Gadhafi-free Tripoli feasts on ‘miracle’

‘FIRST FRIDAY OF FREEDOM’. Libyans celebrate freedom after the Friday Muslim prayer at a mosque next to the Green Square renamed Martyrs Square in Tripoli. AP

TRIPOLI—The Libyan capital Tripoli celebrated the “miracle” of its first free Friday with sheikhs preaching about security and forgiveness after months of fighting to topple the regime of Moammar Gadhafi.

“We are more than happy; there is just no replacement for freedom,” said Ziad Ahmad as he strolled to his neighborhood mosque with pregnant wife and two toddlers in tow.

“We are ready to live freely without Gadhafi. Before you couldn’t say a word and spoke in whispers even to our wives at home because you never knew who could be listening and what sentence could land you in jail.”

The conquest of Tripoli was described as a miracle by Sheikh Wanis Mabruk, who is famous among rebels for his antiregime speeches in the east, in what marked his first sermon in the capital.

“The Libya revolution is a miracle,” he said. “God broke our chains.”

Men of all ages hugged each other celebrating the rebel victory, welcomed back those just released from prison and offered condolences to those who had lost loved ones in the battle for the capital.

In Manila, Malacañang said Saturday it was hesitant about recognizing Libya’s rebels, with the welfare of its 1,600 workers in the North African country still its foremost concern.

PH monitoring

President Aquino’s spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said the government was monitoring the situation in Libya as the regime of longtime leader Gadhafi was collapsing in the wake of a series of rebel victories.

“What is important for us in the Philippines is the protection of our own Filipino workers. That is our primary consideration now (over) whether or not to recognize Libya’s (transitional council),” he told reporters.

Around 1,600 Filipinos are still believed to be in Libya, many of them nurses treating casualties of the monthslong uprising against Gadhafi.

No coincidence

Sheikh Mabruk congratulated rebel fighters for their victory, saying it was no coincidence that the capital fell on August 20, the same day that the Prophet Mohammed conquered Mecca.

More than 1,000 worshippers filled Mayzran mosque, a springboard in February for anti-Gadhafi demonstrations in the capital in sympathy with protesters killed in Benghazi, birthplace of the revolt that escalated into conflict.

“We just exploded when we heard what happened to people in Benghazi,” said Ali Hajjaj, referring to the brutal crackdown on demonstrators that triggered revolts across Libya and sparked international condemnation.

“From this mosque we demonstrated in support of our brothers in Benghazi but we were arrested, blindfolded and beaten for information about who participated in the demonstration,” Sharif Abdelfattah, a US-educated professor, said.

First Friday of freedom

He said that even though it was the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, only a handful of worshippers had showed up for Friday prayers in the previous weeks because they had tired of pro-Gadhafi sermons.

“This is the first Friday of freedom,” he said.

Abdel Nasser lost his uncle and brother in the battle of Bab al-Aziziya—once the nerve center of Gadhafi’s regime and a focal point of five months of Nato air strikes and now the trophy of rebels who entered the capital on Saturday last week.

“Freedom is the only comfort I can find in my heart,” he said.

Freedom on this Friday (Saturday in Manila) had a special meaning for Faruh al-Usta, who said he was arrested by Gadhafi loyalists on the road to join rebels fighting in the western mountains and tortured for 10 days.

“This is my first Friday of Ramadan since getting out of prison,” he said.

“The pains I endured in Abu Salim prison are unimaginable. We had no water, we were beaten and cursed at, some had their fingers cut off. We all thought we were going to die but we didn’t care as long as Gadhafi fell.”

42-year coma

Mabruk equated Gadhafi’s rule to a “42-year-long coma.”

The message of his Friday prayer warned rebels against taking revenge, looting, disobedience, in-fighting and vainglory, stressing that the battle was not over.

“Don’t spoil it … don’t fight over guns … follow the commanders of this country, the National Transitional Council (NTC),” which just relocated from its stronghold in Benghazi to the capital.

Mabruk echoed calls from the NTC for policemen and public sectors employees in Tripoli to return to work and for Gadhafi loyalists to lay down their arms without fear of revenge.

“This was a revolution of freedom and Islam, so there shall be no revenge.”

He said Gadhafi loyalists had lost their way but now have an opportunity to be stronger than their mistakes. He said those who came forward would be treated with mercy and in accordance with the law.

“Everyone makes mistakes, even us. Join your brothers. We are all Muslims.” AFP