POLITICS

The Leader meets with the Legislative Legal and Human Rights Committee of the Arab Transitional Parliament.

[The RCM in association with JANA13-14.02.2008] The leader of the Revolution met with the Legislative, Legal and Human Rights Committee of the Arab Transitional Parliament which began its meeting this afternoon in Tripoli. The meeting is devoted to set the statute of the permanent Arab Parliament.

During this meeting an intellectual political dialogue was conducted between the Leader and the head and members of the committee in the presence of the Speaker of Arab Transitional Parliament, its Secretary General, Assistant Secretary, its Rapporteur and the Assistant Secretary of the General People's Congress, about the Arab state of affairs in this era that surpassed the national state and where the world map has become consisting of huge spaces and entities.

Assistant Secretary of General People's Congress pointed out that the Leader underlined, during this meeting, which the Arabs are behind in building their national entity and they wasted time instead of saving time to build their unified establishments and developing the Arab League when there was a possibility to establish their national entity.

The Assistant Secretary said in a statement to Jana reporter following this meeting: "The leader made it clear that we introduced projects and proposals at the top of which was The Arab Union project that includes very important and useful details if they were endorsed by the Arabs they would have overcame their current crisis.

But unfortunately, they did not pay attention to that and a new stage followed where the world has changed and there was new globalization and spaces, while the Arabs are still divided and in a very bad and difficult situation. They do not belong to any space since they are not with Asia or with Africa or with Europe".

The Assistant Secretary indicated in his statement that the Arab Transitional Parliament and members of Legislative, Legal and Human Rights Committee of this Parliament appealed to the Leader to support them in recognition of his wisdom and long struggle for unity.

They saluted the leader's struggle, underlining his tireless efforts and great sacrifices, so they are in need of his moral support.

The Assistant Secretary added, in his statement, that the leader expressed his readiness to support any Unitarian action especially for the Arab Parliament as a national establishment, calling upon members of this Parliament to develop their work to actually become advocates of the interests of the Arab masses.

At the outset of the dialogue, the Leader of the Revolution indicated that: "the establishment of the parliament is a good move, but there is readiness to call for regional unities, tripartite unity or bilateral. The rulers lagged in this respect, especially the Arabs; the world has changed rapidly; the world's map changed and became in a better form and on new bases; our past information and currency are no longer effective in the current market of globalization.

Unfortunately, when it is too late, they are still running behind development.

I frankly tell you, without any compliments; I neither cheat the Arab national, nor others; I tell the truth always; the past stage was the stage of the national unities; the states, before, were formed on the national basis.

When you say Persians, it means the Iranian state, that means the Persian nationalism forms the state of Iran; and when you say, for instance, Turkish, then this means the Turkish state; when you say China; what is China? China is a great nation, and so is when you say Saxon. Britons are one state; Italians are one State; Germans are one State; the American are one State; and any one enters America and attains its nationality, becomes an American, consequently the American state was formed.

The Unitarian Arabs struggled during that time in order to realize the unity of their nation, similar to those nations, but nothing was achieved, because there had been internal and external factors that played key role to frustrate the Unitarian project, no matter whether the project led by Jamal Abdul Nasser or the project that was led by the Great al-Fatah revolution or any other previous attempts led by revolutionary parties or national baathist and Arab parties.

All of them tried and called for the national unity, serious attempts have been conducted; revolutions and coups took place, some people sacrificed; others sent to jail; some people lost their lives for this goal.

But, unfortunately that stage has passed; and the world entered another stage; it is neither a stage of nationalism, religion, language nor culture... that means the huge demographic spaces, discarding sex, colour, language and religion.

The European Union is now on its way to become one state, with one currency, one army, one visa, and one central bank. North America is made up of 50 countries like us... they created one space and one state. South America could set up a union or United States. Africa now we transformed it into the African Union from Organization of African Unity with the ultimate goal of creating the United States of Africa.

The ASEAN group is forming up and will transform into one state at some point, with a unified currency and a common market. The south pacific, Asian nations and the Indian Ocean, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Srilanka despite the current animosity between India and Pakistan will be driven by the tide of globalization to create one space to serve their common interests. China is a power of its own right, the Commonwealth of Independent States which is made up of former Soviet Union countries will follow suit.

This means that the world map is made up at most of 7 to 10 countries.

He who does not belong to a big space have no leverage, no huge consumer market no huge productivity and indeed no competitive edge in a multi-trillion exports market and hence no chance to survive.

The national state, which we got used to it, is diminishing, because it has lost much of components of its existence that was taken by the globalization and other sides.

The Arabs have bad luck, there are now existing on improper geographical area... some of them are in Asia, some in Africa; they are not in Asia, but they are at the edges of Asia; some of them are closer to the Mediterranean than Asia; some are separated in the Arab peninsula and in the gulf... separated from Asia and Africa as well; they are alone and they are concerning neither the Mediterranean, Africa nor Asia; they are separated from all.

The Arabs live their lives in this way, wasting time, whereas the world is changing. In this world, there are serious men who are building new situation and new future, like the Europeans who are serious to build the strong Europe; the American, on the other hand, are serious to defend the United States of America despite of various ethnic divisions.

Only the Arabs who are not serious, as if they are not living in the world, now; it is regrettable thing. 

Nowadays, nationalism, religion and language are no longer acceptable currency in this area of spaces.

Two third of Arabs are in Africa; Africa is their space; and when you mention another Arab state, or another place, then it has no concern to him and has no relation with it.

Africa is a demographic space; it is people, land and common soil.. Common faith... common future. There will be common market, one unit, one army, one central bank and one Africa identity; it must be like this before Europe, Latin America, North America, China, ASEAN, the independent countries and the Indian Ocean.

Arabs are torn before the globalization between Asia and Africa; we, the two third, are Africans; we are seeking to build Africa... The African Union or the United States of Africa if we can in future.

The Arabs who are not with us in Africa do not take part to this process... one can tell you: I am not African, but can not tell you I am not Arab... imagine, you are an Arab and you are an Arab, but he tells you this is an African and this is not.

Any one from Mozambique or from Ethiopia tells you: I am not an Asian... I am an African.

Therefore, nationalism does not gather us, but the geographical location and demography do.

Yemeni tells you: I am not an African, although his is close to Africa; he tells that he is an Arab, but not African. Therefore the decision is whether he is an African or not; and it is not whether he is an Arab or not.

How do People from Gulf or Arab Peninsula answer if they asked to what entity they belong?

This is the current reality. At last the Arabs start to think of a parliament. I am not sure if the notion came as part of the fashion prevailing in the world. They watched the world, and began to imitate, with no sincerity for there existed other things that take precedence over the parliament.

I mean establishment of such parliament is a good idea which we encourage. But if sincerity and a comprehensive thinking are there, there are a host of characteristics that come with entity. How can be the parliament alone? is it a legislative or consultative?, if legislative, to whom it makes legislation?, what are the other authorities that are accountable to it?, where is the one judicial and executive authority?

It is good, a word that should be put in a sentence to make a cohesion.

If you put this before the Arab Summit, or elsewhere they will not respond, they will have no sincerity. If you ask them to create one state, one union, they will not respond. Arabs harbour more animosity to their fellow Arabs than to their enemy. For example Israelis are closer to Arabs than Arabs to their fellow Arabs, they embrace each other, while an Arab does not talk to an Arab... there is animosity between a large numbers of Arab countries. A total break up, closed borders and threats of wars unfortunately.

What should Iraq say about Arabs who carried US tanks on their shoulders and entered them into the homes of Iraqi women? What Iraq can say about Arabs in Future? Should he ally itself with the devil against the Arabs? So is the Palestinian who was betrayed by the Arabs.

The Arabs have quarter of the global petroleum reserve... it is supposed that whole world should be bowing down to Arabs, but now the Arabs are the ones who are bowing down to Americans and Europeans .. They give petroleum and in addition to that they bow down... it is regrettable, there is no seriousness.

The parliament is good now, but we have neither established another political entity nor political or economical unity.

Relations among Arabs are like the relations with foreign states... any foreign state and foreign state... they are Arabs and have one land; they are brothers, as if we are one family; but politically, economically and practically we are foreign states...each one has its own currency... the currency is dinar in this country, and the pound in that; each country has its own budget; this country has an army; that country has an army too; this has income; this does not have; this has friends; friends of this are enemy of that; we have borders separating us and passports; we have our own economy, clearance and accounts between us... As if you are exactly dealing with a foreign state... that means there is nothing.

It might be said that this is an Arab and an Arab, but from the economical, political and practical points of view, they are foreign states.

When it comes to our neighbours, Tunisia and others, Libyan interrelations with Chad and Niger are better off than that with Tunisia, Algeria, Egypt and Sudan. We have barbed wires and gates between us. This is our Arab situation.

I think that you commit yourselves to go down this road and cling to it. You could have a chance to attract Arabs to do something serious.

The Arab Parliament demands so and so or it could well decide that there must be a political unity, a military unity a common market and one currency.

Having said this I must say I see a different reality, because it is hard for us in Africa to be with the Arabs in Asia though we are Arabs. Unity will never come because we are backward... if Arab unity involved the Arab North Africa, Syria and the Arab Peninsula, it would be an Arab state like Turkey occupying a part of Europe and other of Asia, and like Latin America where Mexico is Latin, as are Central America and the Caribbean. If they are united they would have taken parts of North America and South America.

If Arabs united and had one state covering North Africa, Syria and the peninsula, then Africa was established, it would become Africa beyond the Sahara on its own and we are a state to deal with it on this basis. But this does not happen.

Now there are 5+5 in the western Mediterranean overlooking the sea and then there is the eastern Mediterranean which is seeking to establish a gathering bringing together Turkey, Israelis, Palestinians, Syrians, Lebanese, Jordanians, and Egyptians, it could be an other gathering. The western Mediterranean which is 5+5 and the Gulf Cooperation Council which stands on its own. As for the Arab Maghreb, it turned into 5+5, there is no Arab Maghreb... there isn't such story.

I'm the president of the Arab Maghreb, I say the truth... there is nothing... there is geography... there are people, but on the side there is nothing... There are no relations on the contrary there are animosities... closed borders.

I want to tell you these facts which you certainly know yourselves. I only will say to you after introducing it in this manner that you strive to highlight it and to defend whatever can be defended; if there is a possibility of establishing an Arab entity and Arab unity, you do not suffice by holding parliament meetings but it should be an instigating tribune that incites Arabs to build other establishments in parallel to the parliament if there is a possibility to establish that.

We, in Africa will establish some thing similar to a state, Africa could become one state in the future and no one will ask you, are you an Arab or not an Arab.

Though, we have in Africa different languages, races and religions where there are those who are pagans, there are Christians and Muslims. There are races in Africa such as the Bantu, others Negroes, Arabs etc. They also do not speak one language since each African country has several languages within and speak with each other in English, French, Portuguese and Arabic, which are the prevailing languages; but we will establish one entity and we have decided to establish African Central Bank, African Monetary Fund and African Saving and Investment Bank, there is thinking in one currency in the future and an African Army and African Court and African identity.

We are serious; this is a continent that will unite because it is afraid to remain a backyard or a mine for others. The Africans are worried about themselves and in turn they will unite.

For Arabs, our situation is in the form that we talked about" (...)

Interposition of the Assistant Secretary of the General People's Congress:

This committee is legislative and legal; its function, during this meeting, is to organize constitutive act of the permanent parliament; Arab permanent parliament.

Brothers highly appreciate you, your efforts and struggle within the Arab context; you spoke of true things, which they agree on; they need your opinion and directives regarding the basic system of the parliament. They will adhere to the first idea you have presented, which is the idea of finding parallel institutions with the parliament to make it effective.

Interposition of Arab Transitional Parliament:

The point touched on by the Leader is an important point.

It is well known, brother Leader, that you are a Unitarian and you have been calling for the Arab unity since eruption of the Great al-Fatah Revolution; the Revolution erupted on a Unitarian basis, but your inspirations have not been realized, not because you were not right; it is because proper circumstances were not available .. This is the situation.

In my opinion, there is no Arab unity without the will of the people; I am sure that the majority of the people in the Arab countries want the Arab unity. The Arab parliament is, now, a reality; there won't be any chance for success if it remains as one institution ... There should be supporting institutions: Arab Fund Institution, Arab Joint Bank, Arab Market and the Arab Joint Court.

If these institutions are available, they will lead to an Arab solidarity hope that reaches the unity in another form, not immediate merger unity, but in future.

You, the Leader, have said very important words that the world consists of entities; and there are entities still being formed... Before collapse of the Soviet Union, there had been no approach in Latin America; there had been no approach in the Asia tigers whish are, now, the strongest economical power following the industrial world... Where are we compared to those? The words you have said are very important and so clear.

The Leader:

You are dreaming it... we will move from the constitutional bases.

You say we decided this and this in the parliament's constitution… each time you bring out this book and open it in the future and you say the constitution provides for this and that and do this, and then you will have reference in your argument with the rulers.

Intervention by a member of the committee:

Brother Leader, surely what you said reflects a tragedy which existed in the Arab world, but the Arab people still believe in that we belong to one Arab homeland... the fresh attempt which you kindly referred to views the issues before it through this perspective that it does not represent the Arab officials.

An example of this is the last Arab summit which took a decision to reactivate the Arab initiative, the decision was referred to the Arab parliament for opinion, and the parliament was so brave as to pinpoint the weaknesses in the decision and sent them to the next Arab summit... I mean there is no logic in keeping the issue of return vague and inconspicuous and there is no logic in keeping the issue of normalization subject of foggy explanations. There was a great deal of braveness.

A request was referred to us for drawing-up a strategy for Arab National Security. The Jamahiriya takes big credit, because this the land on which hosted the final session during which we drafted the strategy. There were contributions from all before the next Arab Summit.

The Arab parliament as the president said is in need of support. It acts as a representative of people not regimes. I was amazed when I joined the parliament by the distinguished level it reached; all members are thinking as Arab deputies. This boosts confidence because they are not concerned with sensitivities and ongoing problems.

Therefore we are optimistic, and we hope as the president said to be able to receive your support especially now through your prominent role and your instigation of other Arab brothers.

There had been several unity processes, I always remember when at the university that every two or three years there is a unionist project coming from the Jamahiriya, you offered material assistance I have all the records. Now there is a chance that the parliament starts with the statute that reflects its nature as a real parliament that does not represent official interests but that of the Arab citizens. We hope you wish us success and to give your instructions to start the requested assistance moral and material.

Brother Leader:

Ok I will... as I said this is a good step that should not be forsaken... it is a chance to draw the constitution, implicate them in constitutional clauses and start your struggle thereof. There should be a voice for the parliament in accordance with the constitution and a chance for it to become like the European Parliament, to have a say at least over in many issues, because its voice is heard.

Interposition by one of the Committee members:

We know that the world in 50 years from 3-- 50 years will change dramatically where countries will disintegrate, others will disappear and others will weaken.

This change that will take place will affect both the Arab and Muslim world, the governments will not remain in their present form, and the world will be run by multi-national companies. Those who write in this subject that the insurance companies will control every thing, sports' companies will control everything. That means the current FIFA model and even armies will consist of mercenaries, that means privatization even in the war fields.

These are the schemes of the super powers at this level.

We believe that Allah loves us as we believe that Allah loves His insistent servant and despite all the set backs in Arab unity, but the role of Libya and the Libyan Leader, that is your honorable person must continue in clarifying the vision for what the Arabs are to expect as a nation, identity, values and as a culture. This is the first direction.

The second direction is that the Arab boom now in the field of oil where Arab countries have gained huge profits, so why the Jamahiriya would not take an initiative at the Arab and even Islamic level in order to rationalize regimes and establishments to invest this big opportunity provided by this oil boom, so that our wealth will not be wasted only in construction.

The third point, I always wished and hoped while I was a student in France to come to Libya within the framework of student unions to support Libya and to support your leadership, that this country becomes the land of knowledge, to become a big refuge to form the Arab immigrant and non-immigrant generations at the knowledge and sciences levels, because I believe that there are Arab youth and Arab expertise and what the Jamahiriya provides in this respect will be the biggest service to be offered to the Arab homeland and to Islam.

Thank you.

The Leader: You may present these ideas that you have in writing.

Interposition by another committee member:

Brother Leader:

First of all I am very grateful to be in your presence, all of us know your stands towards the Arab nation as well as towards the peoples yearning for freedom.

Brother leader:

The Arab world or the Arab nation tried affiliation with the Eastern bloc and it failed, they tried affiliation with the western bloc and we know the meaning of dealing with the western bloc and the credibility of this bloc in its dealing with the Arab nation, and whether they actually gave us a helping hand to progress or the contrary is the case.

Brother leader:

I hope that with your wisdom you explain to us the importance of this Arab Parliament in the future and why not hold a meeting for our rulers to support this parliament.

So, my only request is with your wisdom and well-advised opinion to be our helper in this particular subject.

Interposition of another Committee's member:

In the name of God, most Gracious, most Merciful

We are very happy to meet the Leader; we have been and still following the thought of Brother "Muammar al-Qathafi on the Arab unity from the ocean to the gulf.

We live in an era - as you said your Excellency the Leader- that believes only in the regional blocs, especially the in economical and the technical aspects; regretfully the Arabs are torn and dispersed; I do not know why.

The conversation made me to talk about the Arab Maghreb; and you are presiding the Arab Maghrebian Union; you said in your right speech that there are closed borders and problems... your Excellency the Leader; you can help settlement of the existing problems in Africa, which became well-known at the international level.

In terms of the Arab parliament, we have a mission of struggle; you know that struggle has no specific time... the struggle is continuing... we may fail and may loose today; but it is important that we have an Arab mission for resistance; for fighting the enemy of the Arab nation.

It is regrettable as an Arab citizen to witness what is going on in Gaza and other places other than Gaza, while the Arabs are watching; the Arabs went to Annapolis... I said in an Arab Parliament meeting, what the Arabs will harvest from Annapolis? I mentioned, in my last interposition before the Arab parliament, the Arab summits held since 46... At that time there were only seven countries... Since 46, summit after summit, what have we got from those summits?

A bunch of Israelis rejoicing on the Arab homeland... that means Arab money and resources are used to hit Arabs... until when?

For the unity, your Excellency the Leader, please think and return to struggle for the United Arab States, if god willing, and not only for the United States of Africa.

Intervention by another member of the committee:

Brother Leader:

I would like to add my voice to colleagues who admire you for your unionist stance.

It is evidently true that your struggle history proved that you are a man of unitary thought and you follow word with deeds. History shall stand witness to this. This is what you do in the African continent as part of your aspiration and thinking.

Brother Leader:

The Arab Parliament has made an indication... that it wanted to remove these obstacles... that at the onset of the parliament when there was an election of the president's post, some Arab heads of parliament stepped forward thinking they have the right to be elected to the post, but the parliament broke off that rule and elected a member of parliament to the post.

The move did not impress some of the presidents of Arab parliaments who were surprised by the thinking of the parliament members.

Also another example some presidents did not like a member who has finished a year in the post so thy sought to remove him but to no avail.

That's what we do now in the statute of the Arab Parliament... that the Arab voice should not be held captive to any Arab official...it should be free.

Interposition by another committee member:

In the name of Allah.

We are very pleased to be here in this blessed country among our brothers, we are in this audience with a father and leader who is a witness to a long history and big events.

According to my conviction and understanding, the Arab nation, by the Grace of Allah, is to be the leading nation of the lost world where the powerful humiliates the weak. This nation believes in one faith and one Book that constitute the basic rules that deserve to unite this Ummah and lead it forward.

We appeal to our Brother leader to support this base and to seek to unite the Arab nation which is distinguished from other nations. It has one Lord, one Kiblah and one Book, so this Ummah is nominated to be the guiding light to other nations with different creeds.

I also appeal to Brother Leader with his wise guidance, experience and knowledge, to support science in the Arab world. This Arab nation had ruled a large part of the globe for hundreds of years. It is a nation with bright history and bright pages. Many countries were destroyed by wars, but they were rebuilt by science and Japan is a case in point. The Arab youth are in need to be embraced by universities in the Arab countries in order to by the foundation for their Ummah, instead of being seduced by foreign universities, while the Arab nation is in need of its youth.

Interposition of another Committee's member:

Your Excellency the Leader:

Responsibility of this committee is to set the basic system of the Arab parliament; it has a number of options and a number of questions, to which it is trying to give answers.

In principle, the goal that prompts the committee and targeted by the parliament is to make the parliament active not marginalized and not ordinary bureau in the Arab League or the Arab work that is not serious.

The parliament is seeking to be active, membership of which is directly selected by the masses or at least by selection of institutions, which are selected by the people; the membership term and privileges given to the members permit them to suspend or to intervene the Arab general political, legislative affairs. So that we can bring legislations, directions and policies close; and we can for example impose the institutions that you have mentioned, such as the Common Arab Market, or its executive council to implement the legislations issued by the parliament or to revive the institutions that had been involved within the Arab League, among of which Arab common defense council or similar councils related to this work. We are still transitional parliament; the parliament is still in its image before the official Arab system; in fact it is a decorative institution... decoration means in the foreign language just a form which has no meaning.

Intervention by another member of the committee:

I think we are convinced that the nationalistic current is weakened and in shambles.

I have a proposal that we take the opportunity of the 40th anniversary of Al Fatah, why doesn't Tripoli, Libya become a gathering place for Arab professionals those of nationalist affiliation lawyers, doctors and pharmacists... to create a network of civil Arabist society that lend support to the parliament because the Arab system is defective and it only breeds defective institution.

As you said at the beginning to whom we legislate? If the Arab parliament a consultative body, what’s its consultative role?

Even if we wanted to draw the text of the statute, I disagree with the brothers, that even if the statute gives us the legislative powers we will collide with the national constitutions. The second issue is that our national parliamentary experiences have failed. Generally we do not have parliaments. The national parliaments do not show up on the stage either on the democratic level or the basic level, many of our countries do not have parliaments in the first place.

I think we have to do much more in coming years on the popular dimension and the civil society level.

If we fail to create a functioning network of a civil society that believes in Arabism and nationalism, and believes in Arab common action there will always be a gap.

Another interposition by another member of the committee:

Thanks to you and to brothers at General People's Congress.

Secondly, and as Mr. Abdul Wahab Abu Sanaan, we hope that the direction be towards the United Arab States before the United States of Africa.

We were young children in the 70's of the last century when, Muammar al-Qathafi came out with the banner of the revolution in Libya; we were following the nationalist trend through Abdul Nasser and other brothers.

I consider that the existence of the Arab Transitional Parliament at this particular time is a boost forward to a joint Arab popular action. This gives a proposal of the strength and power of the Arab nation.

I mean that I have a different view regarding the weakness issue which exists in political action and in coordination between Arab countries.

The other thing, I have been here in Tripoli, Libya, less than 24 hours and I really felt that I am in my own country. This feeling gives an indication that the Arab people are one people I came from the far Arab East and in one night only I felt at home. I believe that these are essential basics which are strong motive, your destiny is to be in this leadership, your destiny to be in one of the Arab countries and we have great deal of respect and appreciation for you. The Arab Transitional Parliament need your support and we hope that through this support, then the sessions of the Arab League, God willing, will be the stimulating force for joint Arab action.

Interposition of another Committee's member:

This meeting is important, on behalf of my brothers; I would live to give a brief on the Arab parliament works. Since our start in 2005, we have achieved a lot; first of all, we established our internal rules that regulate our work, we selected the council bureau consisting of the chairman, deputies and the Chairmen of the committees; we had distinctive stand that supporting the Arab causes during the past three years or the past two and a half. We held two special sessions to support Lebanon during the war and the situation in Lebanon; we held a session for Somalia, Darfur and Iraq; we also had special meeting for the situations in Gaza.

We had supporting stand for Somalia, not only though by meetings, but also by stances and statements; because all we had was our voice pens and thought by which we support the Arab causes, no matter whether with the international parliament or with the national and regional parliaments; this role will continue. We thank you.

The Leader

I am supporting you... this is for sure and I am ready to examine some of the drafts that you are going to use to establish this constitution.

Interposition:

We will refer it to you through brother, Ahmed, God willing.

The leader:

I am ready and under your disposal.