— Musings —08.28.2011 06:38 AM
In today’s Sun: remembering Christoph
But, as Gadhafi’s regime collapses, spare a thought for Christoph Halens, a Canadian reporter who went to Libya in 1987 — and never came back. Spare a thought for Halens, who was murdered by the Gadhafi regime in April 1987.
For simply doing his job.
Thank you for remembering Christoph Halens.
The greatest challenge will be establishing a working democracy in Libya. After decades of dictatorship, the country lacks democratic institutions such as a constitutional court and a parliament. Libya has always been a tribal society, and there is no doubt that tribal rivalries will complicate Libya’s future. The Warfalla, the Tarhuna and Gadhafi’s own tribe, the Gadhadhfa, have always supported the dictator. Although the rebels claim otherwise, the Libyan revolution has also been a war among tribes. The road to real freedom and democracy will be a stony one – I wish all Libyans all the best in their new “after Gadhafi” country.
I, too, wish the Libyans the best, but I reserve the ‘congrats’ until time reveals what kind of government (or regime {{shudder}}) takes the helm.