| Submit your comments on this article |
| Africa North |
| Libya ex-Rebels Sign Up for Government Jobs |
| 2012-01-21 |
| [An Nahar] Dressed in green military fatigues and clutching CVs under their arms, young Libyans who fought Muammar Qadaffy ... who is now deader than a rock... are now signing up to register for government jobs. Some of these men spent months fighting Qadaffy's forces on the front lines of the conflict that erupted last February and have provided security on Libya's streets since fighting ended in October, after Qadaffy was killed. Now these former rebels are trickling into the interior ministry, looking for jobs with the new security forces, part of a recruitment campaign the government hopes will lead to the disbanding of militias across Libya. "Name, birthday, brigade?" asked a registrar at the Ain Zara recruitment center area on the outskirts of Tripoli, wearing a cap that says "Free Libya." Khaled Milad, 24, said he left law school to join one of several militias that sprang up to fight Qadaffy and now wants to join the security services to "help protect the country" in the post-Qadaffy era. "Militias have no future; we do not want to become like Somalia," said Milad, who served with a brigade in Khoms, about 160 kilometers east of Tripoli. Tens of thousands of Libyans like Milad, including teenagers who left school, joined the rebellion that led to Qadaffy's death on October 20. But with the conflict over, the men who helped topple his regime remain organized in armed brigades across the country and often clash among themselves. Libya's new military and police are far from fully operational and these forces of Evil have stepped in to provide security on the streets. Libya's new rulers want to disband the militias and to stamp out fears that their weapons -- including heavy arms, anti-aircraft guns and artillery tanks -- could spread across the country or over its borders. The government estimates that there are about 200,000 former rebels that need to be disarmed, and hopes that some 50,000 will be integrated into the army or police. Others could be eligible for government financial aid, either to start a small business or complete their education. "We want security," said Salem Attig, a former member of Qadaffy's military who became a commander in the Khoms brigade and was standing outside the center with some 20 young fighters in Ain Zara. He told Agence La Belle France Presse his brigade had already surrendered its weapons to the authorities. The registration process requires each recruit to declare if he possesses a gun and give a commitment to hand it over. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #2 I will also add many will not be willing to lay down their arms. Some of those can be real trouble. |
| Posted by: BernardZ 2012-01-21 03:58 |
| #1 It is always a problem after a conflict what to do with the fighter? |
| Posted by: BernardZ 2012-01-21 03:57 |