Libyans express disappointment at government

Around 200 men staged protests in Martyr’s Square in the Libyan capital of Tripoli on Friday, demanding justice for 15 soldiers who died in an ambush by loyalists of the late leader, Muammar Qaddafi, 2 days ago.

The protesters demonstrated their disappointment with the interim government, urging the leaders to penalize those responsible for the attack that took place near Bani Walid, one of the last Qaddafi strongholds during the war.

According to witnesses, the fighters were attacked with grenades and weapons when they came to the city from Tripoli to arrest a Qaddafi loyalist.

One fighter said that they encountered road blocks, only to then be attacked from all sides, with shooting apparently coming from houses.

At the same time, the Amazighs, Libya’s ethnic minority, rallied on the other side of the square. They were demanding there be a representative of their community in the new cabinet, which was sworn in on Thursday.

"Are you (Prime Minister, Abdurrahim al-Keib) a racist or is that a mistake? If that is a mistake go ahead and fix it. If you are a racist, its not what we had our revolution (for), to put a racist at the top of our government,” one resident said.

The Amazigh, or Berbers, faced oppression under Qaddafi’s rule, and are concerned that the new government is overlooking their plight.

Speaker:

Wail Muammer - Amazigh protester