CAIRO: The mood among Egyptian activists changed dramatically on Thursday early afternoon, as reports began swarming the Internet and social media networks that Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi had been captured and killed in the Libyan town of Sirte. The celebratory nature that was happening in Libya, with gunshots ringing through the air was echoed among Egyptian activists, who praised the end of Libya's violence and could put the country on a path toward the future. “It is a great day for Libya and the Arab world,” wrote one Egyptian Twitter user, adding “now that Gaddafi is dead, maybe it is time for Bashar [al-Assad] in Syria and Saleh in Yemen to follow his example.” This seemed to be the overall mood. As Libyans celebrated in the streets, Egyptians celebrated online and joined with a few dozen Libyans at the embassy in Cairo. It was a joyous mood that captured the entire region. Gaddafi was dead. One Libyan man, waving the new Libyan flag out of a car on Thursday evening, told Bikyamasr.com that “this was too long and too hard. I am so relieved that he his gone and we can have our country back.” Online, Egyptians were even more forceful, praising the death, despite its apparent controversial nature, with videos of a wounded Gaddafi being thrown into a pick-up truck then making way for the final image of his blood-stained body taking grip. Overall, a sense of happiness was seen across the social networks, and even at an anti-Supreme Council of the Armed Forces demonstration on Thursday evening. “We are all brothers and sisters and putting an end to dictatorship is what all our revolutions are about,” said Mona, a 22-year-old university student in Cairo who had joined other Egyptians to demand justice for the 27 Coptic Christians killed on October 9 in front of the Egyptian state television and radio building, or Maspero. “We demand justice for those who are killed, which is why we are here against the SCAF and we also support Libya and others in their struggle.” Even into Friday, Gaddafi was trending, a hot topic that few could deny. His death has galvanized a region almost as much as his fiery anti-American speeches calling on Libyans to “stand against the foreign aggressors” angered Libyans and the region for the past few months. The praise given to the Libyan people had not been seen since the Arab world praised Egyptians for ousting former President Hosni Mubarak. “We are one, the people together and we won't stop until our demands are heard,” said another protester marching through Cairo's streets on Thursday. But there were a few who questioned if killing Gaddafi was the right action. They wondered if it set a precedent of murder and lack of justice for the future of Libya. “I don't know how I feel about his killing and death right now,” said one Egyptian journalist Marwa, who added that “the struggle for Libya should have seen justice for all those who had died and been tortured under Gaddafi. Killing him might bring some immediate satisfaction, but I am not sure if it will be the best thing for Libya.” The young journalist was quick to add, “it's not my place though to tell Libya how to deal with their country.” The few concerns stated by a handful of Arabs, however, were tiny in comparison to the sense of accomplishment many Arabs had on the finality of Libya's revolution, which has seen some 30,000 people wounded in the past few months of fighting. As one Libyan celebrating in Cairo said, “Gaddafi is over, now it is time for Libya to begin.” BM
