It's been over a month since many Libyans who've had relatives in Sirte were able to get in touch with them due to the communications black out over the city with the outside world. Now that Freedom Fighters have entered, thousands of people managed to escape their homes (prisons!) in Sirte and find refuge in neighboring cities, mainly Misurata.
The first to have left from my family was my youngest uncle. He had fled Brega over 7 months ago when fighting started there and had come to Sirte. It's been a while now since he finally made it to Misurata.
And thank Goodness for the internet we were able to talk and he told stories of how people managed to survive the harsh conditions there.
I personally find it hard to believe, that in a time period such as the 21st century, that an urban city is ridiculously blocked from the rest of the country... let alone, the rest of the world.
When my folks were stuck in Misurata, our only connection was with my relatives in Sirte. So now it's vice versa. Before, it was kinda comforting seeing all those videos that kept coming on facebook of clashes and raw footage from battlefields mainly in Misurata, at least we knew, saw, what the inside of the city was going through. With Sirte, and especially now... we know nothing.
I don't know if my grandparents' house is still standing or not, or whether my aunt's house has holes in its roof. How much of the city has changed?
A moment ago a guy on Sirte's facebook page was asking if anyone had recent pics from the city. He wanted to examine the amount of destruction there. In a way, that's pretty wise. No one would want to be shocked by reality... a sad one. No one would want to hear his aunt's husband was killed when he's still alive. No one would want to go and see his house burnt down when he could've known from someone who already knew about it.
But that's life. You don't win them all. Yet, we can still help release each other's strains if we forget our grudges and focus on the moment. Now. Help save lives or even someone's sanity by giving a smile, a prayer, and any uplifting gesture within your capacity.
Keeping our hopes high... till there's a better Libya.
Till next time,
Hana S.
