Tripoli remains largely peaceful amid nationwide unrest
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Tripoli, the capital of Libya with about three million population still remains peaceful under the control of Muammar Gaddafi, 12 days after the north African country plunged into turmoil.
The massive protests, demanding for an end to the 42-year rule of the Libyan leader Gaddafi, broke out on Feb. 16 in the eastern city of Benghazi and rapidly spread all over the country.
However, hundreds of Gaddafi's supporters held demonstrations in the weekend in downtown's Green square, backing the iron-handed leader. "People love Gaddafi," they shouted. Meanwhile they also slammed some Arab media for "distorting the information."
Local residents still enjoy water pipes, coffee and warm sunshine in the roadside coffee bars. "We're in progress, but it needs time, step by step," Makkhazoo, a retired Libyan diplomat told Xinhua.
"My life has been disturbed, they told me to stay at home in the evenings," a German woman who teaches Germany in Tripoli said. Although the city is under heavy guard of the troops loyal to Gaddafi, gunfire can be heard from time to time at night.
Gaddafi's son Seif al-Islam launched a media campaign on Thursday, inviting the international media to Tripoli to report about "the truth in the city."
"You can go anywhere to see anything you want to see," a media official said.
Gadafi also ordered to give each family 500 Libyan dinars ( about 400 U.S. dollars) to improve people's life, the state radio said on Sunday.
The authority even allowed foreign reporters to visit the Zawiya city on Sunday, some 40 km west of Tripoli. The city reportedly has witnessed heavy clashes between Gaddafi's troops and anti-government protestors.
The highway heading to Zawiya is strongly occupied with military forces, policemen and some armed men in plain clothes and with their faces masked. Vehicles have to pass at least five checkpoints to reach the restive city.
