With Protests from Tunisia to Egypt to Yemen and now to Libya and escalating to the rest of the Middle East, the turmoil in the Middle East is intensifying and the outcome of the increasingly bloody demonstrations remains unclear. Anti-governments protesters, pro-governments supporters, military and police are continuing to crash in the streets as dictators also continue to kill.

The Genesis

More than two months ago, a Tunisian fruit vendor struck a match and started a fire that has spread throughout much of North Africa and the Middle East. Muhammad Bouazizi’s self immolation prompted anti government protests that toppled regimes in Tunisia and Egypt and which has now spread to rest of the Middle East. A crowd which was estimated to be around 5,000 took part on Wednesday 5th January this year in his funeral procession to a cemetery near Sidi Bouzid. “Farewell, Mohammed, we will venge you. We weep for you today, but we will make those who caused your death weep » the crowd chanted. And yes indeed, they lived to their words and went to the streets to end the 23 years rule of former dictator Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali.

Then came Egypt’s turn and nothing could stop the fall of another dictator Hosni Mubarak

On Tuesday 24th January, two civilians and a police officer died when the police tried to disperse the unusually large anti-government demonstrations swept across Egypt, calling for the ouster of longtime president Hosni Mubarak. The protests in Cairo were reportedly the largest in the country this day, a date chosen by activists to emulate the recent uprising in nearby Tunisia. According to Aljazeera, the demonstrations were the largest in years, rivaling those held against the Iraq War in 2003 and in favor of free elections and civil society reforms in 2005.

Despite the Egyptian government’s cracking down and killing of opposition protesters, to shutting down the internet and cell phones, it didn’t stop people from carrying on with their revolution. Human Rights Watch (HRW) researchers said that they confirmed the deaths of 302 since 28^th January, based on a count from eight hospitals in the cities of Cairo, Alexandria and Suez though no comprehensive death toll was given by the Egyptian government. These deaths instead gave the protesters more strength and determination to end Mr. Mubarak’s rule.  The people had become so bitter that they feared nothing not even death. And at that point, not even the greatest Imam, Pope or even Prophet Mohamed could have stopped the revolutionist from bringing an end to Mubarak’s 29 years of dictatorship.

On the other hand, it’s really surprising to see protesters stopping in the streets to pray. It gives an indication of one likely positive outcome of successful protests. And as the crashes got more intense, the protests took on a more Islamic flavor. This was obviously a bad news for Hosni Mubarak and his son Gamal who has been mentored to be his likely successor prior to the protests.

The pillar of peace and security and a Western nations key ally in the Middle East

It’s very clear that Egypt is the centre of peace and a key Western ally in the Middle East. And Mubarak has been a very dedicated and close ally of the United States and its allies.

Mubarak was an anchor of U.S. policy of stability in the region. The twin pillars of that policy support for pro-American regimes that share U.S. security interests and the pursuit of Israeli-Arab peace are now on shaky ground after his fall. Israel will probably conclude that if such entrenched Arab regimes can fall, making peace with a deeply divided Palestinian movement is anything but a sure bet.

Israel is keeping a wary eye on developments in Egypt with fears that an Islamist State takes over there and  would end three decades of cooperation between the two countries. The U.S brokered Camp David accords, signed by Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin and Egyptian President Anwar Sadat in 1978, ended a generation of hostilities between the two nations and forged a relationship that has endured, in part, because of the stability of the Mubarak’s regime, which came to power after Sadat was assassinated in 1981 and in spite of deep animus among rank and file Egyptians toward Israel. Eli Shaked, Israel’s ambassador to Egypt from 2003 to 2005, predicted that “if the Mubarak regime falls, a new Islamist regime, hostile to Israel and Western nations, will replace it. There will be no democracy in Egypt” Shaked said. And “If there will be democratic elections in Egypt in the summer or in the very near future, (they) will be the first and last democratic elections in Egypt”. He concluded. While he recognizes that the causes of the upheaval in Egypt lie in economic and social strife, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he is concerned that « there is a possibility that an organized force will take advantage of the situation ». A new Egyptian regime will probably affect relations with Hamas, which controls the Palestinian territory sandwiched between Israel and Egypt, and may play up the harsh criticism among many sectors in Egyptian society towards Israeli policy. But some terrorism experts believe that extremist voices are being drowned out by the chants of the protesters in Cairo. CNN analyst Paul Cruickshank wrote that al Qaeda’s support base « already severely shaken by its barbaric excesses in Iraq and biting criticism from fellow jihadists, could narrow yet further”.

The future of U.S. policy and interests in the region will largely depend on who ends up in power, not just in Egypt but in the host of other Middle East countries on the verge of transformation. In a doomsday scenario, extremist Islamist factions in Egypt, Tunisia and even Jordan could come to power, killing critical diplomatic and military relationships, forcing the closing of the Suez Canal and allowing Iran fill the vacuum. That could even trigger a most dangerous war between Israel and Iran. Nobody expects that worst case nightmare to come through, however.

 Now all eyes are on Libya

Large protests are uncommon in Libya, where dissent is rarely allowed. But anti-government protesters have taken to the streets of Libya demanding the resignation of another dictator Muammar Gaddafi. Foreign mercenaries, Libyan Security and soldiers are killing everyday anti-government demonstrators in efforts to paralyse the insurrection.

Today, of course no one knows what is to happen next. One thing is however certain: it would be a great disaster for the Libyan people if the international public attention is chased away by the wave of the tsunami which has just hit Japan!

Shawn WAKIDA, membre de la rédaction vaudoise de Voix d’Exils

Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi signed a contract of £50 million with the European Union to stop immigrants from entering Europe through Libya.

Every year, thousands of people attempt to cross the Mediterranean from Libya to Italy and many die en route, while those who are caught are taken back to camps in Libya where conditions are alarming. In 2008, Italy and Libya agreed a deal that allows the Italian navy to intercept illegal immigrants and return them to Libya. The move already triggered sharp criticism from the UN’s refugee agency and human rights groups.

On Tuesday the 5^th October 2010, Libya and the European Union finalised a co-operation agreement on illegal migration. Pan-African co-operation, mobility, management of migration flows, border control and international protection are addressed in the accord. Under the agreement signed in Tripoli by European Union Commissioners Cecilia Malmstrom and Steven Fule, the EU will also provide Libya with 50 million Euros over the next 3 years to combat the flow of illegal migrants to Europe and to protect refugees

Colonel Gaddafi’s demand of £4.1 billions during his speech cases controversy

Libyan leader Colonel Muammar Gaddafi had demanded for £4.1 billion a year from the European Union to stop illegal immigration which “threatens to turn Europe black”. Colonel Gaddafi made the demand as he ended his controversial two-day visit to Italy where he caused outrage in the Catholic Church by hosting two convert to Islam parties. Furious, Italian members of parliament (MPs) slammed his demands made in his farewell speech for cash to stop immigration and compared them to a Mafia extortion racket.

In the speech Gaddafi, 67, told his audience in Rome that Italy needs to convince her European allies to accept this Libyan proposal of 5 billion euro to Libya to stop illegal immigration, otherwise Europe runs the risk of turning into black. “We need support from the European Union to stop this army trying to get across from Libya, which is their entry point. At the moment there is a dangerous level of immigration from Africa into Europe, and we don’t know what will happen. We don’t know if Europe will remain an advanced and cohesive continent or if it will be destroyed by this barbarian invasion. We have to imagine that this could happen, but before, it does we need to work together” Gaddafi said.

Critics immediately targeted Gaddafi, pointing out how the UN High Commission for Refugees closed its Libyan office earlier this year, and opposition MPs called on Silvio Berlusconi to distance himself from the Libyan leader and his attempts to secure money from the EU. Silvana Mura, of the anti-sleaze party Italy of Values, said: “We need to know immediately if the Italian government intends to support this proposal which is in essence an unacceptable blackmail”. And Luigi de Magistris, an MEP with Italy of Values, said: “The dictator Gaddafi wants five billion euro to stop immigration, but where will the money go?”.

Libya buys coastal monitoring system to curb illegal migrants

Libya agreed to pay Irish-based company Transas Marine about 28 million dollars for a radar system to monitor its vast coastline for illegal migrants and outbreaks of pollution. The system will cover the entire Libyan coast, which stretches almost 2,000 kilometres (1,240 miles), Transas Marine said after a contract-signing ceremony in Tripoli. Libya will have a system that is one of the most modern and efficient in the world and « even detect small boats used by illegal immigrants” said Christopher Loiz, head of the company’s French unit. Transas Marine hoped to complete the installation of the system of 15 monitoring stations within 16 months, which Loiz said cost more than 20 million euros.

Shawn WAKIDA

Membre de la rédaction lausannoise de Voix d’Exils

Ibrahim Koroma was a child soldier from the Sierra Leone civil war. He was one of thousands of youngsters kidnapped in 1997 by the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) rebels to help overthrow the government of Tejan Kabbah. He narrates to us his life as a child soldier and the traumatization he is going through up to now in Switzerland.

I was 13 years when I was kidnapped by the Sierra Leone’s Revolutionary United Front rebels. To harm or kill someone is very hard but one can do anything under the influence of drugs. Nevertheless, the pain felt after is difficult to explain and only God knows how one feels. Sometimes I ask myself questions like “Will I ever see my mother again? Why did I have to be a rebel fighting my own country? Why did I accept the rebels to take me rather than kill me? Why would I have to hear voices always telling that I will never have peace again even when I was just forced into rebel activities?”. But I have since failed to have answers to these questions. They all arise because I have done violence to people and people have done violence to me. If you knew me between the ages of 13 and 18, then you would know what “Captain dead body” is talking about. Captain dead body was the nickname given to me by my commander.

Atrocities we committed against humanity

We were ordered to mercilessly kill anybody supporting the government of Tejan Kabbah. We would take these people and put them inside one house, close it and spill petrol on it, then set them on fire. You would hear them screaming for help but no one would help.

Thinking about amputating people is also another big pain in my heart. Our commanders heard that the government wanted to hold elections, we were ordered to kidnap any civilian we found useful to join the revolution and to amputee hands off of those we found not useful. I have never cut off one’s hand but I brought many people whose hands were cut off. One girl nicknamed “Adama-Cut-Hand” was the boss of cutting off hands. We would bring the kidnapped civilians to our commanders for them to choose those who were useful and those who were not. Those who were not useful were taken to Adama. She always asked them if they wanted long or short sleeves. Long sleeve meant cutting ones hand from the wrist and short sleeve cutting from the arm. And choosing from the two was the best idea, otherwise one would instead be killed.

We attacked Portloko town and kidnapped civilians including a pregnant woman after we were ordered by our commander not to leave any civilian behind. The commander and others started betting on the baby in this woman’s womb. Some were saying he is a boy, while others said it’s a girl. They therefore cut the woman’s stomach and pulled out the fetus to settle their arguments. The woman and the baby later died in an unbearable pain.

It’s terrible to hear innocent people crying for their lives while being burnt, shot, slaughtered or amputated. I am now hunted everyday by people’s crying voices. I at times think I don’t have any future. I always hear voices saying: “you will never have peace after all you have caused to humanity, its better you die”. I live in fear and I feel like I shouldn’t live because of all my bad experience and memory to all the atrocities I regret to have done. I always ask the Lord to have mercy on me and forgive me for all the atrocities I have committed.

Unanswered questions

As I am writing now, Switzerland wants to deport me back to my country and they want to take me back because I told them the truth about me. I have promised to kill myself if they tried to deport me. They don’t understand that it wasn’t out of my will that I committed crimes against humanity. I did most of these crimes under the influence of drugs. I never wished to join the rebels.

Many Africans who are being persecuted or are running away from their countries to save their dear lives would come to a country like Switzerland, because when they watch on television, they see that Switzerland respects human rights but actually that’s not the case when you come here. Switzerland would rather welcome a corrupt African dictator saving money in their banks than giving refuge to a poor African being persecuted by the same dictator.

 Who are the bosses sponsoring all these wars and suffering that Africa is going through?

Who are the bosses benefiting from these wars?

Who are the bosses manufacturing these guns coming to Africa and killing innocent people every day?

Who are the bosses extracting African minerals and riches through aid to the notorious rebels?

Tell me, “Who are these bosses?”

The truth is that all those people making guns or financing wars don’t know what’s like being in war or what consequences it might cause to innocent humans and have never even killed a person but all they care about is their interests. I therefore think that the world should try to fight to prevent war than trying to cure it. I think the only thing we can do is to stop making guns or, at least, stop selling them to people who will use them for crimes against humanity.

Ibrahim KOROMA

Extracts selected by

Shawn WAKIDA

Membre de la rédaction lausannoise de Voix d’Exils