[b]Post-Gaddafi Libya: a police force trained by Britain; and an Islamist militia backed by Qatar
September 3, 2011
Print Version
Source: UK Telegraph

The challenges facing Libya as it tries to build a new government after 42 years of Gaddafi rule were all on display at Benghazi airport last night. A huge RAF jet loomed out of the darkness carrying 40 tonnes of banknotes – 280 million dinars worth of crisp bills which had been printed in Britain, but seized aboard the Sloman Provider after her crew had decided not to proceed to Libya in the early months of the uprising.

The banknotes will be used to pay public workers, who have received only a fraction of their wages for the past six months. More importantly, it will add liquidity to an economy which has been in suspended animation during the uprising.

It was the first shipment of frozen cash to arrive back on Libyan soil. David Cameron himself had overseen the logistics, keen that Britain’s key role in backing the rebels was on display on the eve of the Paris conference today.

But what happened next shows the potential fault-lines within the nascent government. Security was tight, as you might expect in a city awash with weapons. A blue ring of armed police officers formed around the cargo plane as forklift trucks began to unload the pallet-loads of cash. Outside them stood a second ring, this one made up of khaki-clad militiamen who had fought for the rebels.

The policemen, looking smart in their new uniforms, have been trained and equipped by Britain. Law and order – the security of fragile states – has become something of a British export industry.

The militiamen, however, represented a different side of Libya. They were members of an Islamist unit, the February 17 Martyrs Brigade, whose presence has alarmed neighbours of Libya such as Algeria as well as diplomats in Benghazi. They too have smart new uniforms and body armour, thanks to their benefactors in Qatar.

For now, though, the two are working in harmony, united in their goal of securing Libya and rooting out Gaddafi and his sons. The question is whether they will work together once their common enemy is gone – a common enemy, whose image is printed on each of the brand new one dinar notes that arrived last night[/b].

kabukabu50:

How boneheaded of you , So they are "radicals maniacs" because they are overthrowing a despot ruler who has been in power for 40 years,filling his bank accts with billions while imprisoning opposition party members for no reason.??

Nigeria has no right to complain, just airlift all your citizens away from there, just like other countries do wherever there is local conflict.

At least Ghaddafi"s regime has provided his ppl with constant power supply,good roads,clean water,shelter,and food affordable for the masses
Nigeria has a so called democratic regime but this so called democratic regime cant mend the already bad roads,power supply is chaotic,the average nigerian find it hard to feed once in a day and the elected leaders in nigeria are stealing the money and dumping it in foreign bank accounts.Kinder funny that the despot in libya cares about the well being of his ppl more than the nigerian democrats
what an irony

stmarc32:

Clearly seen that you've been brainwashed with fake reports and news on CNN and BBC , tell me if Ghadaffi was a despot enriching himself and his family why was libya's standard of living better than that of americans? last time i checked no one bombed the US or sanctioned them when they arrested members of the black panthers in the US because they vehemently opposed racism and fought  for black freedom, no one also sanctioned them when they killed their own in WACO, the sooner you realize that this whole uprising in libya has been a facade for western recolonization of africa the better for u

As much as i'm appalled at black brothers being lynched and commiserate with their families , i hope it does not give NATO a reason to officially deploy ground troops in Libya, I'd rather have the AU handle this.

Hilarious, Libya's standard of living is right on par with the US .The internet is full of lies but really you could have made an effort at least to disguise yours ;DLibya is an African venezuela,they pump oil,yes, but their infrastructure is second rate.Libya only has a population of 8 million people, they should all be living like the Kuwaitis ,if not better, but not even close.

Speaking of freedom,perhaps you can addresss the hundreds of Black Africans killed,imprisoned in Libya who were just seeking opportunities to pass through on their way to the Mediterranean?as far as I know millions of Mexicans have crossed over to the US , they don't get shot or imprisoned, they get citizenship for their kids,free healthcare/infant care and rights to even protest against the govt of a country they are in illegally,


Do your due diligence my friend before you blabber about geopolitical issues that you are not open minded enough to discuss.

tom28:

At least Ghaddafi"s regime has provided his ppl with constant power supply,good roads,clean water,shelter,and food affordable for the masses
Nigeria has a so called democratic regime but this so called democratic regime cant mend the already bad roads,power supply is chaotic,the average nigerian find it hard to feed once in a day and the elected leaders in nigeria are stealing the money and dumping it in foreign bank accounts.Kinder funny that the despot in libya cares about the well being of his ppl more than the nigerian democrats
what an irony

Gaddaffi only "cared" about his people reading a copy of his green book, the handbook of "his" agenda, quite similar to the red book that Chinese communists have.

I thought this same guy said a couple of days ago that nothing is happening to Nigerians in Libya. And what the hell is the big deal that he left church service to take calls. For 4ck sake it is his job, he is supposed to be in Libya, no in some 4cking church.

any upheaval in any country will affect nigerians.
they are like rats ; everywhere.

and the govt is useless so no surprises.

@ Post. Somebody has been paid to do damage control.

kabukabu:

Gaddaffi only "cared" about his people reading a copy of his green book, the handbook of "his" agenda, quite similar to the red book that Chinese communists have.

Nigeria is already next on US and Britain"s hitlist so u better get ready as soon as the US airforce start dropping bombs in nigeria using the boko haram excuse.Ghaddafi is ten times worth more than those blockheads in aso rock

tom28:

Nigeria is already next on US and Britain"s hitlist so u better get ready as soon as the US airforce start dropping bombs in nigeria using the boko haram excuse.Ghaddafi is ten times worth more than those blockheads in aso rock

The US would never drop bombs on nigeria, the price of crude oil would go up, remember the US buys most of its supply from Nigeria,Canada and Mexico.

kabukabu:


Hilarious, Libya's standard of living is right on par with the US .The internet is full of lies but really you could have made an effort at least to disguise yours ;DLibya is an African venezuela,they pump oil,yes, but their infrastructure is second rate.Libya only has a population of 8 million people, they should all be living like the Kuwaitis ,if not better, but not even close.

Speaking of freedom,perhaps you can addresss the hundreds of Black Africans killed,imprisoned in Libya who were just seeking opportunities to pass through on their way to the Mediterranean?as far as I know millions of Mexicans have crossed over to the US , they don't get shot or imprisoned, they get citizenship for their kids,free healthcare/infant care and rights to even protest against the govt of a country they are in illegally, 


Do your due diligence my friend before you blabber about geopolitical issues that you are not open minded enough to discuss.

  Your inertia to facts is mind-boggling, The standard of living was on par /better than that of the US where 10% control and own everything and the rest are slave laborers living off food stamps, Tell me how many Americans get free healthcare( r u farking kidding me?) last time i checked the US government  is proposing to increase the cost of healthcare services and scraping the Social security checks most people live on, How many Americans are indebted to the government and banks  for tertiary tuition fees and how many spend the rest of their life paying those debts with very high interests? the US is so scared of terrorism but fail to realize that cancer is a now a pandemic in the US, how many lives has their so called terrorism killed compared to Cancer?

   Do you know that freedom is a state of mind and not what you gain via democracy? how many Us citizens work 12hr shifts to support their lifestyle, how can you class the inability to balance work and social life  knowing you owe  debts freedom? Recent survey has shown that 50% of the blacks in most neighborhoods are unemployed?

   Do you know that Libyans are given loans without interest ? do you know that Arizona just passed a law that made it legal to  detain anyone  based on assumption  they are  an illegal alien? I am sure you already know that most mexicans and nepalese are currently the new slave laborers in the US since blacks now have some sort of right and wont take stipends? that's even if they get offered a job in the first place

   And libya cannot be compared with Kuwait and some other arabian countries where women are not even allowed to drive, Ghadaffi gave women more rights in libya , Have u even considered reading about some of the plans Ghadaffi had for his country/ prior to this fiasco , I am sure he could forsee this happening that's why he tried to create a Pan-african bank,  and how can u believe the medias propaganda about Ghadaffi killing blacks and people enroute to europe when NATO failed to rescue blacks that were on a boat leaving libya coz of the war they started?

Think while its still legal brother

stmarc32:

Your inertia to facts is mind-boggling, The standard of living was on par /better than that of the US where 10% control and own everything and the rest are slave laborers living off food stamps, Tell me how many Americans get free healthcare( r u farking kidding me?) last time i checked the US government is proposing to increase the cost of healthcare services and scraping the Social security checks most people live on, How many Americans are indebted to the government and banks for tertiary tuition fees and how many spend the rest of their life paying those debts with very high interests? the US is so scared of terrorism but fail to realize that cancer is a now a pandemic in the US, how many lives has their so called terrorism killed compared to Cancer?

Do you know that freedom is a state of mind and not what you gain via democracy? how many Us citizens work 12hr shifts to support their lifestyle, how can you class the inability to balance work and social life knowing you owe debts freedom? Recent survey has shown that 50% of the blacks in most neighborhoods are unemployed?
Gbam! Do you know that Libyans are given loans without interest ? do you know that Arizona just passed a law that made it legal to detain anyone based on assumption they are an illegal alien? I am sure you already know that most mexicans and nepalese are currently the new slave laborers in the US since blacks now have some sort of right and wont take stipends? that's even if they get offered a job in the first place

And libya cannot be compared with Kuwait and some other arabian countries where women are not even allowed to drive, Ghadaffi gave women more rights in libya , Have u even considered reading about some of the plans Ghadaffi had for his country/ prior to this fiasco , I am sure he could forsee this happening that's why he tried to create a Pan-african bank, and how can u believe the medias propaganda about Ghadaffi killing blacks and people enroute to europe when NATO failed to rescue blacks that were on a boat leaving libya coz of the war they started?

Think while its still legal brother

gbam!

kabukabu:

The US would never drop bombs on nigeria, the price of crude oil would go up, remember the US buys most of its supply from Nigeria,Canada and Mexico.

you are incredibly ignorant!!!! after dropping bombs in libya are the oil prices not falling? how much do you think you are getting for the the oil you sell them today? dont be silly! what government doesnt have or push its agenda? what do you think thebritish media do on a daily basis as they have done when inciting this illegal battle under the guise of humanitarian efforts? what is humanitarian about aiding a group of terrorists in commiting mass genocide in an economically stable and relatively wealthy country?? how many libyans live in nigeria? scratch that how many libyans will u even find in the uk? or the us? that country is heaven and westen governemnts have done nothing but destroy it for thier own political gain! do you think these militants are pushing for democracy? what is democratic about reinstating the former monarch? please dont be ignorant! mshew

the minister should not have said what he said in the 1st place, he should be disciplined,

they are the cause of their own misfortune.

sley4life:

they are the cause of their own misfortune.

Pray never to be caught at the wrong place at the wrong time in this life.

meanwhile, The more we protest the more they arrest us! hahahaha, Reward for recognizing criminals I guess,

http://www.thenationonlineng.net/2011/index.php/news/18696-libyan-rebels-holding-200-nigerians-hostage.html



The crackdown on Nigerians in Libya continued yesterday, with the arrest of 25 by the rebel-controlled Transitional National Council (TNC), which has slackened Col. Muammar Gaddafi’s 42-year grip on power.

The development has brought the number of Nigerians in detention to over 200, The Nation learnt. There are fears that the detained Nigerians may be killed by the rebels, if the Federal Government does not act on time.

A spokesman for trapped Nigerians in Tripoli, Mr. Daramola Siji, who spoke with our correspondent on the telephone, said: “About 25 Nigerians were today arrested in Tripoli and they are being detained in Salahdin part of the capital city. We have no access to them at all.

“So far, we have over 200 Nigerians being detained in various parts of Libya. We do not know their fate. We are praying that they will not be killed like other black migrant workers.

“The general pattern is that the rebels mount roadblocks and everytime black people are sighted in a bus, they will quickly arrest them and hound them into various cells in the city.”

Asked how Nigerians fell into rebels’ hands, Siji said: “Having been without food, they decided to venture out of their homes to look for what to buy and, in the process, most of them were arrested.

“I wish to appeal to the Federal Government to take action. We could not reach the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Olugbenga Ashiru, who has been sympathetic to our plight, with the opening up of talks with the TNC leaders.

“Although the Minister designated our Ambassador to Ethiopia to take charge of the situation in Libya, the envoy has remained incommunicado.”

Responding to a question, Siji said: “The rebels felt the black migrants were the mercenaries used by Muammar Gaddafi to fight them and that is why they are embarking on retaliatory killings.

“But we have made the TNC to realise that the mercenaries used by Gaddafi were mostly Chadians and Nigeriens. No Nigerian fought on the side of Gaddafi.”

A top source in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who spoke in confidence, said: “The Minister is away in Sweden for Nordic Ministers meeting. But he is on top of the situation, even from his base abroad.

“We have got assurances from the TNC, Britain and France that black migrants will no longer be attacked.”

The height of uselessness. What are Nigerians doing in Libya in the first place ?!

what are these people talking about? Gaddaffi didnt use mercenaries, that was a rumour spread by the rebels to justify thier rascist killings!

Gaddaffi is a racist maniac! there is no way he will use mercenaries! he will rather die than have a black man fight for him! he can barely stand sub saharan africans! cheii how are people soo stupid!

queensmith:

what are these people talking about? Gaddaffi didnt use mercenaries, that was a rumour spread by the rebels to justify thier rascist killings!

Gaddaffi is a racist maniac! there is no way he will use mercenaries! he will rather die than have a black man fight for him! he can barely stand sub saharan africans! cheii how are people soo silly!

You're not making sense here. There's nowhere to prove Gadaffi hated blacks. Because you hate him doesn't mean you should make a racist out of him. For the record, yes he used mercenaries from Sub-Saharan African nations

dear lord almighty you know little about gadaffi dont u? You need to read his comments about poverty in subsaharan nations
no2 erm, where us the evidence he's using mercenaries? I sure cant take ur word for it, soo far all these rebels have been doing is rounding up black libyans and slaughtering them, men with wives and families and nothing to do with the politics. Why do u think the blacks are fleeing for thier lives? there are no merceneries quit reading the bbc!

A top source in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who spoke in confidence, said: “The Minister is away in Sweden for Nordic Ministers meeting. But he is on top of the situation, even from his base abroad.

WTH!!?

So a Nordic ministers meeting is more important to Gbenga Ashiru than the health, safety and welfare of his people who are suffering in the hands of racist wicked Arabs?


When will Goodluck Jonathan fire Gbenga Ashiru? When?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9YvdaWi3pw0

More Nigerians in Libyan jails!!!

queensmith:

dear lord almighty you know little about gadaffi dont u? You need to read his comments about poverty in subsaharan nations
no2 erm, where us the evidence he's using mercenaries? I sure cant take your word for it, soo far all these rebels have been doing is rounding up black libyans and slaughtering them, men with wives and families and nothing to do with the politics. Why do u think the blacks are fleeing for thier lives? there are no merceneries quit reading the bbc!

Please watch this video


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8FhOu-D42g&oref=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fresults%3Fsearch_query%3Dgaddafi%2Bmercenaries%2Bblack%2Bniger%26aq%3Df&skipcontrinter=1

okada_man:

WTH!!?

So a Nordic ministers meeting is more important to Gbenga Ashiru than the health, safety and welfare of his people who are suffering in the hands of racist wicked Arabs?


When will Goodluck Jonathan fire Gbenga Ashiru? When?

the nigerian govt is being run by blockheads

queensmith:

what are these people talking about? Gaddaffi didnt use mercenaries, that was a rumour spread by the rebels to justify thier rascist killings!

Gaddaffi is a racist maniac! there is no way he will use mercenaries! he will rather die than have a black man fight for him! he can barely stand sub saharan africans! cheii how are people soo silly!

If Ghaddafi is a racist meniac how come he provided jobs for the black africans living in libya during his regime?

tom28:

If Ghaddafi is a racist meniac how come he provided jobs for the black africans living in libya during his regime?

I think Queensmith is simply basin her opinion on hearsay not facts

only God knows what gives any of you the impression that African arabs give a sh*t abt blacks

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/talking_point/debates/african/953159.stm

queensmith:

only God knows what gives any of you the impression that African arabs give a excreta abt blacks

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/talking_point/debates/african/953159.stm

I know alot of people who have been to Libya and they all said arabs were racist. They were and still are but Ghadaffi wasn't. If not he would nto have curbed xenophobic riots and encouraged black Africans to come and serve as labour in his country.

Meanwhile,

Look at a tweet William Hague made,

We are slaves, slaves slaves slaves slaves slaves.

William Hague
@WilliamJHague William Hague
Met Nigerian Foreign Minister this am: thanked him for support over #Libya & stressed UK solidarity w/Nigeria in face of terrorist attacks