Sufi Shrine Attacks “Cannot Be Tolerated” Says Unesco Chief

[BurningMoon]

Sufi shrine attacks “cannot be tolerated” says UNESCO chief

 

http://www.libyaherald.com/?p=13428

 

By Tom Westcott.

 

London, 29 August:

 

The Director-General of UNESCO, Irina Bokova, has demanded an immediate end to the destruction of Sufi Shrines in Zlitan, Mistrata and Tripoli.

 

In a statement released yesterday, Bokova said: “Destroying places of religious and cultural significance cannot be tolerated.” The UNESCO Director continued: “I am deeply concerned about these brutal attacks on places of cultural and religious significance. Such acts must be halted, if Libyan society is to complete its transition to democracy. For this, we need dialogue and mutual respect.”

 

Bokova welcomed the government’s clear condemnation of the attacks but called upon all Libyan authorities to exercise their responsibility to protect the country’s cultural heritage, preserving this for future generations.

 

She said: “Libya’s future prospects depend on its inhabitants’ ability to build a participatory democracy, that respects the rights and the heritage of all its citizens.”

 

In a statement released earlier this year, Bokova had said that “during the past year, Libyans have shown their unfailing commitment to the protection of their cultural heritage, demonstrating that such heritage cannot be held hostage to local or international dissent and conflict.”

Unfortunately, as Lawyers for Justice in Libya have observed, more damage has been done to the country’s heritage in the past few days than during the whole six months of armed conflict.

Bokova has indicated that UNESCO stands ready to provide assistance to protect and rehabilitate these recently-damaged sites.

 

The irony is that only at the start of this month an agreement between Libya and UNESCO was signed, launching a programme for the protection of Libya’s cultural heritage sites

 

http://www.libyaherald.com/?p=13530

 

Anti-extremism demonstration draws hundreds in Tripoli

 

 

Tripoli, 31 August:

 

A demonstration against the recent attacks on buildings by Salafist extremists took place this evening in Tripoli’s Martyrs’ Square.

 

The event, which started at 6pm and lasted around an hour and a half, drew a crowd of around seven hundred people. It featured speakers from prominent Sufis, a spokesman from the League of Ulema, and Jamal Ben Issa, head of the Supreme Revolutionary Council.

 

“We know who’s behind these attacks,” said the spokesman from the League of Ulema “I don’t even want to use the word.” Many in the crowd seemed sure that he was referring to islamist influence from Saudi Arabia. Another speaker, hwoever, was not so coy. He accused Saudis and Qataris of being responsible.

 

Sadat El-Badri, the leader of Tripoli Local Council, was in the crowd, having made a speech on TV yesterday condemning the attacks. In his TV address he also called for an effective mechanism for disarming in Libya, saying that the police and army should be the only two armed groups in the country.

 

He also called for the re-establishment of the judicial system and respect for the rule of law and human rights.

 

Banners at the protest carried such slogans as “No to the imposition of dogma”, “Destroying mosques is un-Islamic”, “We live according to Sharia’a, extremism leads to ruin” and “How long will the state remain weak?”

 

This is by far the largest demonstration since the attacks begun last week. Other meetings, organised via Facebook and Twitter, attracted crowds of dozens, rather than hundreds, although last week’s protest amongst the rubble of the Al-Sha’ab shrine, did succeed in halting the destruction, albeit temporarily