Libyans celebrate two years since revolution
16 February AFP
Thousands of people gathered in Libya's two main cities Tripoli and
Benghazi on Friday to celebrate two years since the start of the
revolution that ousted long-time dictator Moamer Kadhafi. In central
Tripoli, hundreds of people assembled in Martyrs' Square, waving flags
and balloons and chanting slogans praising the martyrs of the Libyan
revolution as cars drove through the capital sounding their horns.
In Benghazi, the eastern city where the revolt began, thousands of
people marched along the same route of a procession organised on
February 15, 2011, the catalyst that sparked the outbreak of uprising
two days later.
The Benghazi protesters also praised the martyrs, as well as those
who disappeared and those wounded in the conflict that lasted for more
than eight months until Kadhafi's death on October 20, 2011.
But the demonstrators also criticised the new authorities, demanding
in particular a greater decentralisation of power. The government has
already taken a series of measures to contain any attempt by supporters
of the former regime to “sow chaos” amid anger from protesters who
accuse the new rulers of failing to push for reform. Some critics of the
government even called for a “new revolution” as they denounced the
power of ex-militias which helped to end more than four decades of
Kadhafi rule.
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