Tripoli residents join hands to rebuild city

Youth volunteer campaigns, women's demonstrations and the first independent newspaper mark life in Libya's liberated capital.

By Essam Mohamed for Magharebia in Tripoli – 06/09/11

As Tripoli emerges from the debris of war, a new sense of solidarity and empowerment is being born in the liberated capital.

The young and the old raise the independence flag and distribute derogatory photos of their fugitive leader. City walls are adorned with pictures and slogans praising the revolution. Youths launch volunteer campaigns to clean the capital and spread pamphlets and posters to raise awareness. Activists call for an end to firing gunshots in the air and urge fighters to hand in weapons and educate young people about politics, elections and civil society.

Months-long food and fuel shortages took a heavy toll on the city economy but ordinary citizens have joined hands to overcome the destructive effects. Residents who own water wells in their homes shared with others. Mosque tanks were filled with water as it was distributed to residents in glass bottles. Young people engaged in volunteer programs at hospitals, doling out potable water and food to the needy.

Some police stations, especially the ones patrolling traffic, resumed their work. Rebels took charge of most of the city gates after they were manned by volunteers in a bid to ensure organized movement and maintain order as well as search for weapons.

Most stores opened their doors, barricades blocking roads were taken down, and the highway linking the eastern and western parts of the capital re-opened. Domestic gas supplies were also resumed, which eased long lines for petrol.

On the diplomatic front, the field commander and head of the Tripoli military council called on foreign missions to return to Tripoli after life returned to normal.

Not only did the revolution engender heightened political consciousness but it also inspired journalists' creativity.

Arous al-Bahr ("Sea Bride") is the first post-revolutionary newspaper to be published in Tripoli. The first eight-page issue included caricatures of Kadhafi, a poem by Khadija Abu Bakr named "The fall of tyrant" and a story by Tajoura rebel and former prisoner Boushra Marwan.

"The youth revolution was not launched to change Kadhafi, but to topple the regime in full and to set up a new regime where there is no place for bribery, favoritism, and dependence on tribe or clan; a regime that treats its people as equals," editor-in-chief Fathi Ben Issa wrote.

"We have seen the result of our passiveness, silence and abstention from political participation for 42 years, and what was that result?" he wondered. "Everyone knows it. He took us as idiots, we obeyed him, and in this way, he destroyed us and our country. Therefore, shall we understand the lesson and put it before our eyes that there is no place for another dictator under any slogans?!"

In another article, the managing editor called on the February 17th youth to protect public and private properties from looting and vandalism.

Meanwhile, Tripoli women this week staged a massive demonstration in the Martyrs' Square, demanding the arrest of Moamer Kadhafi, his sons and warlords. The women also expressed their recognition of the National Transitional Council (NTC) as the sole legitimate representative of the Libyan people.

In another sign of a return to normalcy, Libya's national football team played its first match under the independence flag and the first since Tripoli was freed from Kadhafi's control. Cheering crowds gathered in the capital's Martyrs' Square to watch Libya take on Mozambique in qualifiers for the 2012 African Cup of Nations. Hundreds of fans chanted the Beladi national anthem and waved the independence flag.

Libya defeated Mozambique 1-0 after Rabie el-Lafi scored the lone match goal in the 30th minute with a pass from teammate Mohamed Al-Mughrabi. With the win, Libya now top Group C with 11 points from three victories and two draws. Next up Libya face Zambia this October.

Source: Magharebia.
Link: http://www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/en_GB/features/awi/features/2011/09/06/feature-03.