The following is a rush transcript of a Press TV interview with Mohammed Abdul Malik, chairman of Libya Watch in London, who shared his thoughts on the possible outlook of the protests in the North African country.
Press TV: What is your reaction to Muammar Gaddafi's speech on the phone? We could not see him. Do you think that is relevant?
Abdul Malik: I think because there was an attempt by Al Jazeera to profile him, and because they said he has got something like narcissism, he has decided not to show his nervousness or maybe the fact that he is wearing bullet-proof vests. I think he does not even trust the people around him.
Press TV: He has said the youth on the streets are on drugs; he talked Ben Laden; he compared himself to the Queen of England saying he is just paying paternal advice. Do you think he really cares what the Libyans do?
Abdul Malik: He said these are teenagers who are on drugs; none amongst them is a father; none amongst them is married; none a shop owner or a taxi driver or a truck driver. Now I say to him “If that is the case, then where do you put the ambassadors that have been resigning all over the world? Where do you put the minister of justice and the minister of interior and the generals that have been resigning and joining this uprising? Are they not married? Are they not fathers? Do they not have jobs - lucrative jobs in fact to live for? Why are they joining the uprising?” As for the drugs, I can tell you something. I wish I could lay my hands on a large quantity of those drugs to distribute amongst the Arab youths so that they would rise against all the dictatorships in the world; even some drugs for Britain.
Press TV: It is a very serious situation right now. He has said “Once oil gets out of our hands, there is going to be chaos; if you do not get your sons and daughters back in your house, there is going to be bloodshed.” What do you not think there is still a serious tone in his speech?
Abdul Malik: Yes, he has used that before to threaten the Libyan people. He is even saying that you will not find the foodstuff in the stores; there will not be any schooling; there will not be any hospitals. I can tell you these people (people around Gaddafi) are out of touch. When they are spiked with a thorn, they go for medical care to Switzerland and Germany. Their children are being taught in private schools around the world. They do not know what is going on. There are no schools to speak of anyway in Libya; no hospitals. For the smallest ailment, people would sell the jewelry of the wives; they would sell their land if they had any; they would sell their car, or they would borrow from family and friends just to go for medical care in countries like Tunisia and Jordan and Egypt.
Press TV: We are having reports here that people are arming themselves in the east marching on tanks to Tripoli. These are not peaceful protests anymore, are they?
Abdul Malik: A big part of the army has joined forces with the uprising. If the east is liberated, and if they are forming some sort of government; some sort of state, they will have the right to go and free their brothers in Tripoli and elsewhere. I would welcome the army joining the uprising and especially protecting the Libyan people and their revolution. We do hope that the army will take over and bring about an interim government that will take us to the post-Gaddafi time in Libya.
Press TV: Once you have the arms there, and once they reach Tripoli, the fear is that you will be looking at the threat of a civil war, not an uprising anymore. Give us your comment please.
Abdul Malik: I do not think so. The mercenaries will run away in my idea. They might as well be caught by the Libyan people; like in the eastern part of Libya where the mercenaries have been properly handed over to the right authorities. I think the people around Gaddafi will also run away; hopefully resign and join the uprising. He then will find himself by himself. I think that once the army joins the uprising and puts hands on some ammunition - most of the army do not have ammunition, because Gaddafi made sure the ammunition is in the hands of the few loyal to him - and starts toward Tripoli, that would be the end of Colonel Gaddafi. I have my serious doubts that it would lead to a civil war.
Press TV: There are reports of oil depots being taken over. There is the oil factor in Libya. Are you concerned about outside factors regarding the oil issue?
Abdul Malik: We would hate to see any invasion by foreigners whatsoever. We want a strong stance by the world in support of the Libyan people. But on the ground level we will take care of Gaddafi. We want help with medical supplies, food supplies etc. We desperately need mobile clinics all over Libya. At the moment the Libyan people are overjoyed by what they have achieved. They feel proud. There is a sense of dignity; a sense of achievement. Yes, the price is very high; many people are dying. But I suppose it is like a birth. A mother goes through a lot of pain. She gives birth to a child and then that child is hugged and loved by the mother. I think a child has been born, and that child is our freedom.
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