“Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves"

Dr. Ahmed Shebani

President of the Democratic Party

The United States of America has delegated Turkey with overseeing the mission of
stabilising Libya during the current transitional phase to democracy, giving it a
prominent role in Libya. Turkey saw how Mr. Abdul Hamid Al- Dabaiba showed no
concern for the establishment of democracy in Libya. His only machiavellian interest
was to remain in power as the head of government for as long as possible and
embezzling as much public money as possible. This does not sit well with the Turks
as it contradicts with their mission in Libya.

Al- Dabiaba violated the commitments he gave to the Libyan people in Geneve
which is not to nominate himself for any political position after completing his
mission. He ran for the presidential elections scheduled for December 24, 2022
which was mysteriously aborted. He also missed a rare historical opportunity to work
on conducting a constitutional referendum, national reconciliation, and elections. He
actively worked to prevent these three measures that the Libyan people had
entrusted him with when he assumed the position of prime minister.

Al- Dabaiba used public funds for his election campaign with the help of Mr Sadeq
Al- Kaber which indicates his readiness for the upcoming elections if they are not
postponed again. This reminds us of the former French president, Nicolas Sarkozy,
who used funds he received from Gaddafi in his election campaign, resulting in his
criminal conviction.

Turkey does not see Al-Dabeiba as part of the 17th of February revolution camp;
instead, they see him as a remnant of Gaddafi's regime. He served Gaddafi with a
forged academic certificate and obediently obeyed him for years to accumulate ill-
gotten wealth, becoming extremely wealthy. The Turks view Al-Dabeiba as an
extremely selfish individual with no sense of patriotism nor democracy.

Al-Dabeiba's tricks deceived many Libyans, but they did not fool the Turks or the
Americans, who are well aware of this type of corrupt Arab politicians devoid of any
conscience.

The thefts committed by the Al-Dabaiba family are not imaginary. For example, when
they supervised the rehabilitation of the central hospital in Misurata during Gaddafi's
rule, they received kickbacks from several foreign companies responsible for the
project. A German prosecutor filed criminal charges against the senior directors of
these contractors and they were convicted and sentenced to prison.

When it was revealed that there was a secret bank account for the German company
“Siemens” used to pay bribes to Libyan officials, sadly, Siemens’ manager Mr.
Heinrich Neubürger, decided to commit suicide. 
These cases received no attention in Libya at all, as Mr. Sadiq Al-Sour, the state
prosecutor general during Gaddafi's rule who is still in his position until today, did not
file any charges against any "Ali Baba” yet.  What's astonishing is that all the officials
accused of corruption after the revolution were released by him.

It is also surprising that Mr. Sadiq Al-Sour, usually during the last ten days of
Ramadan every year, secludes himself in one of the mosques in Misurata, seeking
Laylat al-Qadr (the Night of Destiny) as a devout worshiper.

Secret documents about corrupt money deposits for politicians, officials, and
criminals from various countries in Credit Suisse Bank worth billions of dollars were
leaked to the press. These leaks indicated that the Al-Dabaiba family had several
accounts in this bank where they deposited bribes from foreign companies that won
contracts during and after Gaddafi's era. There is no doubt about this family deep
involvement in corruption.

Most Libyans know that Al-Dabaiba family bought the votes of some participants in
the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum in Geneva to elect Mr Abdul Hamid Al- Dabaiba
as the head of the Government of National Unity.

The Egyptian intelligence leaked the news of Al- Dabaiba buse of power as the head
of the Government of National Unity during his visit to Egypt when he asked the
Egyptian Prime Minister to intervene in the legal case filed against Libya by the
wealthy Kuwaiti family of the late Mr. Nasser Al-Kharafi (RIP), in which this family is
demanding compensation from us amounting to approximately one billion dollars
after Gaddafi's fat cats stole the $50 million that this family wanted to invest in a
project to build a luxurious five star touristic resort in the city of Khoms near Villa
Celine. Mr Dabaiba was then the head of the Libyan National Investment Company,
which had this project within its scope. However, the only way for Libya to reclaim
credibility in our economy is by settling this case, long over due.
If this theft did not occur Libya would have been able to attract multiple times this
amount as direct foreign investment. The Egyptian intelligence also leaked how
some scrupulous members of Al-Dabaiba family were fighting and exchanging blows
with each other in their private gatherings over the distribution of commissions from
the Covid pandemic related contracts.

Our advice to the Al-Dabaiba family is to return to their grandfather's profession, as it

is more honorable for them than stealing from Libya. 

Mr. Fathi Bashagha was dismissed and transferred for investigation into corruption,
and thus he has fallen from grace and on his way to the waste bin of history and Mr
Dabaiba too as well as Mr. Mohammed Sawan, who stole the name of the
Democratic Party that was established on July 14, 2011 and all those who are like
them.

The city of Misurata must know that it is targeted by internal, external and counter
revolution forces that want to destroy it, just like Benghazi was destroyed, because it
is one of the last strongholds of the Arab Spring. The dismissal of the chairman of
NOC Mr. Mustafa Sanalla, who has received many international recognitions and
awards for integrity and transparency for his efficient management of the National Oil
Corporation, and the recent appointment of his replacement from the revolutionary
committees of the Qaddafi regime, who has a long history of crimes and intrigue in
his file.

“ You can tell if it is spring from your front door “

In the dirty world of politics, there are no permanent enemies or permanent friends,
there are only permanent interests. Therefore, the policy of holding the stick from the
middle is a betrayal of the Arab Spring. Each democratic country must clearly define
its position: either stand with the building of democracy or stand with the old Arab
order to rebuild back dictatorships.

Corruption is like a destructive cancer that breaks the backbone of any national
economy and ugliest manifestation of such abuse is the one performed by
hypocritical religious figures in the name of Islam as the case in Iran. Sadly, our
curse in Libya and Iran is not the lack of funds but the concentration of wealth and
it’s seepage to the wrong hands. Unfortunately, the fabulous hydro carbon wealth of
our countries is a stumbling block towards progress unlike the case in Kuwait and
Saudi Arabia which is a blessing.

We, the Libyans, must refuse to leave our country hostage to Mafia families. The
international community, represented by the United Nations Support Mission in
Libya, should not betray the Libyan people once again and should not underestimate
the minds of the ordinary Libyan people, because the son of the dictator is still
wanted for crimes against humanity in the local and international courts and the
warlord with his sons who have perpetrated some of the most excessive human right
abuses are currently kidnapping half of the country and ruling with an iron fist.
Both of them are banned from participating in the upcoming elections and must be
brought to justice immediately. However, if the representative of the United Nations
insists on his political deception, then we will declare him as “ Persona Non Grata “
and he should return to his retirement salary which he used to receive from Al
Mathaba of Gaddafi’s Revolutionary Committees Movement. 
Sadly, today corruption has reached unprecedented levels in Libya. The time has
come to establish a new political legitimacy in Libya before the end of 2023.

As for us Libyans, we must strive for democracy, just as the Turkish people have
strived for it in an unprecedented ceremony on May 14, 2023.

“The blood of martyrs does not go in vain” 

Dr. Ahmed Shebani

President of the Democratic Party

Email: info@thedemocraticpartyoflibya.org