NTC Chairperson Mustafa Abdul-Jalil. Is NTC betraying Libya's Revolution?       P.Courtesy

The National Transition Council (NTC) in Libya didn’t have any muscle to topple Muammar Gaddafi. Had it not been for NATO’s heavy bombardment of Tripoli, Gaddafi would’ve butchered the so-called NTC top members today. it is however evident that Western countries are likely to regret their decision to topple him shall the NTC get its wishes.

The NTC’s recent recommendation that Libya should draw its major laws from the Quran as opposed to the people, shows how this former ragtag group is driving Libya astray shall people desire not to be ruled under sharia law. If people toppled Gaddafi to have the government of their choice, let them decide what law they want to govern them. 

 “The Libyan people are attached to Islam as a religion and legislation," says NTC spokesman Saleh. Is it true that Libyan people are attached to Islam more than democracy and rule of law?  If anything, Libyans are attached to their nationality in the first place. By introducing sharia law without the voice of the people, NTC wants to suffocate the rights of minority non-muslims in the country so to speak. Before taking such a step, NTC needs to ask itself if the desire for sharia law was the force behind toppling Gaddafi.

To prove how NTC is likely to pose a bigger problem as it happened in Iraq, Darhoub adds, "And this should not be subject to a referendum." If anything, this piece unveils NTC’s blatant machinations aiming at suffocating the gains of the masses.  How can NTC decide for Libyans instead of letting them choose what they deem fit for running their affairs? It is hypocrisy of high order for NTC to condemn and topple Gaddafi but repeat the same. Will the Libyan masses accept this humiliation?  Will they demand that their wishes be respected? Why Sharia but not human rights?

The assertion that the introduction of Sharia law in Libya should not be subject to a referendum shows that the NTC want to overrule the desire of the people of Libya. Why doesn’t NTC propose this to the people and let them decide? If Libyans were not happy under Gaddafi’s moderate dictatorial decrees, how can they be at such a ruthless law that opposes human rights?  

The NTC should understand that even the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, despite winning presidency, cannot contemplate the same things as proposed by NTC. Shall Libyans vote for sharia law, so be it but saying that it should be introduced without  a referendum is a total disaster for the revolution. The rights of minority non-muslims must be protected under any law.

The NTC's killing of Gaddafi and humiliating his remains shows its true face. Ironically though, the so-called international Human rights groups did not stand for Gaddafi's rights. Why? Wasn’t Gaddafi a human being presumed to be innocent before the law till proved otherwise by the court of law? Interestingly, it seems that both the NTC and Western countries got rid of Gaddafi to achieve their separate interests.

The NTC’s stance poses more questions than answers. Who appointed NTC to speak on behalf of Libyans apart from being a just transitional body? Is sharia law what Libyan people want or redress for all the pains they went through to bring down Gaddafi’s regime? Is this the beginning of the end of NTC double standard or the beginning of the end of Libya’s dream?

It is a big blow to note that so-called western democracy stands in support of another dictatorship. It is sad that the world forgets easily.  On 24 February  2011, a day after the campaign to topple Gaddafi, one Christian News Service (CNS) wrote this, “Christians in Libya are afraid that a takeover of the country by Islamic fundamentalists, should leader Muammar Gaddafi fall, would threaten their safety, said a Franciscan priest who has served in the North African nation for seven years.”

Has the NTC hijacked the Libyan revolution: will it succeed with its hidden agenda of introducing dictatorial sharia?

By Nkwazi Mhango.

The author is a Canada-based Tanzanian and author of Saa Ya Ukombozi.