Reuters: Gaddafi son says medics will not be executed

[Eugene]

Gaddafi son says medics will not be executed

By Tsvetelia Ilieva

13 minutes ago

SOFIA (Reuters) - Libya will not execute five Bulgarian nurses and a Palestinian
doctor sentenced to death last month, the son of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi
said in a newspaper interview, calling their trial "unfair."

Speaking to Bulgarian daily 24 Chasa, Saif al-Islam said a solution would be found
soon to save the medics and satisfy families of the infected children, but he gave
no details.

A Libyan court has sentenced the nurses and the doctor for intentionally infecting
hundreds of children with the HIV virus in a highly politicized case which started
eight years ago.

"There will be no executions," said Gaddafi's son and his most influential envoy.
"I hope there will be a happy-end soon ... My father is also against the executions."

-snip-

Full article: http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070129/wl_nm/libya_bulgaria_aids_dc_1

[brentblack]

1. There is a reason...

...why it is hard to get medical help for many of these (bring on the flames) backwards countries like Libya.


I have been following the story from day one. It will not end, I fear, well for the medical team. Regardless of an official edict, it is unlikely that they will ever leave Libya. Mob rule is still the law of the land.

[happyslug]

2. This is tribal politics at its best.

Libya like most of the Arab world, is a tribal society not an National Society. As such whoever rules the Country MUST keep the tribal leaders "happy". The tribal leaders are kept happy if their tribe is taken care of. Tribal leaders are responsive to their fellow tribal members for tribal leaders is a elected position. As an elected postiton the head of the Tribe actual power depends on support from the members of their tribe.

Tribal politics seems to be at the heart of the problem with the Medics. Do to incompetency among native Libyans these children became infected with AIDS. In this case it seems the hospital was in one tribal area but the children affected was in another tribal area. Traditional if something like this happens, no matter if it was NO ONE'S FAULT, the first tribe had to pay the Second tribe for the harm that occurred. Now apparently the first tribe turned to Qaddafi to make the payment, but do to the sanctions on Libya do to Lockebee bombing he did not have to money to fully pay off the Second tribe (or more likely access to proper medical care of someone with AIDS). Thus this situation sat while Qaddafi negotiated with the US and Britain (and a third tribe where the two alleged bombers came from). Now that the Lockabee conflict is resolved Qaddafi can address this problem (Which may explain the recent conviction of these Medics and a request for payment from their home countries, a traditional tribal "solution" to problems like this).

Remember while Libya was under Sanctions Libya could still export its oil, but was limited to what it could buy. Furthermore Libya level of oil production is falling, so Qaddafi has even less money to spread around the tribes. This will be worked out, but it will take some time as the home countries, the tribes whose member was affected and Qaddafi works out a solution that is acceptable to all the parties.