Caught up in somebody else's war
We’d barely got through the imposing entrance to Khamis army base in southern Tripoli when all hell broke loose.
Suddenly armed anti-Gaddafi fighters appeared, shoving and hitting nine black men into the guard post at the main gate.
They plainly believed they were pro-Gaddafi mercenaries. There was no evidence at hand. They said they had seized guns but couldn’t produce them.
The men were clearly terrified.
“Please,” they begged us, “please don’t go. Don’t leave us. They will kill us.”
Another just asked me: “Will they shoot us? Please tell me Sir. Will they shoot us?”
Herded into a corner, a gunman started slapping them. We asked him to stop.
“They are with Gaddafi. We know this. They had guns.”
“Show me the guns,” I said.
No guns arrived. Some of the men crossed themselves, sweating, praying. One began weeping softly.
Plainly we had to stay with them. A friend of mine here – another journalist – says he witnessed an anti-Gaddafi fighter executing one of the colonel’s men this week. We had to stay.
They said their women were “in the bush” close by. So we asked the fighters to take one of these terrified men as a guide, film the women as proof these men were not mercenaries, show it to the fighters and – insh’allah – god willing – we could all get on with life.
Somehow it worked. You could see the fighters’ interest in these men begin to ebb away.
Water arrived – though in truth most of it was ours. They were allowed out to cool under a water- sprinkler.
“Thankyou habibi,” (friend) they said to one of the fighters. He in turn kissed their heads.
Yet the fear was still there. All nine sensed a trap, a false kiss before the bullet out of sight from prying journalists.
“Please, please stay,” they kept whispering.
And things calmed further. They were allowed to speak to us. Then give interviews.
All nine were Nigerian. Most were heading for the people-traffickers to try to get to Europe – Italy they said. Two claimed to be car mechanics and working here for several years and they had reasonable Arabic to underpin that claim.
Eventually they were freed to go. It had been tense for them, more, it had been utterly terrifying.
These were hungry, thirsty and desperate people, apparently caught up in the midst of somebody else’s war.
To be a black African in the wrong part of town at the wrong time is to be in a very frightening place. Rotting bodies lie in the streets a around the Salaheddin district on which the base lies.
Locals are quick to point to the massacre sites around this base – but whose are the odd bodies decomposing here and there?
Locals are not so forthcoming and tend to shrug. The product of anti-Gaddafi executions?
So what if we hadn’t been there this morning as the screaming and beating was going on would we have had a few more corpses in Tripoli?
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There are 15 comments on this post
Hi Alex,
I just wanted to say that I have been transfixed by your coverage with the rebels. Do you think that they really will be able to get it together and create a democratic state or is the whole thing going to dissolve into tribalism ?
“armed anti-Gaddafi fighters” – why not just call them rebels? Or more accurately mercenaries trained with Erik Prince and his private army. I suppose I should be thankful that you’re not deliberately lying to your audience like the BBC – see http://bsnews.info/BBC_Propaganda.html
Nice to see that you had the heart not to hand the Nigerians to the rebels when you had the temptation to do. I do hope that they did away into some sort of safety your piece did not revealed their fate which is the saddest thing.
Well done AT! Not only does it sound like you and your teams presence has saved lives but also we have what seems some real reporting. I have found it hard to watch the mainstream media coverage where we are told one set of people killing are good and the other bad. That NATO are protecting civilians (when clearly they are also killing them). That Gaddafi forces have committed atrocities (but no mention of any committed by Rebels/NATO).
Did this make the main news?
Are there any vacant hotels for Tomo to sleep in?
How does he relax with such mayhem.
Its teh adrenaline kicking in that keeps him alert when his whole boby wishes to collase.
i’ve never understood int hese war zones, where tehy say food and water is unavailable what do the jounalists and their crew eat:
Do they jsut bring a supply of dfry foods, choclate bars; If he has no where to brsuh his teeth; Must get through ample dedocarnt as they have nowhere to shower; Wonder how ofetn they get to put on a clean pair of undeies
Please accept my thanks for your actions in saving the lives of 9 of my countrymen, the Nigerian government of course ignores the fate of these people driven from home by their useless policies. Thank you for your actions
Yes it did make the main news bulletin last night (Sunday) if I remember correctly.
As usual AT I feel glad to know you weren’t just concerned with getting the report. As you have shown so many times your humanity and thoughtful approach shine through. Sadly the same can’t be said for all the journalists working in the same field, who even manipulate and get carried away with glorifying war. Keep safe.
I’ve always had misgivings about the current US backed uprising in Libya. One can’t help but wonder at the atrocities being carried out there by the rebels in the name of freedom fighting.
Alex.
Thanks for saving the lives of my countrymen. Our government (Nigerian) rushes to recognize a the “Rebels” a group that is implicit in widespread killing of black Africans under a spurious guise that they are Ghadafi Mercenaies.
When the first priority must be he welfare of Nigerians whereever they are.
British and western governmets supplying arms to libya rebels to kill black africans. The blood of the innocent black africans is on the british and other western countries.
How can the British govt claim these people are the sole representatives of the Libyan people when they’ve issued an ultimatum to the remaining towns in Libya that are yet to be under their control. What kind of revolution is it that is not embraced by everyone? The last place to be racist is Africa. Given the veiled threats made to Algeria, I suspect that an embolded Nato backed rebel govt is the last thing Africa needs. Destabilisation will no doubt become more prominent in Africa.
Dear Alex,
On behalf of many Nigerians,both at home and in diaspora we say a BIG THANK YOU to you.Not only for the coverage and reporting this,but you have also given us better insight to the plight of the poor West African migrants,who could not made it to the evacuation point earlier during the break out of war.
You have one way or the other given hopes to the mothers and relations of those 9 LIVES,not just Nigerians and someday we pray,uncommon favor shall come your way too,in dire time of need.Amen
The double standards NATO employ are disgraceful. By backing this unknown bunch of NATO armed Libyan’s, who don’t have the authority from the Libyan nation as a whole to rule the country, and still have a head of state. ‘Friends of Libya’ (Sarkozy & Cameron) NATO/world leaders has jumped the gun by holding ‘special talks’ in Paris over Libya. Think of Burma, and other nations who have had legitimate elected leaders only to be overturned by military force. NATO hasn’t helped Aung San Suu Kyi and her party return to power. Seems to me NATO are akin to the Burmese junta, ensuring military might wins out above the concerns of ordinary citizens of that country. As for Africa, there is a lot of information on the net regarding NATO/US desire to establish military bases all over Africa, in order to protect their own interests, and interfere in others, particularly regarding rescourses, oil etc., .