Introduction
Every now and then Africa becomes the global centre of attention through its political conducts by the leaders in different African countries. When an African President rises into power there are many talks whether he is good or bad.
Muammar Muhammad al-Gaddafi is no different from such talks by the West to be specific. This lecture is meant to give a brief overview of who is Muammar Muhammad al-Gaddafi where does he come from and what has been the contribution of his leadership in the African content and the Global leadership.
This is not meant to credit or discredit any person or country which has been mentioned in the following paragraphs. The views and opinions expressed in rapping up this lecture may not be viewed as opinions to inside violence or against the main character of the lecture.
History and background
Muammar Muhammad al-Gaddafi was born in the year 1942 in a desert place called Sirt. Gaddafi’s family belongs to a small Arab tribe known as Arabized Berbers. The early years of his birth coincided with the major events of wars between Palestine and Israel thus the hatred has has for Israel was inherited during his upbringing.
Like in many Arab countries; the Admission to the Libyan Military was mainly from the people whose economic status from their families was below or poor. In Libya a military career offered an upbringing that exposed most of it recruits to access to tertiary education and social mobility. He joined the Libyan military academy in the year 1961 at Benghazi and he graduated in 1965 to 1966 period.
He was later sent for training at the Royal Military Academy of England. He later came in the year of 1967 to join the revolution by the Libyan forces which was overthrowing the Libyan Monarchy.
The Coming to power
When King Idris was admitted in Turkey for Medical treatment, the Royal Prince Sayyid Hasan ar-Rida al-Mahdi as-Sanussi was standing for His Majesty the King when Moummar Muhammad el-Gaddafi with a small regiment placed the acting Crown Prince under house arrest. They abolished against the rule of the Monarchy and name the new sate as the Libyan Arab Republic, this was in the year 1969 September 1st. This coup d’état is famous for its bloodless signature.
When David Stirling tried restoring the Monarchy as approached by one of the royal family members. The Gaddafi regime was protected by the United States government under the presumption that he was sufficiently anti-Marxist at the time. Aged 27 Gaddafi turned Libya to be the haven for anti-western radicals where most of the radicals would receive support for weapons and financial capital.
Government made personal
Like coup d’état regimes that come into power without formal preparations and administrative planning; a Revolutionary Command Council (RCC) was formed. Gaddafi was appointed the Chairman of the RCC and he added the title of Prime Minister. The role of the RCC was to govern the Republic without the interference of the external forces. This places Gaddafi right to the point that he needed no democratic appointment since the RCC was the people’s council, so this gave the impression of the Voice of the People as expressed.
Gaddafi the ideologist
In celebrating the birthday of Prophet Muhammad in 1973, Gaddafi delivered a statement that carried the ideology he believed that Libya should be governed by. This was later known as the “Five point Address to the world. The five point address declared the following:
The Sharia meaning "way" or "path" is the sacred law of Islam. Most Muslims believe Sharia is derived from two primary sources of Islamic law: the divine revelations set forth in the Qur'an, and the example set by the Islamic Prophet Muhammad in the Sunnah.
ü Purging the country off the "politically sick"
This was a revolution of the removal and assassinations of those whom were perceived as opposing the RCC and those who were coming with the influence from the western super powers. This resulted in the killings of many Libyan nationals and the nearly extinguishing of the Italians staying in Libya.
ü Creation of a "people's militia" to "protect the revolution"
The “people militia” is what most Arab states have in common. This is besides having a defense force, but the state will establish a people based army to defend the republic with this he was building a notion that the people should have the responsibility to defend the Republic against any force wishing to disturb its existence.
ü Administrative revolution
The administrative revolution was change from which the ways the Monarchy state operated the country into a more people centered approached. This is when Gaddafi began to adopt more communist approach in the administration of the Libyan Arab Republic. This action began to isolate him away from his protector (The US government).
The Feud with the US
The feud with United States of America began when change in administration shifted from the assumption of being anti-Marxist. At this stage this is where Gaddafi’s interest was to build a republic that was independent, educated, with good social standards, and controls is economic resources. This was going to be achieved through the adoption of the Marxist reforms and pro-Communist strategies.
In 1981 Gaddafi was found talking about assassinating new American president Ronald Reagan. American President Ronald Reagan dubbed Gaddafi the "mad dog of the Middle East". In December 1981, the US State Department invalidated US passports for travel to Libya, and in March 1982, the U.S. declared a ban on the import of Libyan oil.
This later made Gaddafi closer with most of the Communist China, Cuba, Soviet Union, and most South American states. In 1972 Gaddafi together with the Peoples Republic of China, had a joint program which was aimed at building nuclear and chemical weapons. As usual the Chinese opted for Gaddafi to buy from then rather than constructing a nuclear bomb. In 1977 he tried to acquire another nuclear bomb from Pakistan and India. The US allied Pakistan deliberately severed its ties with Libya before the bomb was constructed, but India agreed on a peaceful use of nuclear weapons with Libya under India’s ‘Atoms for peace” policy.
Many people were indicted and some even sentenced to serve long prison sentences for assisting Gaddafi in the construction of chemical weapons. These also included a prominent German businessman Jurgen Hippensitiel-Imhasen who was imprisoned for five years involving himself in Libyan chemical weapons revolution. The weapons included a deadly nerve gas which he was helped by a group of Thailand scientists. In 2004 it was believed that Libya had 24 metric tons of mustard gas and more than 1300 metric tons of precursor chemicals.
The anti-Gaddafi protests of 2011
When in South Africa you were celebrating the post valentine’s eve, the people of Libya began the protest against the rule of Moummar Muhammad al-Gaddafi. This astonishing act of bravery by the labelled to be the rebels caught the eyes of the international community. The protest moved to a level where hostile take-over and destroying of government property began.
The protests are said to demand the installation of democracy and a declaration of a Libyan Arab Republic in crisis under the leadership of Gaddafi. This did not make Gaddafi to relax, instead the deployment of troops began and killings rose in numbers in provinces that were hostile against Gaddafi.
This act seen as an anti-Islam act in killing other Islam, it is said that Gaddafi had recruited Foreign Militia to come and do his dirty job in murdering those who want to oust him. This is an assumed call since there is no evidence as of yet of people regarded as Foreign Militia in defence of Gaddafi.
Is this the end of the Libyan Master?
The biggest question in the minds of the most is: “is this the end of the Libyan Master ruling with his Green book? This question raises many debates amongst Arabs and those who are non Arabs. This is because is undoubtedly one of the richest oil producers in the OPEC league.
This act has been dubbed with many assumptions; some say that there is an American involvement due to the fact that the banned exportation of oil reserves from Libya in the past has resulted in a large shortfall of oil productivity in the world against current demand. Is America again using the world fight its own mistakes of the past uncalculated political decisions. Those who fight to defend the American hand say that when every citizen of a country wished to be freed from an unscrupulous regime has a right to do so.
This has seen the United Nations Security Council in majority voting against Libya and charging Gaddafi for War crimes against Humanity – a call made by the Americans – in the International Criminal Court (ICC). Most neutral political analysts have laughed at this especially to countries in the UNSC. Asking the question that; how can a country (the United States); not an official member of the ICC and that does not subscribe to the International Human Rights itself make such a call and the UN Secretary General jumps up to convene the Security Council? They (US Administration) have committed many crimes against Humanity in the past and such matters have never made even the door steps of the UN Security Council or the ICC for that matter.
Many have forgotten though how Moummar Muhammad el-Gaddafi came into power. Reminder: it was a coup d’état against the Monarchy of which later a Revolutionary Command Council was established and adopted by the very same people of Libya. What does this mean? This means that Gaddafi can only relinquish power once and only when the Revolutionary Command Council decides to vote him out from power. Pressure should be against the RCC and people should be embarking on protest campaigning the council to vote in favour of. This is because the moment government property is being looted and damaged, this results in act of rebellion and given any state in the world that government is going to protect its property under the premise of the Peoples’ Power.
The jumping of the UN in this without first engaging the Regional Union (African Union) remains questionable since this is an African country. One asks him/herself what would have been the position of the African Union in this issue. Secondly the Arabian League of Countries has yet to have declared to denounce Gaddafi, isn’t this going to be viewed as an anti-Arab strategy by the US and UN corrupt relations.
As a Scholar I want to challenge you to do your reading and make your judgement regarding this case. From my side I have my own reservation regarding the nature, the intelligence services behind the protests, the silence of the African Union, and the jumping the gun by the US – UN interference on the matter.
But the UN decision remains standing; “...No country must interfere in matters of another country be it security, intelligence, or other wise and as UN our role will begin in the time when Civil war has began and our responsibility will be to provide and facilitate a Peace process...”
Comments and further contributions are welcomed, and please forward them via e-mail.
A stable and peaceful Africa in our life time.
Thank you for reading.
