One can only salute the dead but history is very ruthless, does not forgive anyone. History is a silent witness that records without speaking. After a couple of generations, the truth starts to unfold. Therefore somewhere down the road, the people would know the real worth of Gaddafi.
By Ghazala Awan Advocate
Human race is not only ungrateful but also quite arrogant and tyrant at times. Within the extremities of tyranny and benevolence lies the balance that few can find. When King Idrees was deposed, the Libyans heaved a sigh of relief, Gaddafi was hailed as a savior and hero of Libyan people. A young Captain who promoted himself to be a Colonel and retained that rank till his death.
The initial period of Gaddafi was most welcome and he was celebrated almost in the entire Muslim World, especially by the youth. With the passage of time when he got intoxicated with power he beganto lose his balance. Although he kept the welfare projects moving, rewarding the Libyans but became intolerant to any criticism what so ever. His most daring and bold decision was that he did not allow the West to meddle in his internal affairs, was very supportive of Palestine cause and did not favour those Muslim rulers who were toeing the American line.
One can only salute the dead but history is very ruthless, does not forgive anyone. History is a silent witness that records without speaking. After a couple of generations, the truth starts to unfold. Therefore somewhere down the road, the people would know the real worth of Gaddafi.
Today is an unfortunate moment for Libya, Col Gaddafi’s tragic death the way he was killed has left a bad taste and some deep scars. In spite of what many see as his weaknesses, he has done quite a lot for Libya and Africa by contributing to the building of infrastructure. After having been in power for the longest time of 42 years, the Libyan leader Col Gaddafi faces the wrath of his people. After deposing off King Idrees through a military coup in 1969, Col Gaddafi assumed the absolute powers. Apart from immense oil and gas resources coupled with a meager population, the new ruler enjoyed full support of his people and the people from across the Arab world. However the track record of the dictator speaks volumes of his inept attitude, indifference and atrocities committed against his own people for whom he claimed to be a revolutionary and reformer.
Living history shows that he was absolutely right to call himself a reformer for Libya. A big gem in his crown besides other was a water project for Libya which is called by them eighth wonder of the world. The description might be flattering, but the Great Man-Made River Project has the potential to transform Libyan life in all sorts of ways. Libya is a desert country, and finding fresh water has always been a problem. Finding a supply of fresh, clean water became a government priority. Oil exploration in the 1950s had revealed vast aquifers beneath Libya's southern desert. Coastal aquifers became contaminated with sea water, to such an extent that the water in Benghazi (Libya's second city) was undrinkable.
After weighing up the relative costs of desalination or transporting water from Europe, Libyan economists decided that the cheapest option was to construct a network of pipelines to transport water from the desert to the coastal cities, where most Libyans live. In August 1984, Muammar Al Qadhafi laid the foundation stone for the pipe production plant at Brega. The Great Man-Made River Project had begun.Libya had oil money to pay for the project, but it did not have the technical or engineering expertise for such a massive undertaking. Foreign companies from South Korea, Turkey, Germany, Japan, the Philippines and the UK were invited to help.
In September 1993, Phase I water from eastern well-fields at Sarir and Tazerbo reached Benghazi. Three years later, Phase II, bringing water to Tripoli from western well-fields at Jebel Hassouna, was completed. Phase III which links the first two Phases is still under construction This incredibly huge and successful water scheme is virtually unknown in the west, yet rivals and even suppresses all Libyan’s greatest development projects. The west refuses to recognize that a small country, with a population no more than four million, can construct so large river without borrowing a single cent from America or international banks. The total cost of this huge project is expected to exceed of 25 billion US $.
By 1996 the Great Man-Made River Project had reached one of its final stages, the gushing forth of sweet unpolluted water to the homes and gardens of the citizens of Libya's capital Tripoli. Louis Farrakhan, who took part in the opening ceremony of this important stage of the project, described the Great Man-Made River as "another miracle in the desert." Speaking at the inauguration ceremony to an audience that included Libyans and many foreign guests, Col. Qadhafi said the project "was the biggest answer to America… who accuses us of being concerned with terrorism." .Adam Kuwairi, a senior figure in the Great Man-Made River Authority (GMRA), vividly remembers the impact the fresh water had on him and his family. "The water changed lives. For the first time in our history, there was water in the tap for washing, shaving and showering," he told the BBC World Service's Discovery program. "The quality of life is better now, and it's impacting on the whole country.”
The goal of the Libyan Arab people ,embodied in the Great Man Made River project is to make Libya a source of agricultural abundance ,capable of producing adequate food and water to supply its own needs and to share with neighboring countries. In short, the River is literally Libya’s “meal ticket” to self-sufficiency. However .self-sufficiency is absolutely not allowed by the western leaders. While bankers do not like that sort of thing one bit, that’s why most of us haven’t heard about it.
Secondly he had been one of the proponents of a united Africa. The United State of Africa is a proposed name for the concept of a federation of some or all of the 55 sovereign states of Africa. Some heads from the African state criticized this thinking early. In the contrary they accept the idea. “United State of Africa “was mentioned first by Marccus Gravey in his poem Hail in 1924.Gravey’s ideas deeply influenced the birth of Pan-Africa movement. Former Libyan leader Muammer al Gaddafi, who was the chairperson of the African Union in 2009, advanced the idea of United State of Africa by saying, it is the only way Africa can develop without Western interference, but many African states say the idea is impractical and would encroach on their sovereignty. After the summit Col.Gaddafi told to the reporters that “We are approaching the formation of the African Authority, and each time we solve African problems and also move in the direction of peace and unity. We deal with problems step by step. We are continuing to do that,” He presented the idea of a gold dinar for United State of Africa like euro. Europe and America didn’t like the idea of developing the African block to safe guard their wealth. If Africa had a continental government and army, Europeans and Americans would not have a free ride from Cairo to Cape Town removing governments as they wish. Col. Gaddafi was a visionary man and did what he could to realize this dream for Africa. Now that he is gone, Africa should learn the lesson.
When Col. Gaddafi came to power in 1969 by overthrowing the Libyan king in a military coup,Libyans were the poorest people in the world with an annual income per capita less than $60. Now Libyans have the highest actual income per capita in Africa, and the lowest infant mortality rate. Under the Gaddafi ‘s supervision Libya improved its polices in the national interests and decided to spend oil income on his people. Therefore he started to develop the country as a welfare state. Therefore he worked hard to eradicate the illiteracy from Libya. For that Gaddafi announced free education for the public up to the university level. The other big area to work was people’s health care. Now the free public health system in Libya is one of the best in the Arab world and Libya’s free education system up to the graduate level is as good if not better than any other in the region. To improve the quality of life of a low earner he given away different allowances including a medicine allowance and for those that qualified; a $76,000 wedding gift. Home loans were available at 10% of a families yearly salary, gasoline at 44 cents a gallon. He subsidized new-car purchases. Moreover 300,000 homes were built for the poor, and a guarantee of land ownership for all Libyans.
It was Gaddafi’s Libya that offered all of Africa its first revolution in modern times – connecting the entire continent by telephone, television, radio broadcasting and several other technological applications such as telemedicine and distance teaching. And thanks to the WMAX radio bridge, a low cost connection was made available across the continent, including in rural areas. China and Russia followed suit and shared their technology and helped launch satellites for South Africa, Nigeria, Angola, Algeria and a second African satellite was launched in July 2010. The first totally indigenously built satellite and manufactured on African soil, in Algeria, is set for 2020. This satellite is aimed at competing with the best in the world, but at ten times less the cost, a real challenge.This is how a symbolic gesture of a mere US$300 million changed the life of an entire continent. Gaddafi’s Libya cost the West, not just depriving it of US$500 million per year but the billions of dollars in debt and interest that the initial loan would generate for years to come and in an exponential manner, thereby helping maintain an occult system in order to plunder the continent.
Regardless of how much hatred the west has aroused, however, Gaddafi wasn’t in the bad books of everybody. His admirers are spread all over the world and will grieve at his death. Many countries in Africa and elsewhere have regarded him as a hero and will uphold him as such,Libyans loved him so much as he himself mentioned in his interview Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi endorsed Gaddafi’s this statement by saying that ,”this wasn't a popular uprising because Gaddafi was loved by his people, as I was able to see when I went to Libya." So the question is, why has a revolt broken out? Answer is very simple, he had expelled USA and UK Military bases from Libya, banned American passport holders to travel in the country and stood firm with the Palestine. Gaddafi developed his country without taking financial help from USA or international bankers. Spoken out against the west loudly and called by them a “Mad Dog”. Thereafter all guns were pointed at him by the west. It is evident that British military and civilian advisers, including special troops along with those from France. Italy and Qatar, have spent months with rebel fighters, giving them key, up to date intelligence and watching out for any Al-Qaeda elements trying to infiltrate or influence the rebellions.
His death is a big blow; but it teaches a lesson that African leaders who have hung on to power all these years and managed national affairs like a private family business must learn from Gaddafi's fate.
Courtesy: Opinion Maker
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