Next Stage, Libya?
A woman holds a sign to protest the Libyan regime. Photo by an anonymous Libyan protester. (from npr.tumblr.com)
Yesterday, taking a cue from the revolutions of their neighbors, hundreds of protesters staged a “Day of Rage” in the Libyan cities of Baida, Benghazy, Zenten, Derna, and Ajdabiya. HRW reported that at least 24 protesters were killed by Libyan security forces.
Below are scenes from a protest in Tobruk, where demonstrators burn Muammar Qaddafi’s Green Book, which outlines his political philosophy and views on democracy.
Although Qaddafi is one of the longest serving leaders in history, the revolution of his people is not making headlines the way nearby Egypt’s has, as FP reports: “What if Libya Staged a Revolution and Nobody Came?“
Libyans are painfully aware of the fact that their country does not attract nearly the same level of interest as Egypt or Iran, except perhaps when it comes to the eccentricities of their notoriously flamboyant dictator. This, despite the fact that the Qaddafi regime has been in power significantly longer than nearly any other autocratic system, during which time it has proved itself among the world’s most brutal and incompetent. Thus, from the moment a group of Libyans inside Libya — taking a cue from their Tunisian and Egyptian neighbors — announced plans for their own day of protest on Feb. 17, Libyan activists outside the country have been working tirelessly to get the word out, circulate audio and video, and pressure media outlets to report on Libya. If the Libyan protesters are ignored, the fear is that Qaddafi — a man who appears to care little what the rest of the world thinks of him — will be able to seal the country off from foreign observers, and ruthlessly crush any uprising before it even has a chance to begin.
Why do you think international press has been slow to report on Libya’s demonstrations? Is there “revolution-fatigue” already?
