UGAMUNC XXI : Libyan Revolution

Dear Delegates, 1 UGAMUNC XXI Arab Spring: Libyan Revolution

Dear Delegates,

Welcome to the 2015 University of Georgia Model Conference. My name is Bobby Wetherington ([email protected]), and I will be your Chair for the Arab Spring: Libyan Revolution specialized committee. I am a sophomore from Hahira, Georgia, and this is my first year on UGA’s Model United Nations team. This year we have decided to do something a little different and offer a highly specialized committee following similarly to the Model United Nations crisis simulation format. It should be a lot of fun to see all of you debate and discussion on how to deal with the circumstances of the Libyan Revolution. I’m sure all of you will enjoy this unique role-playing experience!

Before proceeding, I would like to introduce myself. I am currently an honors student double majoring in Arabic and International Relations. Also I am currently pursuing my Masters in International Policy through the honor college’s dual graduate/undergraduate program. Besides Model UN, I am involved in the Thomas Lay Foundation where University students tutor underprivileged inner city children. In my free time I like to read, cheer on the Dawgs, experience the great city of Athens, and practice my Arabic.

It is my pleasure to have Shornima KC as my Co-Chair for this committee. She is a junior majoring in International Affairs and Arabic. Her emphasis is in Middle Eastern Studies, and in her free time she runs an Arabic language club at UGA.

As you begin your research, I hope that you will find this background guide useful as a starting point. However, it is important to realize that this guide is only a starting point. I strongly encourage you to do your own research in order to better understand the causes of the Libyan Revolution and what you and your faction want the state of to look like in the future.

We encourage all delegates to write a position paper for the conference and email it to me at least a week before the conference begins. This way once we are at the conference Shornima and I can pay attention to the debate instead of reviewing your position papers. Keep in mind that in order to receive an award at UGAMUNC it is required that you submit a position paper.

Please feel free to email me if you have any questions. I am very excited for this year’s committee, and I look forward to meeting you all in February.

Best of luck and GO DAWGS!

Sincerely, Bobby B. Wetherington Chair, Arab Spring: Libyan Revolution

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Structure of the Committee

It is February 27, 2011, in the North African state of Libya. Over the past month dissent against the established regime has come to a head and thousands of Libyans from all walks of life are in the streets calling for an end to ’s forty-two year rule. In order to coordinate protestors and provide a unified face for what some Libyans are calling a revolution, the National Transition Council has been established. However, members of the Gaddafi regime have also joined the committee. Some say they have done this out of a sincere desire to convince the dissenters to once again support Gaddafi, while others insist they have joined in order to spy on the other delegates and wait for the right time to strike. Each of you will play a member of the National Transition Council. The Arab Spring: Libya committee will function as a committee in the Unite Nations in so far as rules and format are concerned. However, there will be no formalized list of topics or voting procedure. Instead “news updates” will be periodically released and I expect debate to flow organically around what is happening in Libya at the moment. Working papers will need to be approved by the chair and then will be voted on immediately upon approval. Working papers will be able to pass with a simple majority. Everything that has happened in Libya and the world before February 27, 2011, pertaining to the Arab Spring and Libya should be researched. It is important to mention though that this committee will not follow historical events after February 27. Therefore please do not spend time memorizing events that occurred after this point in history. You should certainly be familiar with what actually happened but do not tailor your strategy to that end. The following background guide should aid you in beginning your research into the history of Libya and your characters’ positions. Finally throughout the multiple sessions of our committee, time will progress forward from February 27 through the rest of 2011 and 2012 as new information and ideas arise. You should arrive on day one ready to present your views on the current situation and try to convince other Libyans to cooperate with you and those who have similar views to yourself. You will notice that there are multiple “factions” in the committee. While there are similarities between faction members, this in no way means you must act as a “bloc”. Each independent delegate should choose what they believe is the best course of action for themselves and for Libya. I look forward to your extensive debates and am personally excited to see how this will turn out!

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Arab Spring: Tunisia

In December of 2010, the Arab Spring began in Tunisia as a result of high unemployment, food inflation, poor living conditions, corruption, and a lack of freedom of speech. Tunisian believed President ’s government was responsible for the problems they were facing in Tunisia. He and his party had held power for decades.1 Protest began with the self-immolation of a vegetable merchant, Mohammed Bouazizi. He was a sole provider of a family of eight, earning the equivalent of seven US dollars a day. On December 17, 2010, Bouazizi’s produce was confiscated, and when he went to the local magistrate to register a complaint, the government refused to hear him. After being forced to leave the magistrate, he returned to the building several hours later and lit himself aflame. 2 Immediately upon Mr. Bouazizi’s death, protests against the regime began. Protestors were outraged at the treatment of Bouazizi and used his death as a rallying cry for change. On December 30, Ben Ali security personnel responded violently to protests, resulting in the deaths of several protestors. Government endorsed violence only outraged Tunisians more, and protests grew in number and spread throughout the country by January. It was demonstrated that revolutionary fervor had spread to the educated elite when 95% of Tunisia’s 8000 lawyers went on strike. On January 11, 2011, President Ben Ali fled Tunisia for Saudi Arabia, thus vacating his office.3 After Ben Ali’s departure Prime Minister Ghannouchi announced the formation of a transitional national unity government. However, protestors were not satisfied and continued daily protests, demanding that the government be purged of officials from Ben Ali’s Constitutional Democratic Rally (RCD) party. In response, Ghannouchi announced that he would resign after ensuring free and fair elections in six months time. He also reshuffled the cabinet, leaving only two other officials, other than himself, who were close to Ben Ali. By this point in time, Tunisia’s army chief and large numbers of security personnel had joined and endorsed the revolution. 4 As of this month of February, Ghannouchi is still in office.5 However all of the twenty- four regional governors have been replaced, and the RCD’s activities have been suspended. 6

The Libyan Kingdom and First Revolution

In 1949, the UN called for the establishment of an independent Libyan state by 1952. In order to accomplish their goal, an international council included Libyans from all three regions (Cyrenaican, , and Tripolotanian) in order to aid in setting up a government. The more liberal and urban Tripolitianians wanted a republic, but the Cyrenaicans feared domination by the more populous Tripolitanians. They wanted a monarchy led by the most prominent family of

1"." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 20 Nov. 2014. Web. 21 Nov. 2014. 2 ibid 3 ibid 4 ibid 5 "Tunisia Profile." BBC News. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Nov. 2014. 6 The Middle East edited by Ellen Lust, Tunisia Profile Jeferey A. Coupe and Hamadi Redissi 789-828

4 UGAMUNC XXI Arab Spring: Libyan Revolution their region, the Sansuni. Ultimately, the council decided to implement a federal system, where each region had significant autonomy but were unified by a monarch. The chosen monarch was Idris Sansuni, the revolutionary hero from the east. Not all Libyans were pleased with the new constitution and government, especially concerning the Sansuni monarch.7 Their fears were justified when in 1963 King Idris abandoned the federalist system and centered all political power around himself. This political move lost Idris a lot of support but the main source of dissatisfaction came from income inequality. After World War II, a lot of Libya’s oil was bought by western powers, exulting in a considerable flow of capitol into Libya. However, the King and his allies were the only ones to reap the benefits of the new cash flow, as rural and less strategically important regions of Libya were left undeveloped. 8 The oil trade also tied King Idris’s government strongly to the west at a time when anti- western sentiment was on the rise in Libya and much of the Arab world. The new Pan-Arab movement largely defined sentiment in the early post-war Middle East. This movement was a reaction to domination by western powers, which emphasized the need for all Arabs to unite and present an allied front against their former colonial masters. Many Arabs and Libyans viewed King Idris’s foreign policy, which strongly favored the west, as treacherous. These two factors of poverty and the Pan-Arab movement resulted in a large amount of dissent against the king. 9

Gaddafi’s Revolution

While in The Royal Military Academy in , Muammar Gaddafi founded the Central Committee of Free Officers Movement, who was a group of young military officers who resented the monarchy. Gaddafi himself was from a poor region that felt the effects of King Idris’s corrupt oil policies. The Free Officers operated under a clandestine cell system in which they funneled all of their salaries into a central fund. The Officers hoped to one day topple the Monarchy and set up a new regime. On September 1, 1969, King Idris and many other senior politicians were out of the country and this was when the Free Officers struck. They launched “Operation Jerusalem”, occupying police depots, airports, radio stations, and government offices. They were few in number but the monarchy was so unpopular that they met little resistance. Gaddafi, age 27, was appointed President of the Revolutionary Command Council by his peers and set himself as the new legitimate authority in Libya. 10

Gaddafi’s Government

After consolidating his power Gaddafi announced in 1973 the formation of “People’s Committee’s” that theoretically would put power directly into the hands of the people. Gaddafi believed that representative democracy (or republicanism) was inherently flawed and corrupt, so he stated that Libya would become a direct democracy. Despite his insistence that Libya was or was becoming a direct democracy, he wielded de facto control over the entire country through

7 ibid 8 ibid 9 The Middle East edited by Ellen Lust, Libyan profile, Amanda Kadlec 633-634 10 The Middle East edited by Ellen Lust, Libyan profile, Amanda Kadlec 634

5 UGAMUNC XXI Arab Spring: Libyan Revolution his security forces. Because of this, Gaddafi was met with resistance within his own band of officers because of how he centralized power around himself and an increasingly smaller circle. Many of the initial revolutionaries found themselves boxed out from Gaddafi’s framework of power.11 In 1977, Gaddafi announced the formation of a “Jamahiriya” or “State of the masses”. This new Jamahiriya would replace the Libyan Arab Republic he formed after the initial revolution. Revolutionary Committees were set up to “direct and further” the aims of the revolution. The Revolutionary Committees would occupy a similar role to the Chinese Communist Party’s Red Guard. They functioned as Gaddafi’s tool for eliminating opposition and silencing any challenge to his authority. The Jamahiriya also contained a “General People’s Congress”, with Gaddafi as the Secretary General. The Congress served as a rubber stamp for Gaddafi.12 Gaddafi resigned from his post as Secretary General of the People’s Congress in 1979 but retained de facto control over the government, and he proclaimed himself the “Guide of the Revolution”. Gaddafi insisted, and does to this day, that he held no real power and serves as a figure head. During this time, the Revolutionary Committees became the central institution of the Jamahiriya. Along with the 40000 members of the Jamahiriya guard, they enforced Gaddafi’s will. 13 Since the 1990s, Gaddafi has faced some resistance from inside of Libya. Armed Islamist guerrillas emerged in the mountainous region, and the regime has been constantly engaging them since. Dissent also arose over Gaddafi’s tribal prejudice. Gaddafi routinely placed members of his own tribe and that of the Warfalla tribe in the highest positions of power. Additionally, there was an assassination attempt on Gaddafi in 1993. The attempted coup/assassination attempt was lead by dissatisfied army officers.14

Islam in Libya

Islam in Libya is largely a mix of Islamic Sufism and Sunni orthodoxy. The Islamic teacher Ali al-Senusi created the Senusi order in the eighteenth century and since that time has grown to be the vein of Islam practice by nearly all of the Bedouin tribes of the east. Although strongest in the east, the Senusi order is prominent throughout the entire country. Senusi Muslims do not tolerate religious fanatics, and monks do not practice voluntary poverty, believing that is important to work as a means of sustenance. Theologically, they attempt to find a middle path between the more strict rationality of orthodox Sunni Islam and the ethereal nature of many Sufi orders.15 Gaddafi has attempted to institute some of his own beliefs about the Quran since coming to power. In the beginning of his regime he announced that Sunni Orthodoxy should occupy the central place in the Libyan people’s lives. He believed that Islam’s purity had been corrupted by the Europeans during colonization and was still being corrupted through globalization. Gaddafi

11 The Middle East edited by Ellen Lust, Libyan profile, Amanda Kadlec 634-635 12 ibid 13 ibid 14 ibid 15 "Senussi." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 19 Nov. 2014. Web. 21 Nov. 2014.

6 UGAMUNC XXI Arab Spring: Libyan Revolution also believed that the Quran was the best moral guide of Libya and the first part of his book “The Green Book” is a commentary on it. 16 Immediately following the revolution, Gaddafi implemented several laws he viewed as Islamic. He banned all nightclubs and bars, as well as any other business he deemed as provocative or immodest. In 1973 he revised the judicial system and Libyan law to conform to Sharia. Also in 1973, laws were passed punishing thieves with amputation and adulterers with floggings.17 Throughout his reign, Gaddafi challenged the power of the ulama, the Islamic religious establishment. Gaddafi insisted that all Muslims could arrive at a perfect understanding of Islam on their own, thus removing power from the ulama. It is worth noting that many scholars believe Gaddafi was not truly religious and simply used religion to expand his personal power. They say he targeted the ulama because they posed a threat to his authority and the Islamic laws he instituted were almost never enforced unless it was useful to Gaddafi.18 Gaddafi also desired Libya to be the leading Islamic nation, and he wanted to be the leader of the Islamic world. To this end he created organizations to further his religious authority abroad. He initiated a tax, the Jihad Fund, in 1970, in order to aid the Palestinians in their conflict with Israel.19 The Islamic Mission Society was established to repair and construct mosques both inside Libya and in other countries. Finally Gaddafi established the Islamic Call Society in order to propagate his version of Islam throughout the world.20

Libya in the Past Month The turmoil of the Arab Spring, previously experienced in Libya’s neighboring countries of Egypt and Tunisia, has reached Libya in the past month. Protests began on February 15, 2011, when the Gaddafi regime arrested activist . The protestors called for the removal of the regime, set fire to cars, and participated in arson, before being violently disposed by regime security forces. On February 16th, protestors clashed with security forces for the first time, resulting in the first deaths of the revolution. 21 February 17th was declared a national day of revolt by dissidents both inside and outside of the country, resulting in mass protests. The coordination of the day of revolt was perhaps the first time there was widespread cooperation between the disparate anti Gaddafi groups. In Benghazi, the regime reacted by releasing prisoners and arming them, in order to clash with protestors. Somewhere around fifteen people are suspected to have died as a result. The next day, protestors in Benghazi, joined by some of the police, forced the remainder of the regimes security forces out of the city. Regime officers suspected of having harmed civilians were hanged. Protestors began raiding supply depots in areas they had gained control over, and militias began to form.22 By February 20th, protests had spread to Tripoli and threatened Gaddafi’s control over his capitol. The next day, protestors in Tripoli attacked the People’s Hall and stormed the state

16 "Islam in Libya." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 16 Nov. 2014. Web. 21 Nov. 2014. 17 ibid 18 ibid 19 "Islam in Libya." Islam in Libya. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Nov. 2014. 20 ibid 21"2011 Libyan Civil War." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 19 Nov. 2014. Web. 20 Nov. 2014. 22 Ibid

7 UGAMUNC XXI Arab Spring: Libyan Revolution controlled television station. Rumors spread that Gaddafi has fled Tripoli, but he appeared on national T.V. the next day, announcing that he was remaining in Tripoli in order to combat the rebels.23 On February twenty third Gaddafi ordered his security forces to attack and protestors. From this point to the present, the death toll has risen dramatically as the regime’s security forces go on the offensive.24

Economics of Libya

Libya relies on oil for more than half its GDP. Before the war, in 2010, Libyan economy and GDP was growing. However, after the civil war began, Libyan economy shrunk by over 60% in 2011. The Gaddafi regime used oil revenues to quell oppositions for a long time. Clientelism, nepotism, and corruption were hallmarks of the Libyan economy under Gaddafi.25 Libyan economy is heavily reliant on oil. They have been unsuccessfully trying to diversify for many decades and move toward manufacturing sectors. However, manufacturing in Libya has not proved successful, as the population of Libya is not large enough to sustain a large-scale manufacturing sector. Not only does manufacturing require a large population for labor source, but domestic manufactures need a large and growing domestic market to sell their products in order to succeed. After mining and hydrocarbon, agriculture is the second biggest sector in Libya. However, they still rely heavily upon imports for food.26 Another major problem in the Libyan economy has been high unemployment rates. The government artificially keeps unemployment rates low by over-employing people in the public sector. The government uses oil revenue to pay for public sector employees, in order to avoid unrest resulting from unemployment. Still, youth unemployment in Libya is a huge issue. Youth unemployment was over 50% for people under 20 before the civil war. Additionally, the education system is not competent enough to produce a labor force sufficiently skilled to compensate for the demand of the petroleum industry in Libya. As a consequence, there is a large expatriate labor force in Libya.27

Colonialism in Libya

Libya was divided into three different provinces: in the northwest, Cyrenaica in the East, and Fezzan in the Southwest. The Ottomans governed this area until the Italo-Turkish war of 1911-1912. After the Ottoman defeat, Italy started governing Libya. However, it was not called Libya until 1934 when the provinces of Tripolitania and Cyrenaica merged into one unit. Later, in 1951 Fezzan became part of Libya once it gained independence. The borders of Libya reflect great power politics rather than local choices. 28

23"Tunisia Profile." BBC News. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Nov. 2014. 24 Timeline of the Libyan Civil War before military intervention, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_the_Libyan_Civil_War_before_military_intervention 25Romero, Frances. "Gaddafi's Nepotism." TIme Magazine. Time Inc, 16 May 2011. Web. 5 Nov. 2014. 26"Factbook: Libya." Central Intelligence Agency. Central Intelligence Agency, n.d. Web. 18 Nov. 2014. 27Sito-Sucic, Daria. "Bosnian Firm Clinches $52mn Libya Deal." Arabian Business. Arabian Business Publishing Ltd., 27 Dec. 2007. Web. 28 Mann, Michael (2006). The dark side of democracy: explaining ethnic cleansing (2nd ed.). Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press. p. 309.

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Italy committed atrocities against the indigenous population of Libya, including mass forced movement of people, creation of concentration camps, and executions. During Mussolini’s rule in Italy, he used propaganda to garner support for his fascist regime in Libya. He declared himself Protector of Islam, in order to secure popularity in Libya. The fascist regime also emphasized infrastructure building and public works. During WWII, Libyan support for Italy was strong enough that many Libyans enlisted to fight for the Fascist Italian army.29 After WWII the provinces of Libya were divided among the British and the French. France controlled Fezzan, and Britain controlled Tripolitania and Cyrenaica. Then in 1949, the UN passed a resolution declaring Libya an independent state. The tribes that played a role to end colonization in Libya became more prominent in the newly independent Libya as a result of their stance.30

The Egyptian Revolution

The revolution in Egypt greatly influenced revolutionary ideology in Libya. In Egypt, the revolution was fairly swift and far less bloody than the civil war that Libya eventually descended into. In January of 2011, Egyptians took to the streets demanding that president leave office. One of the main factors leading to the revolution was the poor economic conditions, high youth unemployment, and major qualms with the government regarding corruption and nepotism. In Egypt, the military stepped in and prevented major bloodshed. By February of 2011, Mubarak stepped down from power. Libya’s geographical location, sandwiched as it is between two countries that staged a successful revolution and overthrow rather swiftly, affected their own revolution. One of the main concerns during the revolution in Egypt was arms infiltration from Libya.31 Libyan borders were left untended which provoked fears of arms bleeding out of Libya and exasperating the conflict in Egypt. Arms smuggling into Egypt from Libya is still a concern for the Egyptian government.32 Gaddafi also accused Egyptians of serving as paid mercenaries in the Libyan revolution.33 Relations between the two countries during their respective revolutions were rather strained.

29 ibid 30 ibid 31Aman, Ayah. "Egypt, Libya at Odds over Border Control - Al-Monitor: The Pulse of the Middle East." Al- Monitor. Al-Monitor, 11 May 2014. Web. 20 Nov. 2014. 32Bassiouni, Mustafa. "Will Egypt's Military Intervene to Secure Libyan Border? - Al-Monitor: The Pulse of the Middle East." Al-Monitor. Al-Monitor, 16 Mar. 2011. Web. 20 Nov. 2014. 33 Mohamaad Hosam. "Egypt 'aids Libyan Rebels against Gadhafi'" UPI. N.p., 9 Mar. 2011. Web. 20 Nov. 2014.

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Tribes:

34 Libya has more than 140 tribes and influential families, with 30 that are considered major political players. Often tribal affiliations trump national Libyan identity. Around 15% of Libyans have no tribal associations, but the rest rely on their tribes for everything from protection to employment.35 Tribal associations are geographically based, where a population majority of one tribe in one region translates to their control over that region. Libyans depend on their tribes for laws, security, and other public goods. They pay taxes to their respective tribes still.36 Gaddafi based his rule on three tribes that controlled all major positions in the intelligence services, armed forces, and the police force. His own tribe was the Gaddafi tribe. Besides that, he allied himself to Maqariha, his wife’s tribe, and Warfalla, which is the largest tribe in the country. His power base was primarily in the West of the country. When the revolution broke, it was the most active in the East, which goes to show the power of tribal affiliations in Libya. Places like Surt, where his tribe had the most influence held out the longest and resisted revolution. The Misurata tribe, mostly influencing the East in cities like Benghazi and Darneh, was the biggest opponent of Gaddafi. They played a major role in his overthrow.37 Tribes are a very important part of the Libyan social fabric, and any solution regarding this country must take tribal relations into account. Long-term instability means stronger tribal bonds.38

34Kaplan, Seth. "Understanding Libya: The Role of Ethnic and Tribal Groups in Any Political Settlement." Fragile States. Fragile States Resource Center, 2013. Web. 20 Nov. 2014. 35ibid 36Kurczy, Stephen, and Drew Hinshaw. "Libya Tribes: Who's Who?" The Christian Science Monitor. The Christian Science Monitor, 24 Feb. 2011. Web. 20 Nov. 2014. 37 ibid 38Kurczy, Stephen, and Drew Hinshaw. "Libya Tribes: Who's Who?" The Christian Science Monitor. The Christian Science Monitor, 24 Feb. 2011. Web. 20 Nov. 2014.

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Actors in this Committee:

National Transition Council members and factions ** Please not that additional research on your individual character is required in order to be successful within the committee. You will notice I have grouped some of the characters into “factions” because they share similar ideologies and will pursue similar goals. The remainder of the characters are “independents” that will attempt to fulfill their own independent ideology or improve the lot of their tribe. Some of the following characters are not real people and will have an (*) by their name. If you have questions pertaining to one of the fictional characters please email the chair.

Nationalists The Nationalists support a unified, centralized Libyan government. Nationalists believe that tribalism, as well as divisions over religious issues, only weaken the Libyan people, and in order to have a bright, successful future, those petty differences must be set aside. The Nationalists in the National Transition Council are Mustafa Abdu Jalil, Omar El-Hariri, and Ahmed al Benghazi. 1. Abdu Jalil served as the Minister of Justice for the Gaddafi regime, but was known for ruling consistently against it in court. He has a strong stance in support of human rights and would like to hold a high position in the new government. 39 2. Omar El-Hariri was involved in the initial coup that put Gaddafi in power but later attempted to overthrow Gaddafi in 1975. He has been under house arrest for the past few years but has escaped in order to fight with the revolutionaries. Some believe he would be an adept military leader and he would like to try and establish himself as the commander in chief of a united Libyan army.40 3. * Ahmed Al Benghazi was one of the first people protesting in the streets of Benghazi and ever since then he has become something of a leader among the common protestors. He is famous for wearing shirts and carrying banners that criticize the tribalism that is so prominent in Libya. He can call on his supporters to demonstrate, protest, or riot in Benghazi where he is extremely influential. The delegate playing Ahmed should focus on researching Arab spring protests and protestors.

Gaddafi Loyalists The men who support Muammar Gaddafi are powerhouses in Libya. They have achieved their positions because of Gaddafi’s good graces and believe that Gaddafi should continue to be the father of the revolution and guide the Libyan people towards their glorious future. They believe that if this so called “revolution” continues it will only result in death and will ultimately undo all the good that has been accomplished since Gaddafi’s revolution. The Gaddafi partisans in the National Transition Council are Saif al-Islam Gaddafi and Kalzeubet Deby.

39 "." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 20 Nov. 2014. Web. 21 Nov. 2014. 40 Smith, Graeme. "How a Onetime Friend to Gadhafi Became His Rival." The Globe and Mail. The Globe and Mail, 2 Mar. 2011. Web. 21 Nov. 2014.

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1. Saif Al-Islam is the son of Gaddafi and as such wholeheartedly defends his father’s regime against the dirty pigs that have been coerced by the west into rebelling. He, obviously, has many friends in the regime and army.41 2. * Kalzeubet Deby is Gadafi’s mercenary commander. He doesn’t particularly care about Libya or Libyans but the Gadaffi regime has always paid him well and if the regime crumbles he and his men are out of a job. That being said, he really only cares about the money. His mercenaries are the most well trained fighting force in the country.

Islamists Islamists want Libya to go back to its Islamic roots. They believe that all of the troubles of modern Libya are a result of a lack of piety by its people. The Gaddafi regime has corrupted Islam and insulted the very framework that binds arab society together. The Islamists want to establish an Islamic state based on Shariah, the Quran, and the Sunnah. The Islamists in the National Transition Council are Muhammed al-Senusi, Omar al-Tripoli, and Abu Bakr Al-Fateh. All of the Islamists have the ability to issue fatwa’s (religious decrees) and as such they hold a lot of sway with devout muslims. They can also call for jihad or holy war. For delegates playing Islamist it is important to research Islam and the role of religious leaders in muslim society.42 1. * Muhammed al-Senusi is a member of the Senusi sufi order and derives his values from that order and his hero Ali al-Senusi. He is also a descendent of the old king Idris. Some want him to establish the ideal Islamic society by resurrecting the monarchy and ruling as king. 43 2. * Omar al-Tripoli is an Islamic scholar who believes Islam should be interpreted in a rational fashion. He is a literalist who believes Muslims should adhere to the Quran in a very strict way. 3. * Abu Bakr Al-Fateh is a moderate Sunni imam who believes that his countrymen need to return to their faith. He has traveled far and wide trying to lead Islamic revivals.

Tribal The following delegates are men whose allegiance is owed entirely to their individual tribes. Each man controls a militia made up from men from his tribe. Delegates playing tribal leaders should research the individual tribe they represent and tribalism as a whole. 44 45 1. * Amin Warfalla— Warafalla is the biggest tribe in Libya. As such, it is hugely influential. Gaddafi allied himself to the Warafalla tribe early in his rule in order to secure his leadership. However, when the revolution started, the Warfalla tribe quickly joined the anti- government camp.46

41 "Saif Al-Islam Gaddafi." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 20 Nov. 2014. Web. 21 Nov. 2014. 42 BBC News. BBC, n.d. Web. 20 Nov. 2014. 43 "Senussi." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 19 Nov. 2014. Web. 21 Nov. 2014. 44 Archie Mafeje (1971). The Ideology of ‘Tribalism’. The Journal of Modern African Studies, 9, pp 253-261. doi:10.1017/S0022278X00024927. 45 Correspondent, Peter Apps Political Risk. "Factbox: Libya's Tribal, Cultural Divisions." . Thomson Reuters, 25 Aug. 2011. Web. 21 Nov. 2014. 46 "Warfalla." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 16 Nov. 2014. Web. 21 Nov. 2014.

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2. * Muhammed Gaddafi— The Qadhadhfa is Maumar Gaddafi’s tribe. It is also one of the tribes of the Western part of Libya. Although it is not quite large in population, it was influential because Maumar Gaddafi appointed people from his tribe to key positions in the government. They were loyal to Gaddafi to the very end because before Gaddafi’s rule, they had very little power. Even now the city of Sirte, where the tribe is centered, resists new government establishments. 47 3. * Ibrahim Misurata—Misurata was the biggest opposition to the Gaddafi regime when the revolution broke. One of the most important factors to their resistance is their geographical location. Misurata is from the northwestern part of Libya. Additionally, many members of the Misurata tribe started to urbanize and were more exposed to revolutionary ideology from Tunisia. 4. * Idris Zawiya— Zuwaya is an Eastern tribe that opposed the Gaddafi regime. They threatened to stop the flow of oil to the Western region of Libya unless violence against the people stopped. Additionally, being form the East, they were exposed to Egyptian revolutionary ideology.

Independents 1. * Abdulla ibn Mahmoud, the secular academic: He wants a democratic secular Libyan state. He is not necessarily pushing un-Islamic ideology but he is not interested in having religion involved in government in any way. He was educated in Europe and has many important connections in Europe. He has the ability to call for, and influence, whether the west will give foreign aid to Libya. 2. * Yassin Amer, Egyptian foreign minister: He is concerned primarily about loose borders, arms and jihadist ideology flowing into Egypt. The Egyptian foreign minister will doubtlessly pursue Egyptian interests, but those may change throughout the course of the committee. He is a highly influential man in the Egyptian government and influences Egypt’s policy regarding Libya. 3. * Mahmoud Sobe, Representative from the Libyan oil company: Primarily concerned with the economy of Libya. He will prioritize security and stability over any other concerns like tribal affiliations or political affinities. His main aim to get Libya to become secure again so investment in the economy and especially in the oil industry can resume. He effectively controls shipment of oil at the beginning of the committee. However the oil trade can be interrupted by militias, war etc.

Questions to Consider: The following are a series of questions to consider. Hopefully they will guide you in your research, but if you have any problems or questions at all, do not hesitate to contact the chair, especially if you are having trouble with research. I. Did your character have a relationship with the Gaddafi regime? If so, then what was the nature of that relationship? II. What role does your character think the religion of Islam should play in Libyan society? III. Does your character have any special kind of influence? Can they call for certain kinds of actions that other characters can’t?

47 "Qadhadhfa." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 16 Nov. 2014. Web. 21 Nov. 2014.

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IV. Who do you think will be your most likely allies? How can you push different factions to support your vision for Libya’s future? V. What role would your character want the West, i.e. France, The , NATO, to fill in the current crisis, if any? VI. What role, if any, should countries like Egypt and Tunisia play in Libya, considering they are experiencing similar issues? VII. Does your character want a powerful centralized state or a decentralized one, or perhaps no state at all? VIII. How would your character view the others in the committee? Would he see them as fellow Libyans united under a common flag? Or would he identify members of the committee by tribe or religious sect or affiliation?

Supplemental Readings: The following is a list of readings and some websites that might help get you started with your research in addition to the footnotes (which are hyperlinked). I. The Middle East edited by Ellen Lust contains detailed profiles for every Middle Eastern country, as well as some analysis of current events happening in them. II. The Pulse of the Middle East is a great website for looking up old news articles. III. Both the BBC and the CIA Factbook have great country profiles.

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