Change is difficult and grievous. Similar to a baby’s weight loss after birth, is the first period after a (big) change often more dreadful than before. It takes a long period before everyone has found his or her peace and position within the new situation, knows the new rules, and how to accommodate to these. But what if there are no rules anymore? If there is no one left who still remembers (and has faith in) the old rules?
Meanwhile you might have created and idea of how chaos – as well as turbulence – this can create. This is the exact situation the countries involved in the Arab Spring are dealing with. Especially Libya is a good example; never has the country been in such an outbalanced and chaotic situation as it is in right now.
Back to the metaphor: the baby.
As the baby has a lag in its weight a few days after birth, he will be fed every day a little bit more. Very cautious, as no one knows what the effect might be on the baby. Sometimes it is necessary to stop, recuperate and try something different. Watching carefully how the baby reacts, listening, checking and deciding if change is necessary. Over and over again. Every hour, every day until the moment is reached when recovering becomes visible. From the moment confidence rises in a healthy development of a child, there is still a long way to go. Still, every day something terrible can occur. The child may become seriously ill, become bullied at school, of may get involved in a car accident. There will always be some kind of worry.
Back to – in this case – Libya.
Libya is situated in the period directly after birth. The country has never been in such danger and chaos as known nowadays. Even though a vast majority of the population is elated with the fact that Gadaffi is no longer in power, there is still a great sense of insecurity among many. There is great hope to become a democracy, as well as passion to survive this turbulent situation. The euphoria of the birth is meanwhile weakened. The hope and passion are still present, but the doubt increases. Amongst many, the believe in a positive outcome is yet sensible, though daily practice makes it difficult. The unsafe feeling of times in which one could not give his or her opinion – but a gold merchant could leave his door open when going to the prayer – is a totally different feeling than is felt right now by the population. The police, the army, the government – even though chosen by the civilians – still do not have the power and preponderance on the anarchism that arose after the revolution. To get some control on the situation, agreements have been made in the past. Groups have originated that impede the first steps toward development of a stable situation. How can one turn this around? It is necessary to assimilate the woes of the past. The past of processes, agreements, and the behaviour of the population during the Gadaffi-period. Continuously one must listen, look, try to change. During a time when the need of security is big. Very carefully there a small steps being taken into the right direction. Are these yet perceptible and tangible? No. Even worse, there is a great chance the turbulence will increase over the coming period. De groups who initially had control over the power, will notice their loss of power and authority is put to a hold. The chance to resistance hereto is present. Moreover, the new fundaments (constitution) are currently built, which will also provoke agitation.
The certainty of growing up safely in Libya has yet not been realised. This will take some time. This challenge is enormous. With the large amount of Libyans within the country as well as outside who keep their confidence and their courage to change, there is a big chance their goals of democracy, a country of equality and transparency will be achieved.
Power of Diversity 