President Koroma attends Libya’s anniversary celebrations
1st September 2010 · 0 Comments
Tripoli, Libya – The interim president of Guinea, General Sekouba Konate, and the president of Sierra Leone, Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma, on Tuesday arrived in Tripoli to attend the festivities marking the 41st anniversary of the Libyan 1 September revolution of 1969, according to the Pan-African News Agency.
Sources say that General Konate, who is accompanied by a high-powered delegation, is making his second visit to Libya since he became acting president of Guinea following the Ouagadougou talks signed on 15 January this year under the aegis of presiddent Blaise Compaore of Burkina Faso, also mediator in the Guinean crisis.
General Konate was designated in Ouagadougou as interim president of the transit ion government replacing Captain Moussa Dadis Camara, who is recovering from an a ssassination attempt on 3 December by his aide, Lieutenant Aboubacar ‘Toumba’ Diakite, who is still on the run.
Revolution Day is scheduled to be marked in Libya. Commemorating the anniversary of the coup against King Idriss that brought Moammar Gadhafi to power in 1969, the national day is marked with military parades and official speeches.
NATALIE MOORE, an American journalist in Libya reports :
Today is a Libyan holiday known as fateh. It’s the celebration of Mu’ammar Qaddafi’s revolution.
On Sept. 1, 1969, a 27-year-old Qaddafi led a bloodless coup, overthrowing King Idris. Qaddafi took over as leader and promoted himself to colonel. He named the country the Great Socialist People’s Libyan Arab Jamahiriya. “Jamahiriya” is a term the colonel coined to mean the “state of the masses” governed by the populace through local councils.
There’s been lead up to tonight’s sweeping celebration, turning Tripoli into an emerald city – signifying the color of Libya’s flag. Many buildings have lights with green hues. White and colored lights dot the streets, music blares on stages and traffic is beyond belief. Tripoli is extra spruced up, and there’s a culminating celebration tonight at the Green Square. Last night, as we were driving home, we watched fireworks sparkle in the sky.
Qaddafi is the world’s longest-serving leader, which is why he spoke at the United Nations last fall.
I’ve noticed that Libyans typically don’t refer to Qaddafi as Qaddafi. He is “the leader,” “brother leader” or “the colonel.” His picture is splashed across billboards throughout the city. Some signs simply say 41, denoting the number of years since his coup. In keeping with his Pan-African them, other billboards depict a united Africa.
© 2010, Wilfred Kabs Kanu. All rights reserved. Discuss this article on the Salone Forum Salone Forum
