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| Africa North | |
| Libya marks 1st independence day in 42 years | |
| 2011-12-26 | |
| TRIPOLI: For the first time in more than four decades, Libyans on Saturday celebrated the 60th anniversary of the country's independence from Italy and France. Under Muammar Qaddafi's 42-year rule, the celebration was scrapped and instead, only the 1969 date of his coup was marked. "Today we begin the building of Libya as our forefathers have done," Prime Minister Abdurrahim El-Keib said during the celebration. "We call on our sons to build Libya after its destruction." His remarks were part of an official ceremony in the capital Tripoli. Thousands of people flocked to the capital from around the country in hopes of breaking bread on an 7-mile-long (11-kilometer-long) set of tables planned along Tripoli's coast as part of the ceremony. However, the dinner was canceled due to security reasons and infighting among former rebel groups who were invited, officials said. At the National Transitional Council's headquarters in Tripoli, ministers shared a cake and mingled with journalists. No family members of deposed King Idris, who were forced into exile in 1969, were in Libya for the ceremony. Idris died in Cairo in 1983. Libya was occupied for decades by various nations, and it was not until 1947 that both Italy and France relinquished claims to parts of the country. The United Libyan Kingdom was announced with UN backing in late 1951 under King Idris. "As the late King Idris said at the time, preserving independence is harder than achieving it," NTC chairman Mustafa Abdul-Jalil said at the ceremony.
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| Posted by:Steve White |