The Hill News

Being in Benghazi has undoubtedly been my most memorable time in the Foreign Office, and there have been quite a few to choose from! It is an amazing opportunity to see at first hand people shake off unimaginable repression of 42 years of Qadhafi’s rule and to watch the honorable people of Libya take their first steps to build a modern democratic state. 

The buzz in “Freedom Square” is amazing, even journalists who have had more than their fair share of experiences have commented on how different this feels. There is the huge sense of optimism for the future. Spin doctors could only dream of the unity of message that is coming from all of the people that I have met, from senior officials, academics, emerging civil society organisations to people selling revolutionary souvenirs on the street. Everyone wants Qadhafi, his family and associates gone. I’ve tried to find opposing voices, but there seems no room for debate on this. They all want a fre! e and democratic Libya in which everyone has a voice. 

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