The article entitled Call For Tighter Checks On Libyan Asylum Seekers (April 18) gave more prominence to Libyan chargé d’affaires Muhammad El-Ghirani’s reactions to a protest by a group of Libyan people calling for his removal rather than giving adequate coverage to the protest itself.

Some months back, I had suggested that Libyan residents in Malta should belong to an organisation that would work for the common good. I had joined the organisation – called in Libyan To’ Gema Ahrar Libyan fi Malta, that is, the group of Libyan rebels resident in Malta – for six months.

Eventually, a handful of persons who were entrusted with its running not only changed the logo without notifying members but formulated a statute that absolutely goes against the common good and the principles of the organisation itself.

Muammar Gaddafi sympathisers are still occupying top administrative posts

Its meetings are attended by only six or 10 people because details on the dates and venue are not disseminated among members.

Half of the 116-strong membership the organisation boasts of consists of non-Malta residents and this is not in line with the aims of the group.

Therefore, I hereby disassociate myself from this organisation.

I participated in the protest mentioned earlier on the understanding that the participants were all like-minded, that is, that they opposed the lack of transparency and insisted on the equal distribution of any financial assistance which the Libyan Embassy extends to some privileged individuals.

To my disappointment, I realised that that I was very much mistaken and some individuals were using me to lead protests not for the common good of Libyan citizens but for their personal gain.

For example, I noticed that, overnight, certain individuals were able to own expensive cars, open up businesses and acquire contracts with Libyan entities. Surprisingly, some of these privileged individuals had the cheek to join in the protest, claiming that they too hadn’t received any support.

We had agreed that the group of protesters would ask permission to speak to EI-Ghirani. However, taking advantage of the situation, a few individuals approached him and made their personal demands. They made sure I would not be present for this meeting.

The real scope of the protest was defeated because these same individuals, again acting on their own initiative, called up other Libyans who turned up to give their support without even knowing what was going on. Thus, some were calling for El-Ghirani’s removal while others sought employment.

Some months ago, we held a protest in Rabat with the intention of safeguarding property that rightfully belonged to the people of Libya.

I had received information, which, I was assured, was genuine, that, among other things, radio transmitting equipment and other government property was being sold to third parties.

On our arrival in Rabat we noticed that the Libyan flag was no longer flying on the property. The result was that we were arraigned and charged with attempted theft.

We have since been informed that the above-mentioned material was transferred to Libya by the Government.

It was also claimed that I could testify that the gentleman sent to Malta by the Libyan Government to look after the injured people recovering in hospital smelled of alcohol.

I strongly deny such claims and hope that the embassy would not believe such false accusations against this person.

We do not have a democratically-elected government in Libya, so much so that the UN has extended its monitoring by another 18 months.

Among other things, I had proposed that personnel who served in the Muammar Gaddafi regime would not be able to occupy a government post for the next 10 years. This is one reason why it will take long for Libya to have true democracy because Gaddafi’s sympathisers are still occupying top administrative posts.

People are still in possession of firearms and ammunition and families have to gang up with the males guarding their children, wives and their old parents from attacks.

In the days after the protest, I met EI-Ghirani and I explained my concerns to him, laying emphasis on his statement calling on the present government to be stricter with asylum seekers. It is evident to me that he is not well informed about this matter.

It is not the role of the government to decide whether to grant or withhold asylum protection. It is the Commission for Irregular Immigrants, working with foreign agencies and the European Commission, that is entrusted with making such delicate decisions.

Those who genuinely fear for their own safety and that of their families in Libya must be dealt with in a sensitive manner.

El-Ghirani explained to me that the call for tighter checks was made in the light of an incident that occurred in a hospital between anti-Gaddafi patients and a pro-Gaddafi fighter, who bragged about molesting women and killing innocent young men during the revolution.

This pro-Gaddafi exponent, who is a wanted person, is now seeking asylum and it was to such individuals that asylum protection ought to be denied. Such people should be sent back to be tried for war crimes.

In my opinion, it is unacceptable for a Libyan diplomat to refer to fellow brothers and nationals as ‘troublemakers’. The protesters held the demonstration after going through the proper legal channels to obtain a police permit, as allowed in a democratic county.

The protesters are people with families in Malta. They are Libyans who lived in desperate conditions under the Gaddafi regime and had no alternative except to seek refuge in this little, hospitable island where most took up the opportunity to learn skills and work in the building industry notwithstanding being underpaid.

In Libya there was no work for us. Employment was only for foreigners, like the Maltese who prospered working in Libya in those days.

We have no plans of returning to Libya to seek employment and leave our wives and children behind.

During our meeting, I expressed my disagreement about the unpleasant remarks though it was understandable that the evident division among the protesters might have misled EI-Ghirani about the crowd.

In the spirit of a true gentleman, El-Ghirani acknowledged that he might have misjudged the crowd and made his apologies in this sense.

I explained my position and as to how, every time a protest is held, I am pushed foremost to apply for police permits and lead the protest but then a few individuals sneak in and pronounce themselves as the ‘speakers’ and ‘leaders’ of the group in pursuit of their personal demands.

On the contrary, I have, unto this day, always expressed my true concern with regard to the new Libyan generation and promoted the common good. I do not want to see the people of a rich country living in poverty, deprived of their rights for true democracy.

I humbly apologise for any inconvenience I could have caused anyone by accepting to believe and react upon certain false information that I was given.

In the wake of the meeting with El-Ghirani, it now seems that any outstanding divergences are in the process of being sorted out.

He is working hard to raise our needs with the Libyan Transitional Government and we all hope progress will be registered.