The Gentleness of Change in Libya

Mihoko Hamasaka
January 2008

In 1992, Japanese sisters headed for Libya in order to start service activities as WFWP volunteers. Libya at the time, however, was under economic sanctions imposed by the United Nations Security Council; it was isolated internationally and very difficult to enter. Therefore, they went to Jordan instead, carrying out service activities in homes for the elderly and among refugees and children.

In America at the time, many Japanese sisters were involved with a series of Japan-U.S. Sisterhood Ceremonies, which brought inspiration to many participants. Mrs. Amena Azwai, wife of the Libyan Ambassador to the UN, took part in one of these sisterhood events and was deeply moved.

At the time, my husband and I were in Japan and had just been appointed national messiahs to Libya. Mrs. Yasuko Takahashi, a national messiah to Turkmenistan, called us from the U.S. to say that Mrs. Azwai was willing to invite me to the anniversary celebration of Libya's revolution, which was to be held at the UN.

At the celebration party, I met the Libyan Ambassador to Libya and his wife. Later they introduced us to a couple, Mrs. Mufida H. Tuwebi Anag and Mr. Giuma Anag. Mrs. Mufida became the first ambassadors for peace from Libya.

Since then, Mrs. Mufida, Mr. Giuma, and other socially prominent Libyans have had the opportunity to attend IIFWP or UPF conferences, the WFWP Women's Conference for Peace in the Middle East, WCSF, and the Coronation Ceremony at the Cheon Jeong Peace Palace. My husband and I were also invited to Libya and visited the country four times. We are truly grateful that such blessings are the fruit of the mustard seeds sown by Japanese volunteers to Libya, who had to offer their services in Jordan instead, as well as the help of sisters in America.

On our visits to Libya, we had the chance to meet representatives of their Committee on Education, as well as leaders of the Revolutionary Committee, to whom we testified to True Parents' movement. We also were able to hold exchanges with schools, orphanages, an organization for children with Down syndrome, as well as the High Institute of Women's Vocational Training Centers, of which Mrs. Mufida is the director.

During this period also, Libya suspended its terrorist activities, destroyed its weapons of mass destruction and publicly recommended to North Korea that it also abandon such weapons. When the Philippines presented a resolution to set up a religious council at the UN, in line with True Parents' direction, Libya voted for it. Against the backdrop of such developments, the United States recently reestablished an embassy in Tripoli.'

Last September, we visited Libya as representatives of FFWPU Libya, with a Letter of Gratitude and a commemorative gift, a crystal miniature of the country. We were able to present these to Dr. Salem Ben Amer, a friend of Colonel Gadhafi's since the Libyan Revolution. We also spoke about UPF to Dr. Salem, who later presented the letter and gift to Colonel Gadhafi. We then received a message from Colonel Gadhafi, via e-mail, expressing his thanks to us.

We also found a long article about Mrs. Mufida in Al Jamahiriya, a Libyan newspaper, which mentioned that Mrs. Mufida as a successful woman and the first ambassador for peace in Libya.

Colonel Gadhafi is planning to bequeath the next administration of the country to his son, Mr. Saif Al-Islam Al-Gadhafi. The younger Gadhafi happened to be visiting the Philippines recently, on invitation from the government, at the time that Hyun-jin nim was holding the Global Peace Festival I there. Through an introduction by the Philippines Government,

Mr. Saif Gadhafi, seen as the second-generation leader of the future Libya, was able to meet Hyun-jin nim in Manila! We are deeply grateful that such developments were able to take place, as a blessing also from Heung-jin nim in the spirit world.

Libya has exchanges with North Korea and has amicable relations with South Korea. Numerous Korean businesses are involved with various projects related to Libya. It is our hope that Libya can contribute to the unification of the Korean peninsula, and furthermore to the building of Cheon II Guk. We will continue to do our best toward these goals.