Libya’s Fight for Freedom and Democracy

Welcome and Thank You!

• Representative “name”• People of “city name”• Friends, neighbors and fellow citizens

Welcome. On behalf of the Libyan American community in “location” – thank you all for coming!

Objectives

Educate the public Explain roots of the uprisingSummarize key eventsReview Libya’s future options

Free and democratic Libya Partitioned Libya Same oppressed Libya Failed state

Present the case for free and democratic LibyaSeek support from the American public

Libya Facts and Figures

Geography: Area: 679,362 sq mi; mostly

desert; 1% arable land (hence 75% reliance on imported foods)

Major cities: Tripoli (capital), Benghazi, Misrata

Libya Facts and Figures

Population: 6.5 million (2% growth); mostly Sunni Muslim Arabs

Petroleum reserves: 46.4 billion barrels of oil (largest reserves in Africa; 9th

largest worldwide) 55 trillion cubic feet of natural gas

Economy (2009 estimates): GDP/PPP=$96 billion; per capita income=$15,200;

average monthly household income=$400; unemployment=30%

Libya Facts and Figures

Government• Dictatorship of Muammar

Gaddafi since 1969• No formal constitution• Named Great Socialist

People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya by Gaddafi

Brief Historical Timeline

Free LibyaUN vote: Libyan Independence

1911 1943 1951 1958 1969 1976

US CompaniesOperate in Libya

King overthrown

Gadhafi’s Green Book

Organized Libyan Resistance

2011

Italian occupation

WW II Allies takes Libya from Italy

Libyan independence (United Kingdom of Libya)

Oil production begins

Gaddafi overthrowsmonarchy

Gadhafipublisheshis green book

Libya uprising begins

2/17/11: Libya Uprising Begins

Peaceful demonstratorsProtest arrest of human rights lawyer and

activist Fathi Terbil Demand dignity, freedom, social justiceProtest corruption of Gaddafi regime

Why Now?

• 42 years of brutal oppression and isolation• Loss of civil and human rights• Rampant corruption by Gaddafi family and

their cronies• Lack of economic opportunities despite wealth• Household income too low to support families• High (30%) unemployment• Success of protests in neighboring Tunisia and

Egypt fueled hope for change

Gaddafi’s Reaction to Uprising

•Use of deadly force to quell protests•Massive arrests• Threats of civil war• Siege of civilian population centers•Use of rape, land and sea mines, and

indiscriminate shelling

Faces of the Uprising

Ordinary citizens fighting for rights many in the west take for granted:

Freedom Democracy Rule of Law

People willing to risk their lives for the chance to: Feel safe and dignified in their country Gain access to decent education and healthcare Enjoy economic and social opportunities Have functional infrastructure Envision a future for themselves and their children

Faces of the Uprising

•Men and women of all ages•Businessmen and schoolteachers•Doctors and factory workers•Artists and intellectuals• Libyans at home and in exile•Military and police officers• The affluent and the unemployed

Thank You!

The opposition in Libya and abroad thanks the United States and NATO for • enforcing a no fly zone over Libya• ending Gaddafi’s attacks in Eastern Libya,

Misurata and Jabal Nefusa • freezing assets of the Gaddafi regime• providing humanitarian aid to the opposition

and to Libyan refugees• Demanding an end to Gaddafi’s regime

Why Continue to Support the Uprising?

• To defend economic and strategic interests of the US, European allies, and trade partners• To win hearts and minds of Arabs and

Muslims worldwide• To promote freedom and democracy as best

path to stability in North Africa and the Middle East • To send clear message to dictatorships

worldwide

Without Your Continued Support

• Potential for lasting civil war which could impact the world economy• Potential rise of state-sponsored terrorism as act of

revenge• Potential destabilization of new democracies in Tunisia

and Egypt• Libya will become a model for suppression of

democracy, violation of human rights, and defiance of international law• Libyans will continue to suffer under Gaddafi’s brutality

Without Your Continued Support

• Threat of refugee crisis and mass immigration to Europe from Africa

What Do Libyans Want?

Government by, from and for the peopleCivil state with constitution that guarantees:

Rights to free speech and assembly Rights to vote and run for public office Rule of law

State which upholds international law and human rights

State which denounces terrorism, racism, and oppression

The Opposition Leadership:Transitional National Council (TNC)

Founded in Benghazi on 2/27/2011Headed by Mustafa Abdul-Jalil, a former

justice minister and human rights advocate

Includes: former ministers, diplomats and high-

ranking military officers Judges, lawyers and human rights activists University professors and other

professionals Activists and community organizers

Goals of Libya’s TNC

• End Gaddafi’s brutal oppression• Maintain law and order during transition• Preserve Libya’s national unity• Draft a constitution• Serve as official, unifying voice for Free Libya• Pave the way for democratic elections

With Your Support

A free and democratic Libya is in our future

Thank you.