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From Our Own Correspondent: Nostalgia for the Gaddafi era?

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Col Gaddafi at a ceremony in Tripoli in 2010

23/10/2021 GMT

Nostalgia for the Gaddafi era?

BBC World Service - From Our Own Correspondent, Nostalgia for the Gaddafi era?

A few Libyans now miss the late "Brother Leader"; tales from Denmark, Pakistan and Chile

Some Libyans look back fondly to the time of the "Brother Leader". Plus: a Danish island goes carbon-negative, US military kit for sale in Pakistan and Chile's ancient mummies

Libya has been marking an anniversary of sorts this week: ten years since the dictator Colonel Muammar Gaddafi was killed, having been toppled from power. Since then, elections have been held, and a much-delayed election for a new President is due at the end of this year. But the country's still deeply divided and armed militias still vying for power. Perhaps not surprising in these circumstances that a few Libyans express some  nostalgia for the days of the "Brother Leader", despite his human rights abuses. Tim Whewell talked to one of those who remain loyal even now - who was once Gaddafi’s advisor, and sometime interpreter. 

With just days to go until the COP26 summit on climate change, there’s ever more pressure being applied to countries to explain how they propose to get to net zero - how to reach the point where they're not putting any more net carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. But there’s an island in Denmark which has already gone one stage further and become “carbon negative.” Ritula Shah went to Samsoe to find out how they've done it.

During its twenty-year presence in Afghanistan, the American-led intervention brought in billions of dollars’ worth of gear - from vehicles to uniforms, helicopters to tasers. Now quite a lot of that kit seems to have found its way into the hands of smugglers, who brought it across the border into neighbouring Pakistan. Some of these spoils of war are sold furtively in small towns and border posts, but one Lahore shopkeeper is selling the goods very openly. Ali Kazmi heard how he feels about making a living by selling off the spoils of war. 

When most people think of ancient mummies, they think of ancient Egypt. But in fact, the oldest deliberately preserved human mummies in the world come from Chile. They were discovered in 1917 by a German archaeologist, but it took decades for the mummies to be correctly radio-carbon dated, and identified as part of the Chinchorro civilisation. They’re still not on the global tourist map, as the Egyptian pyramids and their long-dead occupants are - but people in the heart of what was once Chinchorro country are hoping that might change soon. Jane Chambers went to the city of Arica to see the mummies for herself.


Producer: Polly Hope
(Image: Col Gaddafi at a ceremony in Tripoli in 2010. Credit: Reuters/Ismail Zetouny/Files)

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