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Title : Libya's Playground War

{ Asel, 12 } They bombed us with grad rockets

We were playing outside when the bomb hit the house

Everything was suddenly shaking

I was really scared

Title : Muammar Abusallam, 13. Father was killed fighting for Gaddafi

Title : The Suwyaisi Family, neighbors of Muammar

Sirte , Gaddafi's last stronghold

Pro and anti Gaddafi divisions run deep

Here, the war is still alive

No one has been affected more than the city's children

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Title : Asel Salam, 12

Title :Ahlam Ahmed Daw and family. Opponents of Gaddafi

I thought we were going to die

My son Ahmed started screaming - I am going to die, I am going to die

Then some bombs hit the building again. We fled into the basement

[Ahlam Ahmed]

After Ramadan, it was obvious we were opponents of Gaddafi

so all the supporters around us

our neighbors were using their heavy guns against us

The fighting was intense in Sirte. Children were deeply traumatised

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{ Asel}

When we returned back here

and found all this destruction

our flat had been set on fire

and partly destroyed

[Muammar's grandfather]

Actually , we had some children , they could have lost their minds

You know this building was hit many times

[Asel} Life was very very good and very very sweet

But now our life is bad

First thing, we don't have Moammar ( Gaddafi) anymore

Life has completely changed for the children

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Second thing, when I am walking down the street, I see scary things

[Asel}

Taleah Alnaser is my school

[Jummah Mabrouk Abdulsalam, principal]

When I came back, I found the school in a terrible condition

It was destroyed

When I first saw the school I was depressed

I wanted to quit

to leave this work

but what is the life of children without education, without studying ?

Gaddafi's legacy loom s large over the ruined city

Here in Sirte, the war is still present.

And it doesn’t stop at the school gates

Nowhere in Sirte escaped destruction

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I want to restore life to this country

And if you don’t restore the schools, this country will not have a life

Muammar Gaddafi ! Gaddafi

[ Asel]] A little part of me is happy

Because I am back at school

but my friends have changed .

But the problem is not just destruction

Schools have become battlegrounds, children proxy warriors for their parent's views

The chant of Gaddafi's name echoes throughout the day

With long-term friends now fighting each other, the children’s world is turned upside down completely

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some of them like Moammar Gaddafi

And others, not. They like all this destruction

We shouldn't allow the war to divide us or make us into enemies

But don't forget those who committed the stealing

(singing) Oh Libya , we will never fail you . We will never go back to fetters

Nowhere is free of conflict for children

Former friends are now opponents

Children are fighting each other

Each day starts with the new national anthem

But with many of the families still hostile to the revolution

Only a handful of the children out of the 250

Agree to even sing it

Libya’s Playground War

ENGLISH transcript, 12 May 2012

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Put your hands down !

[ school boy ) I didnt hit him - he came in front of me !

( teacher ) this is something we all have to accept whether we like it or not

(teacher) Ok, finish. We raised the flag and that is it

( schoolboys) 17 February ! Muammar ! Muammar

Noha Almedi, Social Worker

People in Sirte are against the revolution

My job is to educate students

But after they sing it, a boy lashes out

at a child who did agree to sing it

From the school yard to the classroom, the revolution struggles to get a grip here

Many children have lost family members fighting for Gaddafi

Libyas Playground War

ENGLISH transcript script

12 May 2012

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and lecture them about the goals of the revolution

and the mistakes of the previous government

We show them videos about what happened in the revolution

We teach them what the new flag means

But they are not convinced

Some completely refuse to listen to me or watch the videos

They refuse to have anything to do with the new era

Fouzy Abu Zeyd, Headteacher  

Their old school was a military compound

and most of the families of Sirte were armed

It is difficult to move on

Some children are only at this school because theirs was destroyed by NATO

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with weapons by this military compound

the media convinced the people that

this school and these weapons

were to save and protect their families

this is what the children believed

So, when NATO bombed this school

to them it means NATO hates them

as it destroyed the army many of their fathers fought for

that was protecting them and their families

As if the destruction of thier city, their homes and friendships wasn't enough

Sirte is now a highly dangerous place as well

Children now need lessons in how to survive in their own neighborhoods 

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[[NGO fellow]]

( schoolboy ) Muammar Muammar

AbusalaamI notice the difference in my friends

There are supporters and anti

That creates problems between us and sometimes you get yourself kicked out of school  Libya’s Playground War

ENGLISH transcript, 12 May 2012

An NGO arrives to teach them about the dangers of unexploded weapons

The contamination is highly highly extreme in Sirte, especially in area two

The children are in great danger

They know a lot a lot of guns, a lot a lot of weapons. They believe they can know, they have the technical knowledge

how to defuse it which is very bad No where is safe anymore for children

Nowhere is free from conflict

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Dr . Latifa Omar Al Bar ,

rofessor of Psychology,  University of Sirte

There was a child who came to school

wearing a new flag of Libya on his hand

And the teacher took the flag from his hand and beat him

He said, don't come with this flag of rats again to this school !

Now in Sirte the pro Gaddafi and the anti Gaddafi supporters can't deal with each other at all

and it has become a big social problem

At the end of school, the children make their way home

Through the streets in which Gaddafi once hid.

Haunted by the past and scared of the present

Fear runs deep among children and adults alike

There are an unknown number of weapons hidden

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[Ahlam Ahmed Daw}

I am still afraid someone will get their revenge on us

I can’t even let the children go to the store

as people know we are opponents of Gaddafi

and everyone has weapons

so I am worried someone will kill us 

[Dr Lateefa]When I went back to the university, I was wearing the scarf of the new Libyan flag

The dean of the university warmed me not to come wearing that scarf again

as he feared for my safety

( boys on football pitch ) Muammar ! Muammar !!

[Sarah, Ahlam 's daughter]I am scared at school

when I sang the new anthem

my classmates came and insulted me for singing the new anthem

No one knows who to trust

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{Sarah’s mom, Ahlam]

Sarah is finding it difficult to go to school , she's saying she doesn't want to go

She wants me to go to school with her

I keep saying to her don't let anyone intimidate you

I tell her if they scare you, tell them you will bring the rebels

TITLE :   Muammar's father was killed fighting for Gaddafi

[Muammar]

The war is a scary thing. It has lots of bad memories

I can't sleep when I am remembering the war

I'm afraid. Sometimes , I think someone is behind me

trying to kill or kidnap me

when the shelling started

we spent one month in the basement

I slept here

My brother was injured

when the shell came through that window

The scars are not just physical

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and bounced off the wall

I was so scared

[Muammar's grandfather]Even if you hold him

he will grab your hand and won't release it

that's how scared he is

[Abusalaam]

I remember dreaming that our house had been hit and

I was the only one who survived

and I saw all my family dead

I dreamed similar dreams every day

[[Embia  and Ahmed Suwyaisi]]

My son was the first to see the bombed house

He was scared to go inside

He was screaming , saying

There is someone dead inside

I wanted to spare them from the reality

I didn’t want my children to see it

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But the destruction in the neighborhood

We can't cover it from the eyes of my children

[Noha]

They dont say anything against me directly at school

But the students and parents speak against me in the street

What happened is that a mother of one of the students

caught me in the street

trying to convince me that this revolution brings us

destruction and problems and nothing else

the most important thing for them to understand is to be patient

what was destroyed will be rebuilt step by step

But for now, there is no immediate benefit you can see in front of your eyes

There is nothing to talk about. Because no government even exists

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[Ahlam]

There is no positive work you can see on the ground.

Anywhere you go

Nothing, nothing, nothing has been given back for what we put ourselves

through for the revolution

[Abusalaam] I feel sad, really sad

I wish my friends would just forget the war

and move on

But the problem is,

They can't forget . They haven't forgotten

I just want life like before to return

[Ahlam] I wish there was more help from the new government

I wish there was no destruction and no shooting

So far , there are no benefits of the revolution to be seen, only ruins

Even supporters of the revolution are struggling

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I hope for better schools. I wish my children to be safe

Mohammed Abu Sita,

National Transitional

Council

The idea of the local National Transitional Council is new

Our main problem is cash

Yes of course we have a lot of money

But when you ask the central government

They say this is not in the plan right now

In many ways, the success of the revolution in Sirte

And even its acceptance

hinge on the government proving itself