What do you know about the security minefield?
What fate awaits MP Ibrahim Al-Darsi? Will he meet the same end as his colleague Siham Sergiwa, who was killed or disappeared forever? Or will he suffer the fate of Faraj Aqeim, who was imprisoned, dragged, tortured, and then physically and spiritually rehabilitated, only to return to the fold with the other domesticated tools that please the tyrant and make him happy, oppress his opponents, and make them taste the kindness of the tyrant father?
About a month ago, MP Ibrahim Al-Darsi was kidnapped under mysterious circumstances. Despite the ambiguity surrounding his disappearance, everyone knows who kidnapped him and why. At the time of writing these words, Al-Darsi might have been found alive or dead, or he might have been released and returned to praise the leadership. However, regardless of the outcome, we at Alash will not miss the opportunity to tell you, "Didn't we tell you?"
Yes, we have repeatedly told you and discussed on our humble platform more than once about security and the illusion of security. We informed you, our dear ordinary citizen, especially in the eastern part of the country, that what you are experiencing is an illusion of security, not security itself. True security is directed at the tyrant and his entourage. You did not receive this security intentionally but incidentally because the tyrant needs a certain level of stability to rule without disturbances. However, if you want to test the security you live in, try, just once, to be on the side of what the tyrant considers disturbances. At that moment, all the gates of hell will open upon you, all your rights will disappear, and you will become a target, ravaged by the tyrant's dogs from all sides. Even the closest people to you will not stand by your side, as they believe in the saying, "He who does nothing wrong, nothing bad will happen to him." And since the tyrant and his dogs targeted you, it must be because "you did something."
What happened to Ibrahim Al-Darsi is not an isolated or individual incident. It has happened before and will happen again because a dictator, especially at the beginning of consolidating his power, does not draw clear boundaries for the forbidden and the disturbing. Instead, he lets people discover them the hard way, like walking through a minefield. You may survive by sheer luck, or the mine may explode in your face at any step you take, or in this case, at any word you say, making you an example for others. It teaches those behind you in the flock that this path is not to be taken.
The story circulating about the kidnapping of the honorable MP with parliamentary immunity is that he protested against the rough and humiliating manner in which security personnel, one of the marshal’s sons, searched him before entering the platform to celebrate the "Day of Dignity." The story goes that Al-Darsi stepped on a highly explosive mine when he hinted at the control of "outsiders" over the state institutions in his tribe's domain and the absence or exclusion of "the sons of Barqa."
The incident, as narrated by those who witnessed it, occurred in front of some attendees, making it necessary for the ruler to make an example of this rebellious loyalist. In the dictator's law, your previous loyalty will not save you if you commit what disturbs him. You, the sycophant, must know that your stay in the grace of your master depends on your continued loyalty and flattery to him. If you deviate even slightly in a moment of anger, you will lose all your credit, only to discover that you had no credit in the first place.
Some public affairs followers might be surprised by the crude manner of Al-Darsi’s disappearance, given his previous absolute loyalty to Haftar and his family. The man has never taken a stance contrary to the ruling authority in the East. He is an absolute supporter and fierce defender of Haftar, found in parliament or on TV channels, staunchly siding with the rulers of the eastern part of the country. This is similar to his colleague in parliament, Siham Sergiwa, who stood by Haftar since the launch of his operation in Benghazi in mid-2014. She was known for her unwavering support until she opposed his aggression on Tripoli in 2019. She stepped on an explosive mine by appearing on TV and criticizing Haftar’s militias and their crimes in Tripoli. Her house was stormed, she was kidnapped, and her fate remains unknown despite unofficial confirmations of her death.
The same happened to dozens of activists, bloggers, and even known politicians like Fathi Al-Baja and his colleagues. Some were released, some killed in prison, and some are still awaiting either fate. In rare cases, there was a radical change in the kidnapped person, turning them into tools for the torturer, practicing the terror inflicted upon them. This happened with Faraj Aqeim Al-Abdali, who appeared on TV accusing Haftar of attempting to assassinate him and orchestrating the assassinations and bombings used to justify his military operation. These were serious accusations from someone who mistakenly thought his position and the size and influence of his tribe in eastern Libya, especially Benghazi and its surroundings, would protect him from the tyrant's wrath. He openly called for a rebellion against Haftar, specifying a date for coordination. His house was raided early that day by men from his tribe, abducting him and throwing him in prison for months. He re-emerged after rehabilitation, declaring his repentance and becoming a loyal guard for Haftar, his family, and their authoritarian project.
Some believe Al-Darsi’s fate will be more similar to Faraj Aqeim's than Siham Sergiwa's. Al-Darsi's rebellion was a momentary, unforgivable outburst, but the tyrant is compassionate and will tame and rehabilitate him. He will return to his place among the sycophants praising the authority. Unlike Sergiwa, he did not commit the crime of rebellion on TV, deserving her fate. Nor was he among the passive neutrals like Fathi Al-Baja and his colleagues. Though they did not openly oppose the regime, they did not pledge allegiance either. In their case, it is ambiguous whether they die trying to escape prison or are pardoned by the tyrant in one of his spiritual revelations, or remain in prison for years.
Regardless of what happens to Al-Darsi or others, our article aims to remind you, "Didn't we tell you?" Praise the tyrant all you want, admire his character, strength, elegance in his medal-adorned military uniform, speak of his eloquence and dignity, write songs and poems about his development, modernization, and construction projects. Say whatever you want about him and his sons, but don't talk to me about security while walking through a minefield, unaware when one might explode in your face.
True security is directed at you and intended for you, not what you receive incidentally because the regime wants to operate in peace. True security protects you from the tyranny of power and the tyranny of people. It doesn't mean living submissively under the shadow of authority until you accidentally disturb it, unleashing the gates of hell upon you. Security is the opposite of fear, and as long as you are afraid and watchful, don't talk to me about security.