Libya Chaos 'Systematic'
Interview by Aya Elbrqawi in Benghazi for Magharebia
10/06/2014
First Lieutenant Tariq Rajab Kharraz of Benghazi received death threats from unknown groups after appearing on Libya Al-Ahrar TV.
The former police spokesman declared on-air that the Libya crisis was "systematic" and the work of officials within Libya and armed militias in agreement with groups abroad.
The threats forced the 2009 police academy graduate to seek safety far from his home and family.
To learn more about the situation in Benghazi, Magharebia met with the young officer.
Magharebia: Why did you leave Benghazi? And who is threatening you?
Tariq Rajab Kharraz: I left because I revealed the cause of the security flaw in the city of Benghazi. My statements on television were about the lack of serious engagement in protecting the homeland…
As for the threat, I cannot identify them by name because the threat was carried out through Facebook and social networking sites in a technical manner…
Magharebia: What's your take on security here in Libya?
Kharraz: The security situation in Libya is very weak for many reasons, most notably the absence of the military establishment, and the weakness of the security services, due to their marginalization by the former regime. In other words, there is no Libyan national army per se, an army that provides the required protection to the homeland.
After the revolution, the political decision was even weaker in terms of creating an army to protect civilians, in addition to the lack of awareness of the true concept of the homeland and the citizen.
Magharebia: Who's responsible for the bloodshed in Derna and Benghazi?
Kharraz: Takfirists with extremist and radical ideas in Benghazi are behind most assassinations.
They collaborate with people with criminal records who were released from prisons at the beginning of the Libyan revolution in 2011.
Magharebia: How did the rise of extremism affect young people?
Kharraz: Young Libyans want freedom, education, health and training by the state.
They also want open channels of communication and appointments in state institutions with good salaries in order to have a decent life, in addition to privileges.
Religious commitment is not bad but can lead to criminal activities due to the absence of a moderate religious discourse, idleness, unemployment and lack of money.
Young people may have been forced or lured by money to sympathise.
Magharebia: How can we build the community and strengthen security in Libya?
Kharraz: Libya needs experts from inside and outside to analyse the security issue…. leaders and officials currently in Libya are ineligible and don’t have leadership qualifications to manage the affairs of the country and take it out of the crisis.
We need the assistance of experts from abroad to help and eliminate the current crisis. Use security experts from friendly and neighbouring countries…
Libya has men. All they need is logistical support and training.
Magharebia: Did authorities help you at all when you first received death threats?
Kharraz: The Libyan government did not provide me officially with anything in terms of protection, or any other thing.
Officials in the transitional government cannot even protect themselves.
 |
| Factional fighting in Libya could lead to another imperialist intervention. |
10/06/2014
First Lieutenant Tariq Rajab Kharraz of Benghazi received death threats from unknown groups after appearing on Libya Al-Ahrar TV.
The former police spokesman declared on-air that the Libya crisis was "systematic" and the work of officials within Libya and armed militias in agreement with groups abroad.
The threats forced the 2009 police academy graduate to seek safety far from his home and family.
To learn more about the situation in Benghazi, Magharebia met with the young officer.
Magharebia: Why did you leave Benghazi? And who is threatening you?
Tariq Rajab Kharraz: I left because I revealed the cause of the security flaw in the city of Benghazi. My statements on television were about the lack of serious engagement in protecting the homeland…
As for the threat, I cannot identify them by name because the threat was carried out through Facebook and social networking sites in a technical manner…
Magharebia: What's your take on security here in Libya?
Kharraz: The security situation in Libya is very weak for many reasons, most notably the absence of the military establishment, and the weakness of the security services, due to their marginalization by the former regime. In other words, there is no Libyan national army per se, an army that provides the required protection to the homeland.
After the revolution, the political decision was even weaker in terms of creating an army to protect civilians, in addition to the lack of awareness of the true concept of the homeland and the citizen.
Magharebia: Who's responsible for the bloodshed in Derna and Benghazi?
Kharraz: Takfirists with extremist and radical ideas in Benghazi are behind most assassinations.
They collaborate with people with criminal records who were released from prisons at the beginning of the Libyan revolution in 2011.
Magharebia: How did the rise of extremism affect young people?
Kharraz: Young Libyans want freedom, education, health and training by the state.
They also want open channels of communication and appointments in state institutions with good salaries in order to have a decent life, in addition to privileges.
Religious commitment is not bad but can lead to criminal activities due to the absence of a moderate religious discourse, idleness, unemployment and lack of money.
Young people may have been forced or lured by money to sympathise.
Magharebia: How can we build the community and strengthen security in Libya?
Kharraz: Libya needs experts from inside and outside to analyse the security issue…. leaders and officials currently in Libya are ineligible and don’t have leadership qualifications to manage the affairs of the country and take it out of the crisis.
We need the assistance of experts from abroad to help and eliminate the current crisis. Use security experts from friendly and neighbouring countries…
Libya has men. All they need is logistical support and training.
Magharebia: Did authorities help you at all when you first received death threats?
Kharraz: The Libyan government did not provide me officially with anything in terms of protection, or any other thing.
Officials in the transitional government cannot even protect themselves.
No comments:
Post a Comment