Libyans hail ‘first Friday of freedom’

AFP/Tripoli

Libyans demonstrate after Friday prayers at Green Square in Tripoli yesterday

The Libyan capital Tripoli celebrated the “miracle” of its first free Friday with sheikhs preaching about security and forgiveness after months of fighting to topple the regime of Muammar Gaddafi. “We are more than happy; there is just no replacement for freedom,” said Ziad Ahmed as he strolled to his neighbourhood mosque with his pregnant wife and two toddlers in tow. “We are ready to live freely without Gaddafi. Before you couldn’t say a word and spoke in whispers even to our wives at home because you never knew who could be listening and what sentence could land you in jail.” More than 1,000 worshippers filled Mayzran mosque, a springboard in February for anti-Gaddafi demonstrations in the capital in sympathy with protesters killed in Benghazi, birthplace of the revolt that escalated into conflict. “We just exploded when we heard what happened to people in Benghazi,” said Ali Hajjaj, referring to the brutal crackdown on demonstrators that triggered revolts across Libya and sparked international condemnation. “From this mosque we demonstrated in support of our brothers in Benghazi but we were arrested, blindfolded and beaten for information about who participated in the demonstration,” Sharif Abdelfattah, a US-educated professor, said. He said that even though it was the holy month of Ramadan only a handful of worshippers had showed up for Friday prayer in the previous weeks because they had tired of pro-Gaddafi sermons. “This is the first Friday of freedom,” he said. Men of all ages hugged each other celebrating the rebel victory, welcomed back those just released from prison and offered condolences to those who had lost loved ones in the battle for the capital. Abdel Nasser lost his uncle and brother in the battle of Bab al-Aziziyah—once the nerve centre of Gaddafi’s regime and a focal point of five months of Nato air strikes and now the trophy of rebels who entered the capital on Saturday. “Freedom is the only comfort I can find in my heart,” he said. Freedom on this Friday had a special meaning for Faruh al-Usta, who says he was arrested by Gaddafi loyalists on the road to join rebels fighting in the western mountains and tortured for 10 days. “This is my first Friday of Ramadan since getting out of prison,” he said. “The pains I endured in Abu Salim prison are unimaginable. We had no water, we were beaten and cursed at, some had their fingers cut off. We all thought we were going to die but we didn’t care as long as Gaddafi fell.” The conquest of Tripoli was described as a miracle by Sheikh Wanis Mabruk, who is famous among rebels for his anti-regime speeches in the east, in what marked his first sermon in the capital.  “The Libya revolution is a miracle,” he said. “God broke our chains.” Mabruk equated Gaddafi’s rule to a “42-year-long coma.” The message of his Friday prayer warned rebels against taking revenge, looting, disobedience, infighting and vainglory, stressing that the battle was not over. “Don’t spoil it ... don’t fight over guns... follow the commanders of this country, the National Transitional Council,” which just relocated from its stronghold in Benghazi to the capital. Mabruk echoed calls from the NTC for policemen and public sector employees in Tripoli to return to work and for Gaddafi loyalists to lay down there arms without fear of revenge. “This was a revolution of freedom and Islam so there shall be no revenge.”   He said Gaddafi loyalists had lost their way but now have an opportunity to be stronger than their mistakes. He said those who came forward would be treated with mercy and in accordance with the law. “Everyone makes mistakes, even us. Join your brothers. We are all Muslims.”