Misrata holds first free elections in four decades

Misrata: Misrata is holding Libya's first free elections in four decades in a vote officials in the western city say will prove the North African state is able to create a functioning democracy.

"We want to prove to the rest of the international community that we got rid of this monster and we are capable of establishing a democratic government," said election supervisor Mohammad Berween, referring to Muammar Gaddafi, whose 42-year rule ended with his flight from Tripoli at the end of August.

Ballots were being cast for places on a 28-seat local council early yesterday. In the suburb of Zawiya, men and women used separate voting centres. Security was tightened across the city and a state of emergency declared after Sa'adi Gaddafi, a son of the late ruler, last week predicted a loyalist "uprising".

The elections were endorsed by the ruling National Transitional Council, according to Berween, and were organised by Misrata, which was the main rebel stronghold in the west during the eight-month conflict. National elections for a 200-strong constitutional assembly are set for June 23.

Ballot boxes borrowed

An electoral register of 101,000 voters, about 65 per cent of Misrata's population, was compiled in 20 days, according to Berween. Purple ink imported from the UK to mark voter forefingers arrived yesterday, he said.

"We had no money, so we borrowed the ballot boxes from Tunisia," said Berween, who spent 27 years in the US and resigned as Chair of Social Sciences at Texas A&M International University to return to Misrata to help organise the poll.