Libyans Celebrate `Eid Without Gaddafi

::jseblod::onislam_article::/jseblod::::onislamarticleaction::::/onislamarticleaction::::artpretitle:: ::/artpretitle::::artsubtitle:: ::/artsubtitle::::artseries:: ::/artseries::::artlead::Libyans celebrated `Eid Al-Fitr, which crowns the end of the fasting month of Ramadan, on Wednesday, August 31, their first feast without Muammar Gaddafi in four decades::/artlead::::artepigraph:: ::/artepigraph::::artbody::TRIPOLI – Libyans celebrated `Eid Al-Fitr, which crowns the end of the fasting month of Ramadan, on Wednesday, August 31, their first feast without Muammar Gaddafi in four decades."This is the most beautiful Eid and most beautiful day in 42 years," Hatem Gureish, 31, a merchant from Tripoli, told Reuters.Hundreds of jubilant Libyans gathered in the capital's newly renamed Martyrs' Square, for morning prayers to celebrate `Eid Al-Fitr."It is the most beautiful prayers," said Gureish."We are filled with joy, Gaddafi made us hate our lives ... We come here to express our joy at the end of 42 years of repression and deprivation."Security was tight at the Tripoli square where Gaddafi had been due to commemorate the 42nd anniversary of the coup he led on September 1.Sniffer dogs checked worshippers and gunmen stood on rooftops to guard against an attack by Gaddafi loyalists."There may be some pockets of Gaddafi forces but generally the capital is secure," interim interior minister Ahmad Darat told Reuters."We have created a security team to manage the crisis and preserve security in the capital."Gaddafi's forces have been expelled from the capital Tripoli earlier this month by Libyan opposition forces.Opposition fighters pushing from east and west toward Gaddafi's home town of Sirte paused, observing an effective truce until a surrender deadline set by their leaders expires on Saturday.NATO warplanes have been bombing Gaddafi forces near the coastal city, and the alliance has assured its Libyan allies that it will see the mission through.The National Transitional Council (TC) says the war will end only when Gaddafi is captured or killed.Darat said he hoped to build up new security forces to absorb some of the young fighters who joined the battle against Gaddafi."Our goal is to implement justice for everybody, including Gaddafi loyalists," he said.Freedom `EidMany Libyans are jubilant that this year's `Eid will be free of Gaddafi."This is a day of freedom, a day I cannot describe to you," Fatima Mustafa, 28, a pregnant woman wearing a black chador, told Reuters."It's as if I own the world. I'm glad I haven't given birth yet so my daughter can be born into a free Libya."Seeking to heal scars left by Gaddafi's 42-year rule, NTC leaders may want United Nations help in setting up a new police force, but see no role for international peacekeepers or observers."They are very seriously interested in assistance with policing to get the public security situation under control and gradually develop a democratically accountable public security force," Ian Martin, special UN envoy for post-conflict planning in Libya, said at the United Nations in New York."We don't now expect military observers to be requested," he said."It's very clear that the Libyans want to avoid any kind of military deployment of the UN or others."Libyans who revolted against Gaddafi in February, needed NATO air power to help them win, but, given their country's unhappy colonial history, they remain wary of foreign meddling.The NTC, keen to assert its grip and relieve hardship after six months of war, won a $1.55 billion cash injection when the UN Sanctions Committee released banknotes in Britain in frozen Gaddafi accounts.The new leaders said Libya may start pumping oil again in days.Oil production could restart within weeks and reach full pre-war output within 15 months, the newly appointed chairman of the National Oil Corporation (NOC) said on Tuesday."Starting up production will be within weeks, not months. After we start it will take less than 15 months," Nouri Berouin, chairman of the NOC, told Reuters.::/artbody::::artendnote:: ::/artendnote::::artfootnote:: ::/artfootnote::::artmainimage::oimedia/onislamen/images/mainimages/Libya Eid Gaddafi1.JPG::/artmainimage::::artcaption::Libyans celebrate their first `Eid without Gaddafi::/artcaption::::artalt::Libya, Gaddafi, `Eid::/artalt::::artauthor:: ::/artauthor::::artboximage::::/artboximage::::artinterviewer:: ::/artinterviewer::::artcompiler:: ::/artcompiler::::artreviewer:: ::/artreviewer::::arttranslator:: ::/arttranslator::::artsource::OnIslam & News Agencies::/artsource::::artreference:: ::/artreference::::artlink1::Grieving Libyans Celebrate Freedom `Eid::/artlink1::::artlinkurl1::http://www.onislam.net/english/news/africa/453710-grieving-libyans-await-freedom-eid.html::/artlinkurl1::::artlink2::Humanitarian Crisis Unfolds in Tripoli::/artlink2::::artlinkurl2::http://www.onislam.net/english/news/africa/453687-tripoli-looming-humanitarian-crisis.html::/artlinkurl2::::artlink3::Divided Libyans Share Ramadan Spirit::/artlink3::::artlinkurl3::http://www.onislam.net/english/news/africa/453305-divided-libyans-share-ramadan-spirit.html::/artlinkurl3::::artlink4::Bitter Ramadan for Grieving Libyans::/artlink4::::artlinkurl4::http://www.onislam.net/english/news/africa/453286-bitter-ramadan-for-grieving-libyans.html::/artlinkurl4::::artlink5::Did Gaddafi Flee to Algeria?::/artlink5::::artlinkurl5::http://www.onislam.net/english/news/africa/453683-did-gaddafi-flee-to-algeria.html::/artlinkurl5::::button_submit::::/button_submit::::jseblodend::::/jseblodend::