8. Gaddafi's Final Interview

When the revolution that began in Libya on February 12, 2011, rapidly intensified, media outlets speculated that Gaddafi had already fled the country. To verify these claims, Christina Amanpour, a renowned interviewer from ABC News, arrived in Tripoli with two British journalists. Gaddafi met them at a hotel and gave what turned out to be his final interview. At that time, most Libyan cities, including Tripoli, were still under his control, though some rebellion was brewing in the eastern parts of the country. When Amanpour's helicopter landed, Tripoli appeared calm and serene. However, in the eastern regions, small groups of rebels had already started their uprising. In this tense atmosphere, Amanpour interviewed Gaddafi. Here's the full transcript of the conversation: Christina Amanpour: How are you? Good to meet you! I’m Christina Amanpour from ABC News. Gaddafi, let me get straight to the point. Why are people rebelling against you? Why are they shouting slogans against you in the streets? Colonel Gaddafi: Who is rebelling? Where are the slogans being shouted? No demonstrations at all! No one is rebelling against me. What reason could there be for a revolution? I am not even the president of this country. The people of my nation love me immensely. They adore me. They would sacrifice their lives to protect me. No, no, no! Christina Amanpour: If they love you so much, why are they capturing cities like Benghazi? Colonel Gaddafi: They are Gaidha. Christina Amanpour: You mean Al-Qaeda? Colonel Gaddafi: Yes, yes, they are Al-Qaeda! Not my people! Christina Amanpour: Colonel Gaddafi, influential leaders like the U.S. President and the British Prime Minister are calling for you to step down and leave Libya. Will you do that? Colonel Gaddafi: (laughing sarcastically) Why should I leave Libya? Why should I flee? Does anyone abandon the country where they were born and raised? Christina Amanpour: People claim you ordered shooting and airstrikes against rebels. What is your response to that? Colonel Gaddafi: This is pure lies. 101% lies. Christina Amanpour: It is said that your pilots and soldiers refused to attack civilians and rebels, claiming that you pressured them to do so. What do you say to this? Colonel Gaddafi: Terrorists broke into armoires, took weapons, and distributed them among themselves. They are the ones firing, not our soldiers. Christina Amanpour: The international community fears you might use chemical or nuclear weapons against your people. Will you? Colonel Gaddafi: What is there to say? We resolved this issue long ago with Britain and America. It’s a closed chapter. Why do you keep digging it up? Moreover, would such weapons ever be used against ordinary people? Christina Amanpour: Was it you who planted the bomb on the Lockerbie flight two decades ago? Colonel Gaddafi: That’s also a closed chapter. I suffered greatly for a mistake that wasn’t mine. Libya endured years of sanctions. We went through many hardships during that time. Christina Amanpour: Do you feel betrayed by America? How do you see them now? Colonel Gaddafi: Certainly, there was great injustice! They have no manners! Their behavior crossed all limits of absurdity. Today, the world believes whatever the media says. But the truth is different. Unfortunately, the media no longer shows the real story. Let them come to Libya and see for themselves. They’ll know what’s happening here. How right is it to act like this? Yes, our relations with America have now improved. Christina Amanpour: What’s your opinion about President Obama? Colonel Gaddafi: I’ve said this on many occasions. He’s a good young man. I support his foreign policies and appreciate the improvement in relations between our two countries. However, I can’t understand why he made a negative statement about me. Christina Amanpour: Thank you, Colonel Gaddafi. It was a pleasure speaking with you. (Courtesy: ABC News Channel) Kannada Original: Uday Itagi English Translation: Uday Itagi