Gaddafi was attacked because he had liberated Libya and her resources using a unique politico-economic philosophy
I am moved by the cover story: “Gaddafi’s Fall: What does it mean for Museveni?” to pay tribute to the revolutionary leader from an eyewitness point of view. (The Independent issue no. 177 August 26-September 01)
“Brother Gaddafi, The leader, or The teacher, is what we called him and not president because that would associate him with the likes of the late dictator of Zaire (now DR Congo) Mobutu Sese Seko, Daniel arap Moi of Kenya and the like. He asserted these had no sense of pro-people management acumen and were devoid of revolutionary methods of handling public affairs. Only Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, JJ Rawlings of Ghana, and Thomas Sankara of Burkina Faso were highly acclaimed in Libya as revolutionary leaders.
This is testimony of a young revolutionary then, one of the 107 cadres that the NRM Government sent to Socialist People’s Libyan Arab Jamahiriya (SPLAJ) in early March 1986 soon after capturing state power not only for military drills but also to study and internalise the Libyan political system that closely resembled our own popular committee type of democracy (the Resistance Council system).
Libya was a very close friend of Uganda not only during the NRA/NRM bush struggle but also after.
Then-assistant Minister for Defence and NRA Chief Political Commissar, the now Rtd Col. Amanya Mushega, who had selected and screened us, sent us on a cargo plane on March 16, 1986 with the following words of wisdom: “You are going to Libya. Libya is a highly moralised society. If you know you cannot do without alcohol and women, please step aside. Study and bring for us what is relevant for Uganda.”
While in Libya we were introduced to the Green Book (a political philosophy of the Libyan leader, the so-called Third Universal Theory). Its philosophy emphasised three things: One, no democracy without representation and people’s participation through popular conferences and committees. At the lowest level is the basic People’s Conferences and Committees while at the apex is the General People’s Conference (National Assembly). The other aspect of democracy was the demystification of the military and democratisation of the gun! Every household in Libya owns a submachine gun.
Two, the factors of production contribute equally in the production process and therefore are entitled to equal shares from the proceeds. The land, the workers (labour), and the machines (capital) are equally rewarded. No person employs another because this would be exploitation and enslavement. The people collectively own and manage production establishments. No taxation because this is exploitation.
Third, there is no nation without a family. No nationalism without families satisfying their basic needs of food, shelter, and transport (not clothing). These therefore are a must right for everyone irrespective of race, tribe, colour, nationality, age, gender etc. In fact even the unborn are planned for and villages created with all infrastructure you know of. Foreigners have equal rights like any other Libyan.
We were camped at the International Centre of Resistance against Imperialism, Colonialism, Racism, Fascism, and Reactionism. Exactly one month later that then-US President Ronald Reagan’s warplanes dropped bombs on Tripoli and Benghazi. Gaddafi’s residence was hit, killing his adopted daughter. His tent, where he would meet high profile guests and his office too were hit, clearly indicating that he was targeted as a person. The Reagan Administration referred to Gaddafi as a mad dog!
Gaddafi was attacked because he had liberated Libya and her resources, authored a politico-economic philosophy different from the capitalist one and engaged in a development strategy that saw modernisation of the country to the extent of Libyanisation of even the Americans who largely manned the oil production units including refineries.
Tripoli was viewed in the same lens as Moscow then. I recall that in 1986, Libya had 24,000kms of tarmac roads with flyovers everywhere; had food reserves that could feed the whole of Africa for a year; had every household with a house and vehicle for transport in well organised villages; had its currency (the dinar) three times stronger than the American dollar; had every Libyan participating in production either on land or factory and the earning differentials were 30% or less between for instance a General Manager of a factory and a cleaner.
Technology use was so amazing that there was no room for wastage. For instance, at Al- aziya oil refinery just 40 kms away from the Mediterranean coast town of Sabrata, besides producing petroleum products, there was simultaneous power generation and desalination process where salt is separated from water both for domestic and other uses such as irrigation.
I could go on and on if there was space. However to conclude this nostalgic narrative, I must restate emphatically that I witnessed a country that was a centre for supporting liberation movements which the western world branded terrorists such as Uganda, Zimbabwe, Philippines, Macedonia, Chad to mention but a few.
It takes those who have witnessed what the Great Leader had done for his people and Africa to appreciate the pain I have experienced because of the manner he has left the scene at the hands of the same powers that wanted him dead 25 years ago.
The lesson we learn from the Gaddafi experience is threefold. One; a great leader should gauge the extent to which the people still appreciate his greatness. People forget so fast and the achievements made so painfully over a long time can be done away with in a snapshot. Two; the so-called development partners are running after their interests and the moment a country is no longer relevant for them it will be destroyed notwithstanding the rhetoric that people’s human rights must be protected. Three; oil is a curse to the extent that a country with deposits must comply with particular foreign interests. Short of that Uganda should be prepared for any eventuality.
Fare thee well, the Great Leader of Libya and Africa, certain weaknesses notwithstanding.
Pereza Godfrey Ahabwe is a former MP for Rubanda County East Constituency.
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written by korean style, June 06, 2012
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As per the article:
1.Democracy obeys the Theory of relativity by Einsteins
2. What is called democracy is not one in reality. people vote only for campaigns not people they Know.
3.As stated in this article democracy should address the gap between the Rich and the poor(because they belong to the same nation), which Gaddafi did.
lastly , I pray for our Ugandan Brothers not to be punished for the "oil curse"