration says people will be allowed to vote only "yes" or "no" about the "draft constitution", and that if only two thirds say yes then the constitution will be approved. The Berbers were outraged, because they said the matter of identity is not a matter of "voting", and that being a minority they will never achieve any victory via this confused system of democracy.

The Berbers fear if they surrender now and accept the current marginalisation then nothing will happen. They also fear that if they accept this imposed "yes" or "no" system and agree to voting, it would mount to no more than signing their own "marginalisation decree". Some Berber activists have already called for boycotting the forthcoming elections unless the constitution was amended to include them before the voting begins; but they are advised to rethink their strategy because that might be just one of the reactions they were lured to enact! Human rights are not a matter of vote. Full stop. They are grounds for "revolution, the NTC and many others had proclaimed!

27 November 2011 Protest

The first demand listed by the first speaker in the video calls for the constitutional recognition of Berber language & identity. One speaker said the Berbers never demanded any ministerial job before because they were promised the appointment of the new government will not be based on personal relations and city assignments, but on merit and competence. But once the new government was announced they were let down, they said. Many of these ministers, they say, including the Prime Minister himself, were educated and lived in the West and hence detached to a certain degree from the Libyan society, its workings and its needs. Debatable point, but it is healthy to ask such questions when basic human rights are denied in the name of revolution and at a cost of 30,000 Libyan slaughtered. Many Libyans, both Berbers and Arabs, from Zuwarah, Nafousa, Mesrata, Sebha, Benghazi and many other Libyan cities and villages still ask the same question: what for?

When the NTC was gathering momentum early on, it promised to hold elections within six months; but then this was later changed to 18 months. Wartime rebel prime minister Mahmoud Jibril warned Libyans and their partners regarding the "dangerous power vacuum" which "foreign powers might exploit" to their advantage, and called for full elections within six months, instead of waiting until mid 2013. But he was also reported to have singled out the Tuareg Berbers as Gaddafi supporters, which is not true, because most Tuareg Libyans are against the previous regime and sincerely support the fight for freedom and justice; and because his government was rejected by Libyans because it contained so many ministers previously loyal to the ousted regime. His remarks regarding Gaddafi setting up a Berber Tuareg country in the south of Libya were seen by most Berbers as "inflammatory" comments designed to create "friction". The Berbers generally feel that there are those Libyans who are playing the "Amazigh Card" against the "Arab Card". NTC's Ali Tarhouni also warned that 90% of Libyans are still politically voiceless and unrepresented (Reuters.com/)

Hopefully, establishing contact with all Libyans and representing their needs equally will lead to positive dialogue and cooperative approach to guide Libya out of its darkest period in history. Otherwise back to square one.

Resources:
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/11/27/us-libya-amazigh-protests-idUSTRE7AQ0J420111127
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/11/27/us-libya-amazigh-protests-idUSTRE7AQ0AN20111127
ttp://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/aug/22/libya-government-post-gaddafi
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/11/24/us-libya-idUSTRE7AN1W420111124
http://www.newstatesman.com/blogs/the-staggers/2011/11/amazigh-arab-libya-wail-public

Libya's Archaeological Vandalism & Robberies: Temehu 2011 Report:

2011-11-23T21:08:00.001Z

This short report about the desecration of Libya's archaeological heritage is prepared by Temehu.com to provide an introduction to the subject of archaeological plunder and vandalism in Libya from the 17th century to the present.

The ancient and modern wars on the Berber, Egyptian and Sumerian civilisations, without a doubt, had dispersed most of their archaeological heritage, as much as they had reduced many of their remaining parts to cumulus rubble. This may explain why so many of the statues and idols you see today in Libya's and Egypt's museums had their noses broken, their ears knocked off, defaced, limbless, headless, cracked, bruised and all the other signs of violent conflict their masters came to endure from the mortals they so hard protected to come about as offspring.

Needless to say, political or any other desecration of archaeological sites today is outlawed and classified under the acts of terrorism, as in the case of the recent destruction of Buddhist statues and sacred temples; and therefore one dares not, any more, call for the destruction of such heritage in the open. But behind closed doors, greed still plays the role it had always played in human history, as was the fate of so many looted tombs from around the world. The pyramids of the Berber Garamantian civilisation in Fezzan were robbed long before archaeologists got to them to unravel some of their desert mysteries. Yet, our ancestors were well aware of the nature of the beast they hoped to evade, and thankfully some of the Garamantian pyramids escaped looting because the sacred treasures were deceptively buried outside the tombs.

The Ancient Egyptians, too, knew about tomb raiders and mummy traders from the future, as they went to great lengths to hide their tombs in the valley of the kings and beneath the desert's sand. Many of these sites are now being discovered by satellites in the sky, and it is only a matter of time before they too come in contact with air! The most difficult to locate however are those hidden deep amongst & beneath the endless ridges of the mountain chains, which may well succeed in achieving their hoped-for destiny -- never to breathe the air of the living again.

We have no good reason today to assume the practice of looting the sacred heritage of the ancestors ever ceased to exist, if it has not become an art of autocratic crime -- something modern war-politicians apparently call: "freedom is untidy". Well; untidy as it might seem, but the job is always "well done". It is almost certain that wars and archaeological robberies do go "hand in hand" as documented throughout ancient and modern history.

Wars create political vacuums of grey areas that easily lend themselves to exploitation by white-collar dealers and the gurus of the black market. Take for example the disastrous looting of Libya's and Egypt's treasures during the World Wars, way beyond imagination; the ransacking of the pagan Sumerian and Babylonian heritage during the Iraq war; the looting of the Berber Sahara by many European explorers and diplomatic tomb raiders during the colonial wars; and, of course, one of the largest thefts of archaeological material in history that took place in Benghazi, Libya, during the early months of the February 2011 war, while the city was awash with NTC forces, SAS and Special forces.

The ruling authorities of today's Libya need to have in place a dedicated body to tackle the issue and reconsider the program to safeguard the existing heritage and recover the stolen treasures. They need to secure the Sahara's vast heritage, as well as secure sunken and off-shore sites still beneath the sea. They need to install surveillance cameras in all sections of all museums & archaeological sites in Libya. They need to start immediately fencing all archaeological sites still unprotected and grazed by sheep.

To read the full report please visit Temehu.com's Libya's first online museum at
http://www.temehu.com/Cities_sites/museumvandalism-archaeological-robberies.htm

Libya's War Museum (Conflict Museum): 11/11/11

2011-11-11T21:28:00.001Z

Conflict Museum: photo from the Metropolitan Workshop
(http://www.metwork.co.uk/).

Conflict Museum

The war museum was envisaged by Gaddafi's government to house Libya’s struggle during conflict, from the colonial periods, to the fake independence, and down to the first of September coup, which Gaddafi called "white revolution" but many others see as yet another "foreign operation".

The construction of the Museum of Conflict in Tripoli was envisaged by Gaddafi to begin sometime before September 2009, and was hoped to be finished by the end of 2011, to house some of Libya's rich war heritage. Gaddafi got far more than what he bargained for, for February 2011 did inflict yet another conflict on Libya, the dilapidated buildings and "collateral damage" of premonitions; pulverising Gaddafi's regime & culminating in his grotesque death.

By the time the February conflict was nearing its end, as the guests began to leave the show, and as Libyans still healing their "deepest wounds", the scheduled deadline for the museum to open was running short of time. Instead of leaving the online conflict museum vacant, Temehu.com took a step further to squat and occupy the museum for the time being with genuine imagery of war and damage inflicted & sustained for freedom; as it chose 11/11/2011 the day to open its online War Museum, in remembrance of the historic year 2011, that has transformed Libya in so many ways.

Read more about and visit the Conflict Museum at:

http://www.temehu.com/Cities_sites/museum-of-conflict.htm

One of The Largest Thefts of Archaeological Material in History: Benghazi Treasure, Libya:

2011-11-01T15:25:00.001Z

At the outset Libyans and their allies prophesied Libya is different from Iraq and promised its archaeological heritage will be safe from prying eyes. But while Libyans still healing their "deepest wounds", “one of the largest thefts of archaeological material in history" was unfolding before Odysseus' eyes.

(1) : 30 October 2011:

Reuters yesterday wrote a report illustrating the ransacking and looting of Libya's priceless archaeological heritage in Benghazi. Criminals, murderers, thieves, rapists and the lot were freed from prisons early on during the uprising. Robbers, "some would say rats", armed either with jackhammers or claw hammers amidst darkness stormed the bank, as if they knew, and dug a hole as they bored their way through reinforced concrete of the protected bank.

Vaults of rare gold and silver coins, vintage jewellery, ancient marble statuettes, including that of Love-god Cupid, freed open and the inanimate occupants secretly crawled their way to revolutionary Egypt's souks and Europe's privileged dealers of both gray and black markets of the powerful industrial revolution.

At least 8000 (or 7700) pieces were robbed by who-cares who knows who, quickly sold, as if the buyers also knew. The good news is that deep beneath the robbed bank there still remains in a trashed room an untouched vault the robbers failed to seize, leaving behind a chisel jammed between solid steel and coalescent concrete.

(2) : 31 October 2011:

On the following day of Reuters report, the Art Newspaper (Issue 229, November 2011) wrote in its website: "Interpol confirms Libyan treasure was looted."

The report says that the Benghazi Treasure was stolen from the bank on the 25th of May 2011 and that Interpol had alerted police. Apparently two padlocked second world war military chests and a safe were stored in the vaults of the National Commercial Bank, in Omar al-Mukhtar Street, in the centre of Benghazi; safekeeping 306 pieces of ancient jewellery, 2433 silver coins, 364 gold coins, 4484 bronze coins, and 43 other antiquities including statues of bronze, glass and ivory, embossed heads and a plaque depicting a battle among many other "Things", have gone.

For some reason, nearly three months after the uprising started in Benghazi, and while the city was awash with NTC forces, SAS and Special Forces, an unauthorised decision was made somewhere in that city, or elsewhere, to move the treasure to another bank nearby Dujal Hotel in Benghazi.

Well, only one chest arrived; the fate of the other containers is presumably known only to the drivers. Italian archaeologist Serenella Ensoli suspects the thieves had moved all the unwanted items to the chest that happen to arrive at its new destination, while all the gold, silver, ancient jewellery and other rare material were driven to their intended destination.

The Benghazi Treasure has never been displayed in Libya. Its contents come from the various archaeological sites and temples in Cyrenaica. It seems that all the finest finds and valuable items ended up in the treasure the Libyans never saw; and therefore is a loss beyond scope.

As if pre-planned armed conflicts go hand in hand with archaeological robberies and human rights abuses, the Benghazi Treasure was shipped to Italy in 1942/1943, during the Italian and allied wars in Libya which the Cyrenaican then heavily resisted. The priceless chests eventually ended up in Val Brenta, in the Dolomites, in May 1944.

Seventeen years later the same treasure was said to have been returned to Libya, although there is no way any one can verify the exact same contents were actually returned - not that that matters so much now after the treasure had disappeared again, during conflict again.

There was no attempt by either the King's or Gaddafi's government to fully document and safeguard the mostly-pagan treasure, and so there it remained in the bank awaiting its obfuscated destiny and intrusive opportunists. The disaster is that most of the finest finds found and discoveries made during the last 50 years or so were also added to the same cursed Treasure of Benghazi, and therefore its final content is well beyond sheer imagination. Only Tantalus perhaps can see what seems to be no more than a well-planned operation - an ill-played illusion.

Whether the robbers were in a hurry or the operation was a selective inside job is hard to say; although Hafed Walada, a Libyan archaeologist from King’s College, in London, suspects the latter. Quoted by the Telegraph he says that the treasure is known only to a very few people and that the robbers had even ignored cash that was in the vaults; while The London Evening Post wrote: "The Benghazi raid had occurred soon after an arson attack on the bank. At first this was believed to have been part of the uprising . . . but it may have been linked to the well organised robbery."

NTC's Fadel Ali Mohammed was the chairman of the archaeology department in Benghazi and did report the operation to the attorney-general on the 2nd of June 2011, as well as he sought assistance from Italy's FM Franco Frattini. However, Hafed Walda was quoted by the London Evening Post to have said that "Fadel Ali Mohammed . . . first raised the alarm with the United Nations heritage watchdog UNESCO in July". *** While The Telegraph says "Libya's National Transitional Council is believed to have kept it quiet for fear of tarnishing their image at a time when they were engaged in a desperate battle for survival against the regime of Col Muammar Gaddafi." ****

It's a disaster," said Yussuf Ben Nasr, director of antiquities for the city of Benghazi, Reuters wrote. *
British "Libyan antiquities" expert Paul Bennet says it was the biggest theft he has seen.
UNESCO's Irina Bukova declared it "one of the largest thefts of archaeological material in history." **
But to a son of Satan the whole thing is no more than human nature of insane revenge and biological desire.

* To read Reuters report please follow this link:

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/10/30/us-libya-treasure-idUSTRE79T2CG20111030

** Read Art Newspaper's Report at:

http://www.theartnewspaper.com/articles/Interpol-confirms-Libyan-treasure-was-looted/24900

*** The London Evening Post
http://www.thelondoneveningpost.com/africa/huge-treasure-theft-carried-out-in-benghazi/

**** The Telegraph:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/libya/8858415/Treasure-of-Benghazi-bank-vault-raided.html

The Berber Language: Official Not National

2011-10-26T02:36:00.000+01:00

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. (See older posts, below, for more on this.) 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 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 (then minority) Arabs in the 7th Century AD.

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 & equal rights. It is bizarre and sad that this is not obvious.

Minorities first of all are humans and therefore they should have full human rights including the right to self govern as stated by the UN Rights of Indigenous People. However, this is not to say that they want to self-govern, but the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples does decree to them the right to do so if they wish to self-govern. That is they have the right others take for granted but denied to them.

The Imazighen of Libya, and of North Africa, do not seek the "right" to use their language, and are well capable of "protecting" themselves and their language(s), as they did for at least 50,000 years (and possibly much more). But what they are foremost fighting for is the constitutional recognition of their "Identity", which naturally includes the recognition of their Berber language Tamazight as one of the official languages of Libya, simply because it was in use in Libya long before the Arabs arrived in North Africa from Arabia relatively recently.

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, like in America where the American constitution does not specify any official language.

Berbers occasionally point out that they are not asleep but fully awake; and surely one ought not expect them to be asleep right now.

To read more about these and similar issues please visit:

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

Libya’s Berbers demand post-revolution dues: http://www.alarabiya.net/articles/2011/09/28/169162.html

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

NATO Urges All Libyans To Put Their Differences Aside:

2011-10-21T00:32:00.000+01:00

All Libyans Must Unite & Disarm

NATO & the UN say a new chapter is beginning in Libya and that all Libyans should put aside their differences and work together to build a brighter and democratic future. The next stage they say is to disarm all the various groups and start the democratic process. NATO said the moment to sign off the operation in Libya is getting closer after the death of Gaddafi and the fall of Sert and Bani Walid; while the NTC is expected to announce the Liberation of Libya very soon. However, the true fight to transform Libya into a regional democracy has just began.

Libyan Visa Update (2): 15 October 2011:

2011-10-15T23:46:00.001+01:00

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:

2011-10-01T18:52:00.003+01:00

Libyan Visa Update

There are a number of individual reports from visitors whosay 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 representthe official view of the transitional government. What is the Transitional NationalCouncil (TNC) has to say in relation to the visa issue?

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

TheTNC has announced on the 3rd of August 2011 a 37-point interim "ConstitutionalDeclaration" to provide a framework for the transitionto an elected government, and to call for a constitutional assembly within eightmonths. 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) ofthis Declaration specifically states that the law regarding all provisions decreedin the current legislations stay the same and remain effective as before, until they are amended or repealed. Hereis what it says in Arabic:

TNC's Article (35), Constitutional Declaration.

Translation:

"All the current provisions decreed in theexisting legislations shall continue to be effective, in as much as they do notconflict 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'sCongresses" orthe "GeneralPeople's Congress" shall be taken as a reference to the "Interim TransitionalNational Council" or the "General National Council [Congress]";each reference to the "General People's Committee" or the "Peoples'Committees" isa reference to the "Executive Board" or to the members of the ExecutiveBoard or to the government or to the members of the government, each within hisor her jurisdictional boundaries; and each reference to the (Great SocialistPeople's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya) shall be deemed as a reference to (Libya)."

What this means is that almost everythingstays the same, as before, with the change of the old names of Libyaand its institutions to the new names, until the TNC completes the transitionperiod 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 visason arrival. In fact Turkey was one ofthe first countries to take advantage of this when it reiterated that itscitizens 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 arestill being addressed, and the following update from the Libyan embassy in Malta hintsat 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

Libya's TNC Pledges New Regional Model of Democracy, But Excludes Berber's Official Status:

2011-09-27T04:16:00.001+01:00

A Berber would naturally be surprised to hear that the NTC's "Constitutional Declaration" openly excludes the official status of Berber Language - the persecuted native language of Libya. The NTC had 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, with the aim of appointing a new interim government and writing a new constitution. The appointed interim government will then supervise an election to elect a new government within 20 months.

So, what does this new "Constitutional Declaration" say?

Here is an actual copy of Article 01:

Translation:

"Libya is an independent and democratic country, in it people are the source of power, its capital is Tripoli, its religion is Islam, Islamic Sharia is its primary source of legislation, and the country pledges the freedom to practice religious ceremonies for non-Muslims, and its official language is The Arabic Language, and the country Libya guarantees the cultural rights for all the components of the Libyan society and their languages are considered national languages."

Reading carefully through these words one senses the article was drafted, or rather crafted, to please the minorities of Libya rather than give them their full "Constitutional" rights and acknowledge them equally as one of the official peoples of Libya. It says they can practice their cultural rights, but what about recognising them first as having their own "Identity" which both Gaddafi and Algeria attempted in vain to Arabise? Why Arabic is the only official language of Libya, while Berber is downgraded to a national status? Why both languages cannot be equal and equally recognised in the New Democratic Libya. Many Libyans answered these questions by saying the Declaration is only a temporary one and that the final constitution will hopefully be different. New Libya should be 100% democratic, and the tens of thousands of Libyans who died for the change did not die in vain. All Libyans should put their differences aside and work together for free and democratic Libya.

We already saw in an earlier manifesto issued by the NTC that the NTC's draft constitution will be subjected to a referendum and it will be passed if it gains a majority, which may be anything above two thirds. In addition to the fact that the Berbers will certainly not be able to reach this majority, Fathi Salem Abu Zakhar, an organiser of the Amazigh conference in Tripoli, says "Language rights are not a matter that is subject to a vote . . . We want the government, and the coming government, to grasp that the language is part of the Libyan equation." Reuters (http://uk.reuters.com/article/2011/09/26/uk-libya-berber-language).

There is nothing new in the above Article 01, as it is almost identical to the one earlier proposed by Gaddafi in his (also so-called) "democratic constitution", especially so that little illusive phrase about "power in the hands of people". According to the Guardian, the constitutional declaration seems to have been influenced by planning advice from the UN, the US and the UK.

The Guardian Confirms Vandalising Assaraya Alhamra Museum:

2011-09-11T23:37:00.002+01:00

In an article titled: "In Tripoli's museum of antiquity only Gaddafi is lost in revolution", the guardian.co.uk confirms the vandalising of the National Museum in Tripoli:

"At 11.30pm on 20 August 2011, as rebels launched their first attack on the Libyan capital, 20 armed men entered the museum . . . the rebels spotted the colonel's vintage cars and, as elsewhere, wreaked their revenge. The windows of the sky blue Beetle were smashed; thousands of shards of glass now lie on the floor . . . The headlamps are also damaged but the period gearstick, glovebox, running boards, speedometer and steering wheel remain intact. Staff at the museum . . . had no choice but to let the rebels enter. Mustafa Turjman, head of research at the national department of archaeology, said: "It was a revolution – you can't resist . . . But the vandalism was swiftly quelled by a plea . . . Although there is graffiti in places and one broken window, just a cloak and a rifle, used in the Libyan resistance against Italian occupation, were stolen."

Read the full report at:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/2011/sep/11/tripoli-museum-antiquity-shattered-gaddafi-image

Short link for the report:
http://gu.com/p/3xz76

Looting of Libya's Archaeological Artifacts & Assaraya Museum: is it true?

2011-09-05T07:55:00.001+01:00

Assaraya Alhamra Museum (al-Jamahiriya National Museum)

Last week a number of Internet sites and blogs circulated the claims in that massive looting was underway in Libya, and that NATO bombed Leptis Magna, and that prehistoric art sites were vandalised during the recent events in Libya. The claims originally came from the Russian Nikolai Sologubovsky, apparently a deputy head of a Russian committee of solidarity with the people of Libya and Syria, who told Russian television, without providing any evidence, that al-Jamahiriya National Museum in Tripoli has been looted and antiquities were being shipped out by sea to Europe.

NATO did bomb locations nearby Leptis Magna and Zlitan, but there is no evidence that they bombed Leptis itself. Vandalising prehistoric art in Libya is not new, as Temehu.com covered at: http://www.temehu.com/vandalised-rockart.htm, and there is no reason to suppose it will not happen again or it did not happen recently; and if it did then there is nothing new about it. Also we have no evidence regarding the looting of Assaraya Alhamra Museum (referred to as al-Jamahiriya National Museum), but we are very much interested to hear from those who have any evidence to share.

According to http://news.sciencemag.org/scienceinsider/2011/09/claims-of-mass-libyan-looting.html (Claims of Mass Libyan Looting Rejected by Archaeologists): "The antiquities in the major sites are unscathed," says Hafed Walda, an archaeologist at King's College London, who has been in frequent contact with his Libyan colleagues during the recent arrival of rebels in the capital city last week. "But a few sites in the interior sustained minor damage and are in need of assessments."

It remains puzzling however why the UN's Director-General of UNESCO, Irina Bokova, has warned international art dealers to keep an eye on archaeological and/or ancient artifacts that may have been smuggled out of Libya, without confirming the looting allegations first. Of course, there is always the possibility that the UN was making a general statement that applies to times of conflict in general and not to this specific claim in Libya. Read what the UN exactly said here.

Berber Political Movements In Libya & North Africa

2011-08-31T09:55:00.000+01:00

The term Berberism is generally used to describe 'the political movements of the Berber communities in North Africa during the 20th century'. Berberists are the Berber activists who campaign for greater cultural and political freedom for the Berbers or Imazighen of North Africa. More about the history of Berberism in Libya, Algeria, Morocco and the Sahara at:

http://www.temehu.com/imazighen/berberism.htm

Berber Language Will Be A Key Issue In New Libya!

2011-08-27T18:55:00.001+01:00

CNN: The Editor Peter Fragiskatos, in an article published by CNN (in its website, see link below), asks if New Libya will bring new freedom for the Berbers in Libya. In an attempt to answer the question, he points out that, "Over the past few months, they [the Berbers] have secured control over a wide area near the Tunisian border, a strategic position that helped open the way toward Tripoli . . . Libya's Berber minority . . . is engaged in a cultural revival. The teaching of Berber language courses and the airing of radio broadcasts . . . are now openly practiced and Berber activists are adamant about preserving their newfound freedom. How this will play out is anybody's guess. What is clear is that language rights will be a key issue going forward not only in a post-Gadhafi Libya, but also in Morocco and Algeria, where much larger Berber communities live."

Read full article at:

http://edition.cnn.com/2011/OPINION/08/26/fragiskatos.berber.language/

Berbers of Libya: Will The NTC Make Berber Language One of The Official Languages of Libya?

2011-08-24T22:04:00.007+01:00

Berber Language (Tamazight)

A distinguished Sky News analyst had pointed out today that although the Berbers of Nafousah Mountain came down from the mountain and helped take Tripoli, the draft document outlined by the Transitional National Council did mention the Berbers' rights and that they will be acknowledged under the new constitution, but it said nothing about making Berber Language as one of the official languages of Libya. The Berber rebels were part of a larger group of other rebels from Zintan, Gharyan, Zawiya and other surrounding areas, before they were joined by rebels from Mesratha as soon as they entered Tripoli, and finally followed by rebel convoys from all parts of Libya.

The Berbers ('Imazighen') are the indigenous inhabitants of Libya before the Arabs arrived in the 7th Century AD, bringing Islam with them. They are also the native inhabitants of all North Africa, from Egypt (Siwa) to Morocco (including the Canary Islands) and from the coast to the Sudan (including Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso and Mauritania).

Sky News, 24 August 2011.

(1): After the colonial wars of the early 20th century and the subsequent dividing of Africa into new countries, and thereby setting up Libya as a country for the first time in history in 1930s, the Republic of Tripoli (or Tripolitania Republic) was created by the Berber Solaiman al-Barouni (of Yefren, in Nafousah Mountain), in 1917-1918, to become the first ever republic in the Arab world; but for some reason, or another, it did not gain enough support in the 1919 Paris Peace Conference despite being fully recognised by Italy (at the time), and consequently disappeared from the pages of history. The first republic in the Arab world was a Berber republic, but somehow most of the countries that were created at the time in North Africa and the Middle East were kingdoms! Yet all the kingdoms survived but not the only republic!!

(2): Under Gaddafi's government of Libya it is safe to say that the Berbers were denied their unique identity, ignored, and deprived of both their basic human rights and advanced cultural rights. They were allowed to speak their language at home and in public in their own areas, but have no rights, at all, to use their Berber language in education, business or literature; their language is not recognised officially; have no cultural freedom in any sense Arabic has in Libya; and were forced to mould their identity around the Arab form. There were attempts however by some liberal members of the regime to grant the Berbers a greater freedom, especially after the establishment of the Berber Congress elsewhere, like the right to use Berber names and the right to speak freely about the Berber identity, but were soon doomed as they were obstructed by the more conservative elements of Gaddafi's government.

(3): Will today's Libya, the NTC is promising to be fully democratic in line with Europe's democracy, at last grant the Berbers of Libya their full and well-deserved rights, including full recognition of their Berber language Tamazight as one of the official languages of Libya, and also their full cultural freedom, in line with all free languages of the world like Arabic and English? Of course, we have heard that the NTC is only a transitional and temporary group set up to oversee the transition to democratic Libya, but they did say that they will draft a constitution which will then be put to the Libyan people to approve, and so it follows that it is important that the self-appointed rebel leaders draft a constitution that is just for all Libyans and include Berber Language as one of the official languages of Libya.

It must be noted, however, that contrary to what other pan-Arabists had said in the past, the Berbers do not seek independence or self-autonomy and have no intention to divide Libya or any other unity for that matter, because that was a lie instigated by dictators. Simply, they have been campaigning, for the past 60 years or so, without any power taking any notice of them, for recognition and the right to live with dignity as free human beings under the umbrella of one, and only one, united Libya. We are all Libyans and we are all equal human beings, in theory. In practice, however, we still are not, to this day; but we all have great hope and patience that this will change very soon, once our beloved Libya heals its deepest wounds.

Transitional National Council's Chief Urges (All) Libyans To Respect The Law & Keep Order In Libya:

2011-08-22T22:03:00.004+01:00

Libya; United.

The flag widely used by the rebels in Libya was originally the flag of the deposed Libyan monarchy of King Idris, before the arrival of Gaddafi to power in 1969. It was adopted by the rebels shortly after the uprising started in Benghazi on the 15th of February 2011. It was also adopted by a number of opposition groups in exile during the past 42 years. The image above is different to the monarchy's flag, and was designed by Temehu.com to illustrate the unity of Libya and of the Libyan people, in times of need.

22 August 2011:

The Head of the Transitional National Council (TNC), widely known as NTC, has issued a plea to all Libyans to unite and respect the common law and help protect each other's property and human rights. He called for Libyans not to take the law into their own hands or cause any destruction, and specifically to avoid revenge.

However, in answering a question from one of the journalists in regard to his possible resignation, the NTC Chief Mustafa Abdel Jalil said that he fears some of the rebels unacceptable behavior and wrong doing, which might lead him to distance himself from the leadership, as, he says, he is a man of peace, justice, and upholds the principle of law above anything else. A number of human rights organisations had already reported human right abuses from Benghazi's rebels, and it is this kind of situation the TNC's Chief wishes to distance himself from.

If the Libyans, and others, are honest about democracy and respect of human rights, then this is the time to lead by example and wisdom. The Libyan people should unite and resolve their differences without harming civilians or innocent people.

Tourism In North Africa Today

2011-07-20T00:35:00.002+01:00

Tourism in Egypt, Tunisia and most recently in Libya has been badly hit by the recent events affecting North Africa today. Due to "fear", "uncertainty" and "war" most tourists rule out the popular North African destinations in their search of (temporary) paradise. The Egyptian Tourist Authority says Egypt, which had nearly 15 million visitors last year, is loosing around 25 million dollars a day. Libya on the other hand is a rich country and does not depend on tourism as such, but the improvements and advancements it made in recent years to promote Libyan tourism and foreign investment have been badly affected by the destructive events currently taking place in the country; not to say that the already-damaged Tunisian economy was further affected by the events in neighbouring Libya. However, where tourism is the issue in Tunisia and Egypt, in Libya life itself is at stake. The UN embargo and the inability of the Libyan government to sell oil have resulted in severe shortages of both food and fuel; leading to prices doubling and even trebling for some products, thereby forcing large number of Libyan families to flee to Tunisia, where life is much cheaper. The United Nations had already warned of a humanitarian disaster and called for a "temporary cease of fire" a while ago to deliver aid.

Dancing With The Devil. Ariel! Fire In Your House.Yeah?

2011-07-01T23:05:00.001+01:00

!Stateless! Fall Up! Ariel! Zero Republic!

UNESCO Warns Both NATO and LIBYA It Stands Ready To Play Its Part In Keeping With Article 23 To Protect The Archaeological Heritage Of Libya:

2011-06-17T18:15:00.000+01:00

Respect World Heritage Convention

Irina Bokova, Unesco's Director-General, calls on both Nato and Libya to respect the Hague Convention on the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict (1954) and its two (1954 and 1999) Protocols, and states that in keeping with Article 23 of the Convention it stands ready to play its part concerning the protection of cultural property. These world heritage site are:

Blue Shield Calls For The Protection of Libya's World Heritage Sites:

2011-04-04T07:59:00.003+01:00

An ancient scene from Janzur Museum, Libya.

Following the current bombing of Libyan government targets by NATO and the fighting between pro-government forces and anti-government rebels, the Blue Shield expresses its great concern regarding the safeguarding of Libya's archaeological and cultural sites, as well as deplores the extreme suffering and loss of life the war has imposed on the Libyan people. The five UNESCO World Heritage sites in Libya, including the coastal Sabratha, Leptis Magna and Cyrene are so far unharmed by the heavy aerial bombardments and ground shelling plighting the country for the past two weeks. The Blue Shield is the protective emblem of the 1954 Hague Convention to protect cultural heritage during armed conflicts, including museums, archives, audiovisual supports, libraries, monuments and sites. For further information and links please visit: http://www.temehu.com/news-Libya.htm

Great Man-Made River (GMMR): النهر الصناعي العظيم

2011-04-04T00:17:00.000+01:00

GMMR

Searching for oil beneath the desert's sand the Libyans have instead struck water reserves in various parts of the country, some of which are just 100 meters below the surface. Due to water shortages in Libya, and after considering the available options including the creation of desalination plants, transportation of water by tankers, and conveying water by pipeline from southern Europe, it was decided that there is no solution to the water crisis in Libya other than the creation of the Great Man-Made River, to extract water from the underground reserves and transport it to the various cities and town in the north of Libya. Read more about the Great Man-Made River Project at: http://www.temehu.com/great-man-made-river-gmmr.htm

Oil-Rich Libya Cuts Petrol Prices By 25%

2011-03-08T12:22:00.001Z

Oil-rich Libya has slashed petrol prices in Libya by 25%. The price of one litre of petrol is now 15 pence, down by 5 pence from 20 pence. Also, the Libyan government has issued a new benefit of 500 Libyan Dinars per month to every Libyan family. More at: http://www.temehu.com/news-Libya.htm

Relax and listen to the sand instead.

2011-03-04T13:56:00.001Z

Singing Sand Dunes

Relax and listen to the sand instead.

Ancient Libyan Art

2011-03-01T00:31:00.000Z

20000 year-old master pieces that are yet to be enjoyed!!!

Ancient Libyan Art

Dazzling and vivid mages of its early pastoralists, tribal shamans and early artists can be grasped directly off the rocks of the Sahara. Breathtaking depictions that not only withstood time but also have brought time to a stand-still; to a degree where these preserved treasures are believed by the Berber Tuareg to be lessons from their ancestors and as such are true history of the Great Sahara Desert. The first written history of human civilisation long before the Pharaohs of Egypt left and then made to vanish into oblivion. Full article & galleries at: http://www.temehu.com/sahara-prehistoric-rock-art.htm

Libyan Desert Glass

2011-02-26T05:10:00.002Z

Libyan Desert Glass (LDG) is a naturally occurring glass made of silica (silicon dioxide), and generally found in the Libyan Desert - the Western Desert of west Egypt, widely scattered along the Libyan-Egyptian border (the Great Erg). Scientists say the the glass is the largest known deposit of a natural silica glass on the planet Earth (about 98% SiO2). Early confirmed reports of the glass were made by members of the survey expedition led by P. Clayton, who were sent to explore the Sand Sea and Gilf Kebir in 1932 and to investigate the earlier reports of 1846 as well as to find the legendary oasis of Zerzura. In December 1932 Clayton (and his team) was driving across the sand dunes towards the red rocks of the Saad plateau when suddenly he felt the tyres of his car crunch. Upon stopping the car and stepping out he came face to face with . . . http://www.temehu.com/libyan-desert-glass.htm

Women Explorers of Libya

2011-02-26T05:04:00.001Z

There are a number of women who challenged their times as well as the Sahara itself in order to explore. Their journeys and accounts are not often explored, and most people even do not realise that there were women explorers. For a comprehensive English bibliography of women travellers and explorers of Africa between 1763 and 2004 . . . . . http://www.temehu.com/Explorers-of-Libya.htm

Libya: Origin of Name Libya & Libya In Mythology:

2011-02-26T04:58:00.001Z

Libya

There are several theories attempting to explain the origin of the name, but it is almost certain that it comes from the ancient Berber tribe known to the ancient Egyptians as Rebu or Ribu; from which the Greeks derived "Libya", and which the Arabs of today's Egypt know as Lubia, whence Lubians, in line with their relatives and neighbours the Nubians. Libya was the name of the Goddess known to the Greeks as the Goddess Libya, and also of the whole continent before the Romans named it Africa after the Berber Goddess Afri. In mythology, the Goddess Libya had three sons by the Libyan Sea-God Poseidon: Belus, Agenor and Lelex. King Belus ruled at Chemmis or Chamesis of Leo Africanus, Agenor migrated to Cana'an (the Middle East), and Lelex became king of Megara. Read full story at http://www.temehu.com/Cities_sites/Libya.htm

Libyan People: The Various Ethnic Groups of Libya: Arabs, Berbers, Tebu, etc.

2011-02-24T15:55:00.001Z

The major ethnic groups of Libya include the Arabs (arrived with Islam in the seventh century AD); the Berbers (the native and indigenous inhabitants of North Africa), the Tebu, as well as a number of smaller communities from various continents including Africa, Europe and Aisa. The Tuareg tribes of the Sahara (pictured above) are also a Berber group, comprising a number of confideracies and smaller tribes. See http://www.temehu.com/Libyan-People.htm for more.

Egyptian-Libyan Border Re-Opened

2011-02-07T21:08:00.000Z

07 February 2011

The border between Egypt and Libya is now open for business as usual. Travellers leaving Libya via Emsaad can now continue their journey overland to Egypt as before. The situation in Egypt itself seems to be returning to normal gradually.
http://www.temehu.com/news-Libya.htm

The Land Border Between Egypt And Libya Is Closed:

2011-02-01T06:27:00.000Z

Tourists Leaving Libya For Egypt Were Returned To Libya:

31st of January 2011

The border between Egypt and Libya is closed. The first we learnt about this is when our visitors who completed their transit tour in Libya were returned immediately after reaching the Egyptian check point beyond Emsaad on the 31st of January 2011. They were refused entry into Egypt and were ordered to return to Libya immediately. It is not known for how long the border will be closed, but it looks set to remain so until the situation in Cairo is defused. http://www.temehu.com/news-Libya.htm

Tunisia's Unrest Settles As Tension Dissipates:

2011-01-18T00:13:00.000Z

18th of January 2011

The situation in Tunisia looks like it is calming down, as the new government as well as the people of Tunisia are intent to restore relations to normal. Tunisia depends largely on tourism and it is obvious that the nation will not jeopardise its future, especially as its former president fled the country and the leaders appear to have reached a deal to form a new united government very quickly. Shops began to open as before and the people themselves began to help the authorities to protect property and businesses from looting and damage. http://www.temehu.com/news-Libya.htm

Tunisian-Libyan Border: Update On Movement Across The Border:

2011-01-17T12:19:00.000Z

17th of January 2011

The border area between Libya and Tunisia still is open, and the border movement seems okay as tourists do come in and out of the country as usual. However, the Libyan side of the border is closed at night, probably due to the fact that the border authorities need to prevent cross-border movement of people illegally at night.

Please note that the Libyan side of the border is still open during the day and therefore tourists wishing to enter Libya must do so either in the morning or around midday.

We also hear that the Tunisian police have road blocks between some areas in Tunisia to protect tourists from being attacked while traveling between cities and towns. Otherwise the Tunisian side of the border with Libya is also still open as usual. If you can make it to the Libyan border then your escort will be there to meet you and welcome you into Libya. Please check our news page for the latest updates at http://www.temehu.com/news-Libya.htm .

Travel Restrictions Affecting The Western Mountain & The Red Hamada:

2011-01-14T16:27:00.000Z

Following the recent local development in the Western Mountain near the Kabaw area the tourism authority decided to close some of the sites for foreign visitors to ensure their safety, and subsequently informed Libyan tour companies about a number of restrictions affecting certain areas, including Kabaw, Yefren and Nalut. Travellers passing by Nalut in the way to Ghadames cannot stop in Nalut but are allowed to drive through. Gharyan, Qasr Al-Haj and the neighbouring areas are not affected. Also in a separate incident al-Hamada al-Hamra is closed for tourists. Travellers who had the Hamada in their itineraries have to drive to Sabha via Qaryat instead. It is not known why nor for how long the ban will stay in force. (Source: http://www.temehu.com/news-Libya.htm).

Areas closed for tourists:

Yefren
Kabaw
Nalut
Hamada Al-Hamra
All areas bordering the Algerian border
Acacus (Takherkhuri)
The route Murzuq - Edhan Murzuq - Ennay - Takseet - Acacus

A request from the Tourism Police instructing Libyan tour operators to follow the listed restrictions, namely the border areas and the Murzuq-Acacus route.

Libya Visa For Americans: Second Update: Yes US Citizens Can Now Obtain Libya Tourist Visa On Arrival:

2010-05-22T11:25:00.002+01:00

Libyan for USA Citizens

22 May 2010

We have announced on the 19th of May (see below) that we were attempting to confirm the recent news regarding Libyan visa for Americans. We are now in a position to confirm that the ban has been indeed lifted, and that Americans are finally allowed to visit Libya on a tourist visa.

This is the moment you Americans have been waiting for for so long time now. To apply for the Libyan visa right now, please get in touch with us via this secure form; before it all goes back to normal - I mean like it was before : )

Latest Update: Libya Appears To Lift Its Visa Ban On Americans: Can The Citizens of USA Obtain Libyan Visa?

2010-05-19T15:40:00.008+01:00

It appears that Libya is about to open its doors to visitors from many countries including America. We are currently attempting to confirm the news we heard today in that Libya has finally lifted the visa ban on Americans. If the news is confirmed it would mean that the citizens of the United States of America will now be able to obtain a Libyan tourist visa.

Please visit our Libya news page for further information and links to further resources about the news. Please leave a comment if you have any links relating to this latest news.

www.temehu.com

Libyan-Swiss Schengen Visa Saga is Over: The European Union And Libya Have Lifted Their Bans on Granting Visas:

2010-03-27T23:49:00.000Z

27 March 2010

The European Union and Libya have agreed today Saturday 27 of March 2010 that they will resume granting visas to each others' citizens.

See www.temehu.com/news-Libya.htm for further information.

The Swiss are ready to lift their travel restrictions against top-level Libyan officials and start issuing entry and transit visas to Libyans:

2010-03-25T15:54:00.000Z

25 March 2010

The Swiss have finally responded positively to pressure recently exerted by European Foreign Ministers. In return Switzerland expects the release of the Swiss businessman held in Libya, and the lifting of the ban imposed by Libya on European visitors travelling to Libya from the Schengen area, Bern says.

Read more at http://www.temehu.com/news-Libya.htm

Libyan-Swiss Schengen Visa Conflict Must Be Resolved or Ended By The 4th of April, Says Italy, Or Else:

2010-03-16T17:09:00.000Z

16 March 2010:

The Italian foreign minister Franco Frattini has announced that If Libya and Switzerland fail to resolve their disagreement by the 4th of April 2010, then Italy will propose to its Schengen colleagues to start issuing Schengen visas to the Libyans banned by the Swiss, regardless of whether the Swiss oppose the move or not. The proposal will be presented together with Malta, Spain and Portugal during the Council of European Ministers set to take place next week. Read more at http://www.temehu.com/news-Libya.htm

Is The Libyan-Swiss Schengen Visa Saga Over?

2010-03-02T22:21:00.000Z

2 March 2010

In a speech before the Libyan GPC, in its summit to commemorate the 33rd anniversary of the birth of the first Jamahiriya in the world, the Libyan foreign minister Moussa Kousa has indicated that the tension between Libya and Switzerland over the recent issues could come to end very soon. Further details and links at: http://www.temehu.com/news-Libya.htm

Libya Stops Issuing Libyan Visa to European Nationals of The Schengen Free Travel zone

2010-02-16T19:30:00.010Z

Italians Challenge The Swiss Over The Schengen Saga

Libya Stops Issuing Visa To Some European Nationals:

16 February 2010

Libya Visa News From The Libyan Tour Operator Temehu.com

According to a report published by the Libyan private daily online newspaper Oea, last Sunday the 14th of February 2010, quoting an unidentified "high-ranking" source, Libyan visa for the nationals of the Schengen group of countries will be suspended. Apparently this ban will not apply to the EU countries not part of the Schengen treaty, such as the United Kingdom, Ireland, Bulgaria, Cyprus and Romania. Despite Libya being criticised repeatedly for such decisions, it remains a fact that ALL Libyans are still being badly treated by most European countries when it comes to granting visas including Schengen visas for Libyan nationals. Hence, according to EUbusiness, "The Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini on Monday charged Switzerland with holding the Schengen zone members hostage because of its move against Libya. Switzerland must "resolve this bi-lateral issue . . . but not at the expense of everyone else," Frattini told Sky TG24, adding that he had stressed to Bern the "sensitivity" of the situation. As a Libyan tour operator we can only say that if Libyans are granted European visas and Europeans are granted Libyan visa then perhaps everyone will be happy. Please visit our main site Temehu.com for more Libyan news relating to Libya visa and Libyan tourism.

Submerged Roman City Discovered Off The Coast of Cyrenaica, Eastern Libya:

2009-12-09T09:43:00.002Z

Archaeologists have discovered what appears to be an ancient, 2nd-century AD, sunken Roman city, just off the coast of Cyrenaica, between the towns of Derna and Bomba, near Tobruk, in Eastern Libya. The discovery was made by members of the project ArCoLibia (Archeology Coast of Libya), in a survey off the Libyan coast. While searching for wrecks, the researchers found walls, tombs, buildings and roads between one and three meters beneath the water. http://www.archart.it/rivista-archeologia/tag/arcolibia/.

طرابلس : أسفرت أعمال تنقيبية أجراها علماء أثار من إيطاليا عن العثور علي مدينة تحت سطح الأرض تعود إلى العصر الرومانى، على ساحل برقة الشرقى فى ليبيا, وتقع بين مدينتى درنة وبومبا، بالقرب من طبرق.
http://www.moheet.com/show_news.aspx?nid=325398&pg=13

New Libyan Visa Law:

2009-08-18T01:13:00.012+01:00

In a recent move (02/08/2009), the Libyan People's Committee has endorsed a new visa law, primarily designed to encourage tourism and attract more tourists into the country. The new law has cancelled the June law and it is now possible to obtain a Libyan visa on arrival, either on the border or at the airport, with the option to apply at embassies still available. Please visit www.temehu.com/news-Libya.htm for further details.

Let us hope this time this law is permanent :)

Keep Libya Clean Campaign

2009-07-17T00:37:00.013+01:00

Refuse Refuse

Reject Rubbish is the slogan Temehu.com has chosen to represent its online campaign to Keep Libya Clean.

Please help and visit our campaign page at www.temehu.com

Traditionally, Libyan women keep their houses spotlessly clean and tidy before visitors arrive. Ask your mum and she will gently tell you that Libya is your sacred home!

Libya until recently was as isolated from the outside world as Acacus still is today. But the side effects of any influx of wealth and progressive economical growth would naturally include litter, neglect and fatigue. Those eager to digest and disregard neat order for clutter and litter, be ware: litter, rubbish, refuse and garbage are piling up even in the most sacred archaeological sites of Libya.
http://www.temehu.com/rubbish-in-libya.htm

This is a real photo of a group of European tourists in the Libyan Sahara, leaving their rubbish behind after camping overnight. We have covered the plate numbers and other identifiers bright green to keep the identity of the "perpetrators" private and safe with us. Only us and them know this secret.

This Western European group of tourists were habitually leaving their rubbish behind, wherever they camp. When one of our Libyan tour guides kindly pointed out to them that they needed to carry their bags with them to the nearest rubbish dump, they took no notice of him. When the guide noticed they do this on a regular basis, he waited one day until they all got in their cars and drove away, and took his camera to produce the above live shot; capturing the perpetrators in action running away from the crime-scene, leaving the evidence behind: (two green bags, one blue bag, one white bag, one black bag, yellow plastic, and a solitary can).

We are not running a name and shame campaign.
We hope those tourists find this page as it might be of comfort to them
to know that their guide had secretly took all that rubbish and disposed of it at the nearest allocated spot.

Please visit our campaign page at www.temehu.com for unique photos and notes about the issue.
Please link to this page and help spread the message across the web. Our country needs your help.

New Tourist Visa Law: June 2009: visas issued at Libyan embassies:

2009-06-14T12:43:00.003+01:00

New Tourist Visa Law: June 2009:

From the 1st of June 2009 all tourist visas must be obtained from the Libyan embassy, either in the country of origin or in any country that hosts a Libyan embassy.

The procedure however has not changed (see http://www.temehu.com/news-Libya.htm for details). The embassy will also require visitors to provide other documents, like bank statements and travel insurance. Tourists who find these measures unnecessary can share their disappointment with all Libyans who have been through it all before: Libyans wishing to obtain a European visa, for example, need to provide a whole folder of documents including bank statements, letter of invitation or host, return flight tickets, money, passport copies, addresses, etc., in order to obtain a visa.

How safe is driving in Libya?

2008-06-20T17:48:00.018+01:00

Not very safe!!

Disturbing news reported recently by the Libyan Ministry of Public Security states that "60 People Dead, 123 Seriously Injured in 263 Car Accidents in Libya in One Week", between the 19th and the 26th of July 2008. Causes include high speed, reckless driving, cell phones and breaking traffic laws and regulations. These figures become more disturbing when one considers the small number of the Libyan population.

In Europe driving is an advanced aspect of European culture; while in Libya, likewise many similar countries, driving is still way behind. Foreign drivers not used to driving in Libya need to bear in mind:

One: Lack of total availability of road signs, and if found, mostly would be in Arabic and therefore of no use to tourists and foreign visitors. If Libya truly needs to open its doors to international investors, then English needs to be incorporated across Libya.

Two: The inability of the police to enforce traffic laws across thousands of miles of roads, which prevents some drivers from observing basic driving regulations.

Three: The occasional Libyan wind-blown sand can render visibility very poor, and in many respects it is like driving in thick fog.

Four: Stray animals, like camels, especially at night, can be dangerous.

Five: The impossibility to anticipate the foolishness of some drivers, regardless of whether you are in Europe or Africa, always calls for vigilance.

Six: Driving to desert areas, like Ghadames, at night can be risky, owing to the sudden build-up of sand mounds in the middle of the road; during the day, these can be easily spotted from a safe distance - don't drive at night!

Can Journalists Visit Jamahiriya?

2008-06-16T16:00:00.010+01:00

Yes, journalists can get a Libyan visa:

Libyan tour operators are not allowed to issue visas for journalists. If you are a journalist and want to visit Libya, then you must do this at the Libyan embassy in the country of your residence, in person.

It is then up to the embassy to grant or refuse the visa, but, as pointed out by Reporters Without Borders, foreign journalists can now get a visa more easily than before and that the department of relations with the foreign press claimed to have issued between 1000 and 1500 visas in 2005.

Visiting journalists need a permit, obtained from the information ministry’s foreign media department. Even with a visa at hand, you must have confirmation from Libya that your visit is expected. Be warned that once inside do not attempt to interview any official unless you have a prior authorisation from the department of relations with the foreign press, unless you want to report from "inside"!

Passport Arabic Approved Translation

2008-06-16T15:45:00.010+01:00

Passport Translation

A recent Libyan Law, passed on the 11th of November 2007, requires all visitors to Libya to have an Arabic translation of their passport’s bio data page, which contains biographical information about the passport holder. If you live in the UK, the Identity & Passport Service (IPS):
http://www.ips.gov.uk./passport/travel-libya.asp) can add a stamp providing blank fields in Arabic. Job one done. Job two: this blank stamp, now needs filling with your bio-data in Arabic script, only by a Libyan-embassy-approved translator!

Visitors of each country should then contact the Libyan Embassy to enquire about approved translation service providers. Please bear in mind that hundreds of tourists were refused entry to Libya despite having Libyan visa, because their passports did not carry an Arabic translation (full article at http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7092589.stm).

Imagine how easy it would be if the approval is confirmed by an approved interpreter working inside the embassy itself: he can read the foreign page, read the Arabic translation, and say yes: they are the same, stamp the visa, and off you go! Lets us hope the Libyans will relax their restrictions, one day!

Can I travel without a guide in Libya?

2008-06-16T14:55:00.007+01:00

The law says visitors must be travelling with a representative of the tour operator:

Another problem we encountered is that some of our visitors wanted to travel alone in Libya. According to Libyan law, a tourist must be accompanied, at all times, by a Libyan representative of the chosen tour operator, from entry to exit. But individual visitors (or a couple) can travel alone only in the capital Tripoli; the law is generally relaxed about this, as Triploi is a cosmopolitan city and no one would notice that you are a tourist, unless you attract attention yourself.

However, having a guide does not mean that your freedom is curtailed or restricted, as you can go anywhere within your specified destinations. For example, if you say you want to visit Zwara, then once you are in Zwara you can go anywhere you like, and think of your escort (or guide) as a friend whom you can ask for directions while driving. It is suicidal to drive into the Sahara without these guys (or guides).

Moreover, in groups of more than four, a representative of the Libyan Tourism Police will also join the convoy, in his (or their) own vehicle, of course. This was said to protect tourists from terrorists.

If you managed to travel alone, please share your experience with us by leaving your comments here.

Can I go any where I like in Libya?

2008-06-16T14:47:00.008+01:00

Not, yet!

You must specify the exact sites and cities you would like to visit in Libya during your intitial enquiry or booking your holiday. According to Libyan law, the visa is granted to visit the sites specified before arrival. Therefore, in order to avoid disappointment, it is important that tourists specify the exact cities and sites they would like to visit before arrival. Once a tourist chooses the right destinations, then she or he cannot visit other destinations when they arrive in Libya. Some Libyan Tour Operators were ordered to close down by the Libyan government because they deviated from the planned route. Please study your destinations carefully and plan your route accordingly before you send us your list of chosen sites and cities, as we cannot, and no one can, change this. Stopping at other places in your route is, of course, a different matter. What is not allowed is changing the actual planned route.