30,000 Libyans attend giant march against militias, as memorial service held for Chris Stevens in Tr
20 replies, posted
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[url]http://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa/2012/09/201292112314438851.html[/url]
[quote=AJE][B]Libya's second city Benghazi is hosting rival demonstrations by citizens opposed to the control of militias, and by hardline Salafi protesters, with tensions still running high after a deadly attack on the US consulate last week.[/B]
Around 30,000 Libyans marched through the eastern city of Benghazi on Friday in an unprecedented protest to demand the disbanding of powerful militias in the wake of last week's attack that killed the US ambassador and three other Americans.
The ultraconservative Salafist group Ansar Al-Sharia also called for protests on Friday over a US-made film that mocks Islam and cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed published by a French satirical weekly.
The group, which has denied playing any role in the September 11 attack, urged supporters to rally around Al-Kish Square, which was a key battleground in the uprising that overthrew veteran dictator Muammar Gaddafi last year.
"Our demonstration is in support of the messenger of Allah and to condemn the abuse of Islam and Muslims carried out by any given country, chief among them France and the US," a group member told the AFP news agency.
"It wasn't enough for them to produce a film denigrating the Prophet in America, off goes France insisting on publishing cartoons in its newspaper that are offensive to our Prophet. We will never tolerate that."
[B]'Save Benghazi'[/B]
The Ansar Sharia demonstration was set for 5:00 pm (1500GMT), the same time that a "Save Benghazi" march organised by militia opponents was due to head for the same square from the Mediterranean city's Tibesti Hotel.
Organisers had called that march to demand that the central government tame the armed groups that have retained huge power since the Western-backed uprising that overthrew Gaddafi.
Al Jazeera's Hoda Abdel-Hamid, reporting from Benghazi, said: "We went there to see their slogans and basically what they're saying is that they refused the insult of the Prophet but they also refuse terrorism in their city," our correspondent said.
"They have also called for the disbanding of the militias, chanting: 'What are you waiting for?'. They're asking the government how long it will take before they do that."
They gathered to pressure the national congress to pass legislation criminalising militias and codifying the law on bearing arms, organisers said.
They were also demanding the withdrawal of all armed groups from state buildings and institutions and full support for measures to revitalise the police and army.
Organiser Mohammed Abujanah told AFP that Benghazi's chronic insecurity stems from the failure to disband the brigades of ex-rebels who fought in the uprising.
"We are saving Benghazi from insecurity," he said, saying the authorities were wrong to integrate the brigades into the security forces as intact units rather than disbanding them and selecting competent individuals from them.
The protest is also to reject extremism, which Abujanah described as "part of the brigades problem" and as a sign to the international community that Benghazi still needs its presence and moral support.
"Benghazi needs support now more than ever," he said.
"We have an elected body, now we need a strong army. Benghazi will regain its sparkle despite all the sad and unhappy events," Abujanah added.
[B]'Terrorist attack'[/B]
Benghazi was the cradle of the revolt and reamins home to several loosely organised militias with varying degrees of ties to the interim government, some of them Islamist.
The White House for the first time Thursday described the consulate assault, which came on the anniversary of 9/11, as a "terrorist attack" that could have links to al-Qaeda.
Speaking on Air Force One, White House spokesman Jay Carney said: "It is self-evident that what happened in Benghazi was a terrorist attack."
But President Barack Obama insisted it should not be allowed to tar the reputation of all Libyans.
"I think it's important to understand that that's not representative of the attitudes of the Libyan people towards America," Obama said.[/quote]
[url]http://www.libyaherald.com/?p=14819[/url]
[quote=Libya Herald]Libyan Prime Minister Abdurrahim Al-Kib together with members of the government as well as of the General National Congress, led by Congress President Mohamed Magarief, attended a memorial service late this afternoon to honour US ambassador Chris Stevens, killed with three other US diplomats in Benghazi last week. The impressive and moving ceremony was held in the Rixos Convention Centre which now functions as the seat of Congress.
Also there to pay their respects and likewise demonstrate Libyan solidarity with the United States were Prime Minister-elect Mustafa Abushagur, several members of the former National Transitional Council, as well as officials and representatives from civil society organisations. It was one of the biggest gatherings of the Libyan political establishment since the revolution.
The US Deputy Secretary of State, William Burns led a delegation from Washington for the ceremony, the first US visit to Libya since the Benghazi attack. All the ambassadors and chargés d’affaires currently in Libya as well as representatives of international organisations were in attendance.
After the Libyan and US national anthems were played, Congress President Magarief standing beside a massive photo of the murdered ambassador spoke of the shock of killing and sense of loss. Having played a crucial role in Libya during the revolution, Stevens had helped it in its hour of need. “He gained the trust of the Libyan people,” he said.
Magarief also praised Washington’s measured response to the Ambassador’s murder. “We appreciate those statements which express a genuine desire to support the Libyan people in achieving freedom and democracy,” he said.
Stevens’s killers did not represent the Libyan people, Prime Minister Kib said. Denouncing the killing, he vowed the perpetrators would be brought to justice. They were outlaws who “must be held accountable”, he told those attending.
Other speakers promised that those responsible would be tracked down. The death of Stevens would not pass in vain, they said. On the contrary, it would strengthen the resolve of the Libyan authorities to deal with the security situation and do so effectively. It would also create deeper bonds of cooperation between Libya and the United States.
Burns, who had earlier met with Libyan Foreign Minister Ashour Ben Khayal as well as military officials, likewise said that the slayings would not be allowed to affect US relations and cooperation with Libya.
Foreign Minister Khayal spoke of the deep respect that Libyans had for Stevens and of the sincerity of his efforts to help the Libya people both at the time of the revolution and since. His death was a “painful loss”.
The head of the UN Support Mission in Libya, Ian Martin, whose last official function this was, called Stevens “an optimist for Libya”. He had believed that its revolution would build a fair and democratic society.
The most moving speech, however, came not from political figures but from a representative of a civil society organisation, Mervat Mhani of the Free Generation Movement. She had known Stevens personally. Libyans had lost someone “who had believed in the Libyan revolution from Day One”, she said. He had been sincere in his support, but very down to earth. “Libyans’ hearts were broken” when he was killed, she said. As for the Free Generation Movement, it would “never forget” him. “The world needs more Chris Stevens’s” she said. “May you rest in peace.”[/quote]
Libyan TV channel Alwataniya is [url=http://www.ustream.tv/channel/libya-alwataniya]broadcasting the rally live[/url]. It's been going on for several hours now and despite fears that the coinciding protest by Ansar al-Sharia would spark violence, I'm unaware of any problems so far
This makes me happy.
He was a great ambassador. Glad the true libyan people appreciate that.
That's good of them
At least Stevens' death wasn't for nothing, it seems to have really galvanised the Libyan people into saying that this shit has to stop now
[url=https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=414461705286318&set=a.134799406585884.28447.133738650025293&type=1&theater]According to the Libyan Youth Movement[/url], the last pic in the OP shows police officers joining the march. [url=https://twitter.com/ShababLibya/status/249175581290295297]Fighter jets[/url] have also flown over, not sure what that means though. Maybe a show of force by the army against the militias "look at all this shit that is against you. bend over"
For a situation that started with the death of a U.S. ambassador, this is turning out remarkably well.
[QUOTE=smurfy;37749349]Maybe a show of force by the army against the militias "look at all this shit that is against you. bend over"[/QUOTE]
Didn't work last time.
Typically the Danish media hasn't picked up this story yet.
It's such a shame mainstream media isn't covering this.
Whats sad is that these people felt the need to make signs saying that not all Muslims are bad. It shows how much we stereotype because you'd never ask a christian person what he thinks of Breivik. However, this is great news because these people are exercising their rights and working to bring peace to Libya.
[QUOTE=TehMentos;37749528]Typically the Danish media hasn't picked up this story yet.[/QUOTE]
The things that happens in our backyard are apparently more important.
[I]"BREAKING NEWS: some guy hosed his dog down for shitting in his backyard, more at 10, this is Rasmus Tantholt."[/I]
Take that militias, Libya doesn't give a FUCK.
I hope some people see this and realize not all Muslims are bad.
Seems to be largely over now, no clashes happened that I know of. Ansar al-Sharia's "Save the Prophet" counterprotest reportedly had about 500 attendees to Save Benghazi's 30,000
Not mentioned on the BBC website either, not even a tiny footnote.
gotta love mainstream media
[editline]21st September 2012[/editline]
honestly i'm surprised BBC isn't covering it, i usually go to them for my news because american news is just so bad
I think this might show as a very good sign that Libya is heading in the right direction.
I was passing by the living room T.V. the other day where my parents were watching FOX news and they were talking how the ambassador was sodomized. Talk about fucking retarded; mainstream news outlets need to cover this more.
I knew they'd get there eventually
[url]http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-19680785[/url]
[editline]21st September 2012[/editline]
BBC has new details as well. This is the largest rally in Benghazi since the war ended apparently
[quote]There are reports that the crowd marched on the base of the extremist Islamist group Ansar al-Sharia, trying to evict members from the site.
Some protesters set fire to a vehicle inside the compound, Reuters reported.
Several militia bases have been taken over by security forces, eyewitnesses said.[/quote]
[editline]21st September 2012[/editline]
Seeing a lot of reports on Twitter now that several militia bases were stormed, beginning of the end for the militias?
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Libyans is a pretty allright guy
[QUOTE=ThePinkPanzer;37750187]I hope some people see this and realize not all Muslims are bad.[/QUOTE]
This is exactly what I was talking about. People need to stop thinking that Islam somehow makes you more prone to being a bad person.
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