Persian Realm

Libya's accidental child victims

Libya's accidental child victims (CNN, PHOTO ESSAY)

Libyan children pay high price for curiosity over weapons

By Catriona Davies, CNN

Nine-year-old Mahmood Ahmed was playing near his home in Zintan, western Libya, when he found a green object he had never seen before. 

• Many Libyan children have been killed or injured in accidents involving guns and explosives
• Mines Advisory Group and Libyan Red Crescent are among NGOs running awareness programs
• More accidents since people have returned to their homes, says Mines Advisory Group

Violent clashes shake Libya city

Clashes at a rally calling for a semi-autonomous territory to be created in eastern Libya have left one person dead in the city of Benghazi, reports say.

Witnesses said a crowd demanding a semi-autonomous region of Cyrenaica was attacked by armed men.

The plan calls for a regional parliament with control over the police but stops short of dividing Libya.

It has provoked fierce criticism from many who fear it will lead to the disintegration of the country.

Friday's violence came as hundreds of people marched to Freedom Square, Benghazi, where Ahmed Zubair al-Senussi - head of the regional council seeking a split - made a speech.

Tale of two revolutions

Tale of two revolutions (bbc) by Rana Jawad 

People in Libya and Syria both rose up to overthrow decades of tyrannical rule. A year on, why are they living two very different realities?

Libya reopens its stock exchange

Libya's stock exchange has reopened for the first time since the fall of Colonel Muammar Gaddafi's regime.

The exchange has 10 companies on it and trade on its first day was worth 3.9bn Libyan dinars ($3bn; £2bn), its general manager said.

Almost all of the country's publicly traded firms are banks and insurers, except for al-Ahliya Cement.

Foreign investors will be able to own up to 10% of shares, once the central bank has finalised the law.

The stock market was modelled on Abu Dhabi's, he added. Oil companies, telecoms and property firms are next in line to join.

The exchange also plans to open a second branch in Benghazi.

In December, the UN lifted sanctions on Libya's central bank and foreign investment bank, to help the country deal with a cash crisis, clearing the way for the new government to unlock billions of dollars of assets held abroad.

Libya militia hands over UK journalists working for IRI Press TV

Libya militia hands over UK journalists (cnn)

• "We are pretty hopeful this is a prelude to their release," a source tells CNN
• Nicholas Davies and Gareth Montgomery-Johnson were seized in late February
• A Libyan militia accused them of lacking proper immigration papers

Will Benghazi's autonomy bid unsettle Libya?

Road to Cyrenaica (bbc)  By Gabriel Gatehouse

The concept of federalism is exciting passions in Libya.

On Tuesday, hundreds of people danced and sang songs about federalism in the city of Benghazi, as local leaders proclaimed the eastern part of Libya to be the semi-autonomous "State of Cyrenaica".

Thousands reject Libya autonomy

Calls for federalism in Libya

Calls for federalism in Libya (BBC, VIDEO)

Tribal leaders and militia commanders in the Libyan city of Benghazi have declared their region to be semi-autonomous.

They say the move is necessary as the region, once known as Cyrenaica, has been neglected for decades.

The vast, oil-rich area stretches from the city of Sirte to the border with Egypt.

But the move has caused tension with the governing National Transitional Council (NTC) in the capital Tripoli.

The BBC's Gabriel Gatehouse has this report from Benghazi. 

Eastern Libyans declare autonomy (bbc)

Eastern Libyans declare autonomy (bbc)

Civic leaders in eastern Libya declare semi-autonomy for the oil-rich region, saying the area has been neglected for decades.Civic leaders in eastern Libya have declared semi-autonomy for the oil-rich region.The decision was made at a meeting attended by at least 2,000 people near the eastern city of Benghazi.Supporters of the move say the region, known as Cyrenaica, has been neglected for decades and local people should now decide on local matters.

But the governing National Transitional Council has argued against federalism, amid fears it could break up Libya.The BBC's Gabriel Gatehouse, reporting from the meeting, called the announcement a declaration of intent by the tribal leaders of Cyrenaica.

It is not yet clear what degree of autonomy the leaders are seeking, and will likely be the subject of much debate with the NTC in Tripoli over the coming months, he adds.

Who is really in control of Libya?

Who is really in control of Libya? (BBC, VIDEO)

The interim government in Libya has given militia groups until the end of the week to relinquish control of the country's border crossings, ports and airports.

Many of Libya's international gateways are still controlled by brigades of former rebel fighters, while the government is still trying to assert itself.

Gabriel Gatehouse reports. 

Libyan government and fighters struggle for control of borders

Battle of wills (bbc)

Libya's interim government has set a deadline for militia groups to relinquish control of the country's border crossings by the end of the week.

Many of Libya's international gateways are still controlled by brigades of former rebel fighters.

A spokesman for the interior ministry told the BBC they must all be in government hands by Monday.

The issue is becoming part of a battle of wills between Libya's politicians and the young men you fought the revolution.

British journalists working for Iranian TV arrested in Libya

Two British journalists working for Iranian-owned Press TV have been arrested in Libya.

Reporter Nicholas Davies and cameraman Gareth Montgomery-Johnson were detained by members of the Misrata Brigade on Tuesday and are being held in Tripoli.

Mr Montgomery-Johnson's sister Melanie Gribble says she has no idea why her brother, from Carmarthen, was arrested and she is concerned for his welfare.

The Foreign Office confirmed that two British nationals have been detained.

Libya ethnic clashes kill scores

Misrata votes for brighter Libyan future

When the Libyan city of Misrata held elections to its local council on Monday it was the first large-scale democratic poll in a Libyan city since the fall of Col Gaddafi.

Libyans celebrate revolution's anniversary but dangers remain

V for victory (bbc)

Libya marks uprising anniversary

Libyans are marking the first anniversary of the uprising that led to the overthrow of Col Gaddafi, with celebrations planned across the country.

Libya marks uprising anniversary (bbc)

UK's William Hague pledges help to Libya on rights abuses

UK pledges help to Libya on rights (cnn)

London (CNN) -- British Foreign Secretary William Hague pledged Thursday to help Libya improve human rights and boost stability, as rights groups and analysts warned that urgent action is needed to tackle the problem of lawless militia groups.

Libya has achieved much in the year since the start of the popular uprisings that helped bring Moammar Gadhafi's 42-year rule to an end, Hague said in a statement, but challenges remain.

Chief among them is how to deal with the many armed groups that took part in the uprising and now continue to exercise power, analysts say.

Rights group Amnesty International said in a report Thursday that armed militias are committing human rights abuses with impunity, threatening to destabilize the country and hindering its efforts to rebuild.

Libya militias 'out of control'

Armed militias are threatening the security of large parts of Libya, Amnesty International warns, saying at least 12 detainees were tortured to death.

Libya militias 'out of control' (bbc)

Libyans 'not keen on democracy' according to Poll

Many Libyans prefer strong leaders rather than a more democratic model of government despite decades of authoritarian rule, a survey says.

Just 15% of 2,000 people polled by academics from Benghazi and Oxford universities said democracy should be installed in the next year.

More than 40% backed strong leadership from one person or a group.

However, almost a third of those polled said they would like a democratic government in five years' time.

Despite the majority saying they wanted to see a firm hand in control, 69% also said they believed ordinary citizens should have a say in how Libya develops.

And some 16% of people said they were prepared to resort to violence for political ends.

The researchers say this would mean around 630,000 potential fighters - in addition to the 280,000 people who took up arms against the Gaddafi regime.

Oxford University's Dr Christoph Sahm said the survey suggested Libyans lacked the knowledge of how democracy works.

Gadhafi son arrested in Niger, Libya says

Gadhafi son arrested in Niger, Libya says (cnn)

Saadi Gadhafi, one of the surviving sons of ousted Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi, has been placed under house arrest in Niger, Libya's transitional government said Sunday.  

Will Sirte accept Libya's revolution?

Will Sirte accept Libya's revolution? (BBC, VIDEO)

Libyans will soon be marking the first anniversary of their uprising against Colonel Gaddafi.

But in Sirte, the new government still faces a formidable challenge in persuading Gaddafi loyalists to accept the revolution.

Jonathan Head reports.

Gaddafi did exactly what khomaini did. S.B is right

Yes, S.B is right. We had a beautiful country under shah's smart leadership and all the sudden a bunch of the terrorist rag heads destroyed our country. Then people are expecting democracy under regime of terror. It never happens as Sadegh Bozogmehr described.

Gun fight erupts in Libya capital NEW

A gun battle between rival Libyan militia groups has erupted in the capital, Tripoli, officials say.

Exchanges of fire were heard and plumes of smoke seen coming from the el-Saadi district in central Tripoli, eyewitnesses reported.

An interior ministry official told Reuters news agency the fighting was between militiamen from the city of Misrata, and a group from Zintan.

The two militia groups fought together to overthrow Muammar Gaddafi last year.

Thank you Sadegh Bozorgmehr for describing what Gaddafi did ;0)

To King Idris' Libya:  

PHOTO ESSAY: 1960s Libya: A Glimpse of Life Before Gaddafi 

Only to deliver what could best be described by no other than your own words:

"When you remove a regime through terrorism, war, violence and so on, what you get in the replacing regime is never democracy." 

what goes around comes around !

;0) 

Quite expected

When you remove a regime through terrorism, war, violence and so on, what you get in the replacing regime is never democracy. Libya won't be seeing democracy any time soon. 

Bani Walid a 'Gaddafi stronghold'

Bani Walid a 'Gaddafi stronghold' (bbc, VIDEO)

Three months after Colonel Gaddafi's death a senior official in the town of Bani Walid has told the BBC that people loyal to the former leader are working to restore the old regime.

It comes at the same time that the UN has expressed concern that the unrest in Bani Walid reveals the government's inability to bring those militias under control.

Gabriel Gatehouse reports from Bani Walid. 

UN concern over Libyan militias

UN concern over Libyan militias (bbc)

Libyan militias are out of control and secretly holding thousands of detainees, as the government struggles to assert its authority, the UN hears. 

Four dead in fresh Libya fighting

Four dead in fresh Libya fighting (bbc)

Four people die in clashes between Libyan pro-government forces and fighters supporting ex-leader Muammar Gaddafi in the town of Bani Walid. 

Libya ruling council deputy quits

Libya ruling council deputy quits (bbc)

The deputy head of Libya's ruling National Transitional Council (NTC) says he has resigned amid growing protests against him.

Abdel Hafiz Ghoga told Al-Jazeera TV that he was resigning in the national interest.

Several hundred protesters stormed the NTC headquarters in the second city Benghazi on Saturday.

Observers say it was the most serious show of anger at the new authorities since Col Muammar Gaddafi was ousted.

How rival militias are tearing Libyan town apart

After the revolution (bbc)

Libya power struggle tears apart Assabia

An increasingly tense stand-off in the Libyan town of Assabia appears to have its roots in a struggle for control between rival militias.

Fighters in the nearby town of Gharyan say militias in Assabia, 50 miles south of Tripoli, continue to support the former regime. They say they will disarm them by force if necessary.

Armed groups in Assabia, for their part, have told the BBC they will not give up their weapons unilaterally.

Officials say 12 people were killed and around 100 injured in clashes between the two sides last weekend.

The BBC has seen more evidence of former Libyan rebel fighters torturing prisoners accused of loyalty to the Gaddafi regime.