Libya

Libyan Ambassador to the Philippines Salem Mohammed Adam is perhaps the first foreign diplomat to earn a doctorate’s degree from the University of the Philippines. He received his Ph.D. in Philippine Studies, major in External Relations, at the Asian Center, University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City, in 2002. His dis-sertation, that should be must reading in the diplomatic circle, is titled "The Role of OIC Diplomacy in the Muslim Struggle in the Southern Philippines."

He started his studies at the UP during his first term as ambassador to Manila (1984-1990); before he left for the home office, he had finished 70 per cent of the academic requirements, and finished it three years ago, during his second term which began in 2000.

Earning the degree was both hard and easy work. He spent a lot of time going to the campus and spending hours on reading up on the topic. It was easy, though, as he had "built up" the body of data on what he was going to write. He had interviewed members of the Moro National Liberation Front and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, had long talks with MNLF’s Nor Misuari and MILF’s Hashim Salamat and Al Haj Ibrahim Muhrad. And he had access to former President Fidel Ramos and President Arroyo.

He is happy with the fruit of his labor. The dissertation was an actualization of his philosophy to learn as much about his foreign posts. He had traveled around the country, and found Filipinos a likeable lot. "They are friendly. Idf you know how to deal with Filipinos, you’ll last. I love them very much. During times of crisis, they are still telling jokes, and they seem happy. And the family ties here are remarkable. When they’re abroad, they think of their families back home, and they send remittances." He even feels safe traveling in Mindanao and Manila without bodyguards.

An amiable man who will turn 60 on September 2, Ambassador Adam has always been into intellectual pursuits. He majored in geography at Garyounis University in Tripoli. "Geography is better than political science. You study geopolitics, mapping, economics and geology. You have an idea of the international globe – Africa, Asia, North America. You can have complete ideas about what’s happening around the world."

Prior to his getting a Ph.D., he obtained two master’s degrees - one in international management, and another in business management from the International Academy of Management & Economics in Makati.

He finishes reading one book in one week. On his table at the embassy are three books he reads alternately – Hunger and Corruption and Betrayal, a primer on neocolonialism and the Philippine Crisis by Alejandro Licauco; The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of the World Order by Samuel P. Huntington, and Secrets of Foreign Negotiation by Roger Dawson.

The ambassador smiled as he recalled that in the first year of his two assignments in Manila, two revolutions took place - the toppling of the Marcos administration, and the assumption of President Arroyo to the presidency. At an informal lunch of Libyan dishes in his office, he recalled the successful September 1st, 1969 bloodless revolution in his country led by an army colonel who is now the country’s leader – Col. Muammar Al-Qadhafi.

Ambassador Adam gave us a number of books on the Libyan struggle – from western domination (American, French and British forces) and a monarchy whose imprints smack of what prevails in the Philippines – a few rich elite and a suffering majority. What Al-Quadhafi introduced was the Third Universal Theory, otherwise known as The Green Book.

A symposium held in Manila soon after the September 1 revolution, presented two major realities: direct people’s authority or rule, a revolutionary system compared to the representative democracy adopted buy many countries; and the other reality being Islam, a religious, socio-cultural force actively shaping and guiding the destinies of those nations that have embraced the religion.

The first Libyan ambassador in Manila, Moustafa M. Dreiza, declared at the symposium that as Islam calls for freedom, democracy, socialism and unity, on these principles the Libyan people are increasingly aspiring "for the creation of a model state where every single individual can freely express whatever he believes is right within of course the realm of law and order; where one can participate in the making of the country’s policies, internal and external; and where one can enjoy a position of dignity by which one becomes capable of good and noble achievements."

"Our revolution believes in the freedom of the people," Dreiza continued. "The individual is to be emancipated from humiliation, injustice, ignorance, poverty, and serfdom.

"Socialism presented by the First of September Revolution is not inspired by Marx or Lenin but only by the Holy Qur’an, and the needs of the people. Unlike the communists or capitalists, our socialism allows all the people to participate in their society and live equally through direct democratic rule that could very well be seen in the basic people’s congresses, the people’s committees, and the General People’s Congress."

On the how direct democracy works in The Great Socialist People’s Libyan Jama-hiriya, Ambassador Adam said there is no parliament nor is there a president in his country. In fact Al-Qadhafi is called "leader." All citizens are members of people’s basic congresses which meet five times a year and elect by consensus their secretaries and assistants and discuss internal and external issues. The secretaries meet at the General People’s Congress where Cabinet ministers are elected.

Adam himself was introduced to a basic people’s congress; his credentials were read, and the people, making sure they were appointing the best, approved his appoint-ment.He said that the Libyan embassy is called Libyan People’s Bureau, and his designation is secretary, not ambassador.

Libya has been playing a significant role in the peace mediating process between the Muslim rebel groups and the Philippine government, beginning with the Jabidah massacre in which scores of Filipino Muslims were killed. Negotiations resulted in the crafting of the Tripoli Agreement, which, said Adam, is the "Mother of Agreements," which figures in discussions in current negotiations re the Muslim situation in Mindanao.

"Everybody wants peace," said Adam. Both government and MILF have the desire to have peace. But there needs to be "a nar-rowing of the gap, there needs to be confidence-building on both sides."

He added that the government alone must not be blamed for the neglect of the Muslim-dominiated areas of Mindanao. "elected Muslim officials are also part of the rpoblem. That’s why majority of Muslims are neglected, they still live with no education, no health services, no livelihood programs. This is part of the injustice."

Notorious extremism, he said, has shown children growing up with "no one taking care of them, and they grow up with guns."

The answer to the insurgency problem is "to treat the Muslims as citizens, equal with other citizens, and giving them the chance to live with dignity."Muslims.

The answer is not Islamic independence in Mindanao, the ambassador ventured, because it will deprive Muslims of many opportunities as in the case of Yugoslavia and Czesna.

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