"Greece should have recognized us sooner…"

"A neighboring and always friendly country like Greece, should have recognized the new regime in Libya sooner". Daghili Fathallah, vice president of the Libyan community in Greece, used these words to greet protothema.gr in the courtyard of the Libyan embassy in Athens.

Set against the imposing flag of the National Transitional Council, with traditional Libyan music in the background, Fathallah did not express the anger of the Libyan people for the delayed response of Greek foreign policy, but their disappointment and also their hope that "Greece will correct its policy towards Libya from now on".

"We have no complaint with the European Union. The EU and the Arab countries have protected us against this dictator who has ruled our country over the past 42 years", says Fathallah to protothema.gr, adding that it's just a matter of time before Sirte, the home town of Gaddafi, is freed along with other areas where conflicts are still raging.

Regarding the attitude of the tribes and clans of Libya, he hastens to explain they have never played a "political" role, but only a "social" one. "The perception in the European press that the tribes have political power is a misconception. All races are on the side of the insurgents, because Libya has never been at civil war. It was just the struggle of the Libyan people to be liberated from a dictator". 


 

"Gaddafi should be tried by Libyan judges"

In the Libyan embassy in Athens you see people smiling; optimistic people, who fought for the overthrow of Gaddafi and won. You see winners. Six months ago, when the Libyan people began their struggle to rid themselves the 42-year dictatorship of Muammar Gaddafi, the members of the Libyan community in Greece were driven back from the embassy by a strong police force.

Today, with the embassy’s gates open wide, with kids and women dancing to the sound of traditional songs and the new country's flag waving on the embassy’s flagpole, optimism and hope for the future of their country are beyond obvious and despite the nearly 20.000 dead, the Libyans are well aware that winning the war is not enough. They must also win peace. And facing the prospect of this much more difficult victory, they appear realistic.

As Fathallah says, "Gaddafi should be arrested and tried. But tried by Libyan judges for all the crimes he committed against his people. We are not starting from the point of revenge, but of justice"…