Libyans demolish dictator's former home as diplomat warns of 'revenge culture

It once symbolised Gaddafi's brutal hold over Libya, an untouchable fortress where the despot dictator lived a life of luxury as his people suffered.

And as the country slowly puts itself back together, bulldozers took to the Bab al-Aziziya compound in Tripoli to bring down the palace of the dictator who tore their country apart.

As Libyans watched as the walls, which once protected Gaddafi were torn down at the compound in Tripoli today, others fled the town which was most loyal to the dead leader.

The country's interim leaders have appealed for restraint, but seem unable to control revolutionary forces whose recent vigilante acts, including the suspected killing of Gaddafi while in custody, have begun to tarnish their heroic image abroad.

A Western diplomat said Libya's new leaders need to come out more strongly against the culture of revenge, and hold the former fighters accountable for their actions.


Failure to resolve such conflicts and bring regime supporters, including in the badly damaged loyalist towns of Sirte and Bani Walid, into the fold could destabilize Libya and hamper the attempted transition to democracy, the diplomat warned, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive subject matter.

However, people in Misrata, which was heavily damaged during the war, are in no mood for reconciliation. The port city of 300,000 rose up early against Gaddafi and came under a weeks long siege by Gaddafi fighters, many from Tawergha which served as a staging ground for the loyalists.

Nearly 1,300 Misrata residents were killed and thousands wounded in the fighting, city officials say.

Misrata officials have accused the Tawerghans, some of them descendants of African slaves, of particular brutality during the war, including alleged acts of rape and looting. During the siege, Gadhafi fighters sniped at residents from roof tops and shelled the city indiscriminately.

Ibrahim Beitelmal, spokesman for Misrata's military council, said he believes Tawergha should be wiped off the map, but that the final decision is up to the national leadership. 'If it was my decision, I would want to see Tawergha gone. It should not exist,' said Beitelmal, whose 19-year-old son was killed in the fighting on Tripoli Street.

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