Reuters Libya is plunging into a cycle of tribal violence and retribution which, if left unchecked, could undermine the authority of its new leaders, spur new forms of insurgency and throw the country back into chaos. More than a week after the death of Muammar Gaddafi, anger is on the boil again with what many Libyans see as the inability of the interim government to rein in its brigades and stop a wave of revenge attacks. Retribution is a byproduct of wars the world over, but Libya is awash with guns and still roamed by gangs of Gaddafi loyalists, raising the possibility that an orgy of revenge could easily shatter its fragile peace and derail attempts to rebuild. Analysts say the only way to avert the scenario is to win people's hearts and minds by disarming regional militias, providing strong guarantees of security, and moving tribal disputes into a legal sphere. Easier said than done. As post-Gaddafi euphoria fades, trouble already appears to be brewing in parts of Libya where disgruntled and armed civilians are growing increasingly suspicious of the National Transitional Council and its ability to bring law and order. “I've seen a lot of revolutions. This is not a revolution, this is chaos,” said Ali Mohamed, a 57-year-old former soldier in Gaddafi's army. “It's all about personal acts of revenge. If there is no stability and security, people will turn against the council.” Observers say that, for now, Gaddafi loyalists have no hope of reinstalling the dictator's regime, with his armed forces crushed and most of his family either in exile or dead. Yet in many cities in Libya's central and western parts — which, unlike the more rebellious east, have been in Gaddafi's fold until recently — the atmosphere is bitter. In one town 120 km (75 miles) southwest of Tripoli, locals said several people had been killed in the past week in raids by former rebel brigades from other tribes seeking revenge against men they believed had fought on Gaddafi's side. Southeast of Tripoli, in the former Gaddafi stronghold of Bani Walid, tribesmen from the powerful Warfalla tribe said their men were already trying to organize themselves into an insurgent movement. In Gaddafi's hometown of Sirte, the US-based Human Rights Watch has urged the NTC to investigate dozens of decaying bodies discovered shortly after he was killed. On Sunday, the rights group accused militias from the coastal city of Misrata of “terrorizing” displaced residents of the nearby town of Tawarga, in retribution for the townspeople's alleged collaboration in atrocities committed by Gaddafi forces. “Revenge against the people from Tawarga, whatever the accusations against them, undermines the goal of the Libyan revolution,” said Sarah Leah Whitson, HRW's Middle East and North Africa director. These early signs may be part of the inevitable chaos that follows the end of any conflict. Yet they are adding fuel to pro-Gaddafi feelings at a time when people are waiting for the NTC to show signs of strong leadership. __
