FYI.

This story is over 5 years old.

Vice Blog

NOTES FROM A LIBYAN LURKER III - THE PRISONERS

One of my friends who had been in Benghazi for a few weeks told me that it wasn't smooth sailing. The rebels continued to impress everyone with their enthusiasm and willingness to throw themselves at Gaddafi’s forces, but there was a perpetually lingering threat that the frontline would be overrun. It was dangerous after dark, money was running low, and the UN was dithering about air strikes. Then finally, against all hopes, they followed through.

Advertisement

Before I left, my friend sent me an email: “Shove one of those large containers of Metamucil in your bag. I’d rather have that than $$$ at this point." The meals in Libya tend to consist largely of bread.

Slim guys in tight jeans, berets, and keffiyehs walked around the hotel lobby. Lots of beards. They are disheveled journalists who don't have time to shower or wash their hair even though they’re in a hotel with hot water. Behind the hotel restaurant, we connected to the internet in a room that reeked of Marlboro. It was Christopher Hitchens's version of heaven.

Overall, Benghazi seems safe enough. But there are the rumors of some Gaddafi fifth column, and most people are choosing to ignore or forget the statistic that around 40 percent of the suicide bombers in Iraq were from the area. The rebels have prisoners and they paraded them around for the journalists today. Human Rights Watch almost canceled the show because the Geneva Convention prohibits prisoners from being put on display. The female journalist I’ve been traveling with lost it on them over the phone. The show went on anyway, but the bus and caravan of journalists—myself included—got their copy.

It was a sketchy scene. A small guy who said he was from Chad claimed that he was given Libyan citizenship and paid $10,000 USD per month to be in the army. He also said they gave him drugs and Viagra, and that he was told to kill the men and rape the women. All this from a tiny guy.

Advertisement

Everything else was depressing too. The prisoners were forlorn but happy to talk to us; they had deserted. They looked to be in good shape but it was impossible to verify anything. Journalists on the bus to the next press conference (most skipped it) said one of the same prisoners gave a completely different account the last time they saw him.

The guns are endless, and if I had to estimate I'd guess that about only 10 percent of the people wearing fatigues are rebels, if that. I watched a guy with an AK-47 almost take a nasty header while I was walking into the courthouse where the prisoners were showcased. Later, a guy sat with his machine gun (it was larger, and I have no clue what kind it was) pointed at us absentmindedly. It was unnerving. I found myself thinking it might be a good idea to wear a flak jacket to the next conference.

None of this manages to diminish what is happening here, and what may yet happen. Sert—a Gaddafi stronghold—could fall soon. If that happens the rebels will control about 80 percent of the oil, which will greatly limit Gaddafi's options to say the least. What happens when you're a despot with access to only a fraction of your wealth and the world patrolling your skies? Nothing good.

See more at jeremyrelph.com

Also by Jeremy Relph:

BENGHAZI OR BUST

THE BORDER