Coffee Break : Jobseeker’s Diary

What a nail-biting week it’s been for me! The events in Libya are to blame. But for the deaths of many civilians and rebels with a good cause, news from Libya has been like watching a thriller. No prizes for guessing whose side I’m on. They may be inexperienced and disorganized at times but no one can dispute the rebels’ courage. Many of their colleagues have died over the six months the uprising has lasted, which is very unfortunate but wherever they are now, I’m sure they are celebrating their colleagues’ victory. I have to say I’m still nervous, just like the rebels and the majority of Libyans. Everybody keeps reminding us that Gaddafi has a thousand tricks up his sleeve and that we shouldn’t celebrate yet and they could be right. When the good rebels, like I call them first invaded Tripoli, I was worried. Everything was happening so fast. Like many, I feared it was a set up and I could see the headlines on the news the following day. “Rebels fall to Gaddafi’s army” or in Gaddafi’s colourful language, “We have defeated the rats.” When that didn’t happen, I breathed a sigh of relief and asked God to continue protecting the rebels. There have been many setbacks and Gaddafi loyalists will continue to fight back for months, perhaps even years to come but there is no going back. I remember when one of Gaddafi’s sons who had been reported captured reappeared and bragged that they had lured the rebels into a trap. His arrogance gave me chills and showed that there are people who will do anything to stay in power. At one point, I had sympathized with the rest of Gaddafi’s family, thinking that the children and wives shouldn’t pay for the father’s sins. I even felt sad when he lost some of his children and grandchildren during the attacks. Saif-al-Islam’s insolence eroded all my sympathies however. The way he pranced before reporters, vowing to fight on, would disgust the most good-natured person. This family treats Libya and Libyans like something they bought in a supermarket. I wondered if they even watch news or listen to radio. Do they have any idea how tired Libyans are of them? Probably not, since many people in high places are said to live in a bubble. Funny how those close to the colonel still think they’ll win the war. Back to my nerves about the rebels gaining and losing ground in Tripoli, I was at least relieved it was the son who reappeared. Still, I worry that the big gun himself will creep out of one of his holes soon and cause more mayhem. I pray that day never comes. Over the past few days, his rants have reduced too. Could he really be cornered? We can only hope so. And to think that he had a chance to leave with his dignity intact? Had he done that, he could have been chilling on that Spanish Island he bought with Taxpayers’ money, with his voluptuous nurse or any of those gorgeous female bodyguards he surrounded himself with. He would also have access to his multi-million dollar fortune, also amassed in non-honourable ways, and no one would have touched him. Instead, he was blinded by greed and chose to cling to power. Not even the fate of his “brothers” Ben Ali and Mubarak could stop him. We can only wait and see where it all ends but it’s likely to be one of two things. He will either be killed or captured and if we are lucky, we’ll be treated to the sight of another “big man” locked in a cage. If that happens, it will be one of those “picture worth a thousand words” moments. I can’t wait to see that. To be continued…nsophie77@yahoo.com