On one hand we have been hearing for decades and in recent months more intensely how badly libyans are suffering under Gadhaffi’s rule and all that. I don’t know if its just western media or media across the globe, but pretty much non-Arab media has same sentiments for him.
I just came across the following article and thought that I will get it confirmed, as it could be another propaganda from other side.
It sound too utopian and unreal that I have high suspicion of these statements. People would be coming out to the street to defend a leader who does so much for them. I don’t think thats the case we witnessed in last six months.
Libya & QADDAFI ...FACTS THAT CANT BE DENIED
1. There is no electricity bill in Libya; electricity is free
for all its citizens.
2. There is no interest on loans, banks in Libya are
state-owned and loans given
to all its citizens at 0% interest by law.
3. Home considered a human right in Libya –
Gaddafi vowed that his parents
would not get a house until everyone in Libya had a
home. Gaddafi’s father has
died while him, his wife and his mother are still living
in a tent.
4. All newlyweds in Libya receive $60,000 Dinar (US$
50,000 ) by the government
to buy their first apartment so to help start up the
family.
5. Education and medical treatments are free in
Libya. Before Gaddafi only 25%
of Libyans are literate. Today the figure is 83%.
6. Should Libyans want to take up farming career,
they would receive farming
land, a farming house, equipments, seeds and
livestock to kick- start their farms
– all for free.
7. If Libyans cannot find the education or medical
facilities they need in Libya,
the government funds them to go abroad for it –
not only free but they get US
$2, 300/mth accommodation and car allowance.
8. In Libyan, if a Libyan buys a car, the government
subsidized 50% of the price.
9. The price of petrol in Libya is $0. 14 per liter.
10. Libya has no external debt and its reserves
amount to $150 billion – now
frozen globally.
11. If a Libyan is unable to get employment after
graduation the state would
pay the average salary of the profession as if he or
she is employed until
employment is found.
12. A portion of Libyan oil sale is, credited directly to
the bank accounts of all
Libyan citizens.
13. A mother who gave birth to a child receive US
$5 ,000
14. 40 loaves of bread in Libya costs $ 0.15
15. 25% of Libyans have a university degree
16. Gaddafi carried out the world’s largest irrigation
project, known as the Great
Man-Made River project, to make water readily
available throughout the desert
country.
Whatever his personality issues he started out as a Hero.
He was indeed a hero for some decades but gradually his is a story of glory felled in the mud.
Despite his many ills though comparing him to hundreds of other leaders including the current Pakistani regime he was not at all that bad. In fact those who knew his grand project to pump water across the desert would have seen his plan as a great effort for the better of humanity... but still Allah will judge him we can merely say what we think.
What's to come for Libya might be worse than what it had prior to now. But we can always hope for the better. Though historical timeline, and recent "forced liberations" (Iraq, Afghanistan) reveal otherwise.
So did he really give those incentives to his nation or not?
I know in last two decades he and his family got corrupt...but as far as welfare of the people is concerned, if he had the policies above than it was great for an oil-rich nation. They money should be spent on public with subsidies and incentives.
I don’t know much about these “achievements” but when I saw this posted by someone on Facebook I ran google on power/electricity bill in Libya and these 16 points are pasted all over the web, however then I searched for ‘electricity theft in Libya’ and I found some articles regarding that so looks like an urban legend to me. However, there is additional information on why he was removed by NATO:
This one is definately true cant be sure about the rest but the last point was for real.
Gaddafi carried out the world’s largest irrigation
project, known as the Great
Man-Made River project, to make water readily
available throughout the desert
country.
Remember, this index doesn’t talk about only economic development, where some people claim the dictator embezzled national income or poverty (8% people below poverty line compared to 15% in USA) or inflation (1% in the country) or unemployment (comparable to US or UK).
