Libya voted despite threats

The first free elections in 42 years has been disrupted in a dozen polling centers out of 174. Benghazi , on which hung many threats, voted. Small but determined and armed, the "Federalists" had it coming to oppose the conduct of these elections Libyan, they believe, will only reinforce the old supremacy of their region of Tripoli, Cyrenaica. The various armed forces designed for the safe, if they have not really put up a coherent and effective response, have at least avoided a bloodbath. In less than a dozen polling centers, 174 on that account the agglomeration, the vote was disrupted. Pending a more accurate count, the number of these incidents did not appear to lead Saturday in the early evening local authorities to consider an invalidation of the election. Saturday at 8 am, at the opening of polling stations, the population of Benghazi, despite threats from the "federalists", has converged to the various city schools to participate in the first free elections in Libya. The last election was held in 1964 under King Idris. After 42 years of the dictatorship of Muammar Gaddafi , voters showed their pride and joy, in similar terms: "Today is the feast of Libya", "for so long we have waited for this day" , "this is a dream come true," said some; "yes, this is the outcome of our revolution", "this is the first time I'm so happy," "we will build small to a new small Libya, a great democracy, "said others.

A handful of diehards

It often happened in the family center election, before splitting the vote, men on one side, women on the other. The organization of elections seemed flawless. Lists and maps of voting, ballot boxes sealed, cardboard voting booths, ballots, tellers of the election commission and the major parties in large numbers ... Nothing had been left to chance. In the street, many men did the V for victory with the tip of the index purple proving they had done their civic duty. In the late afternoon of uninterrupted lines of cars began to honk, covering the haunting "Allah is great" launched from the minarets of the city since the early hours of the day. Seeking to counter this popular movement for a few small groups of "Federalists" was to sack the maximum polling. The school Ouila Al al Rezra in downtown Benghazi, was the first attacked. It was 10 o'clock in the morning.In this small group of excited, only united hatred of Tripoli and the Libyan authorities' interim, several fighters were armed. A car outside the electoral center has paid the price in a hail of machine gun. The "Federalist" came into force in the school, breaking windows, overturning the tables of votes, polling booths, carrying or tearing the ballots. They left with some polls. The operation was repeated in other polling stations. For several weeks, the authorities under the Ministry of Interior and Defense are struggling to contain a handful of hardliners, backed by the armed fighters of the Military Council of Barga (the Arabic name of Cyrenaica).Sunday July 1, no security force loyal only came to oppose the looting of the election committee overseeing all voting on Benghazi. And before the election, a helicopter carrying election materials came under fire, which caused the death of a crew member.