Dr Amr Al- Nami, scholar, poet and Cambridge graduate, was born in Nalut of the Western Libyan mountains and came to be an early victim of Gaddafi's terror. Soon after his return home from Cambridge in the early 70's, he was imprisoned by Gaddafi for his beliefs, strong independent personality and popularity among his students. Later, forced to leave the country, he moved with his family to the US where he taught at the University of Michigan and later to Japan. Upon his return home again, he continued to be persecuted by the regime. He gave up teaching and retreated to the Western mountains choosing a simple life herding sheep but was arrested again in 1981 and has since disappeared. He reportedly died under torture while in prison and his family knew nothing about his whereabouts. Dr Al-Nami will be remembered as a Libyan icon and a humanist. He chose to pay with his life rather than compromise his principles and bow to a dictator. May his soul rest in peace!
The following three verses are a near translation from a touching poem in Arabic, written by the martyr in his prison cell back in 1974 and addressed to his mother:
Mother... don't you worry now... don't show them you're sad!
How about a smile now... I hate to see you weak...I hate to see you feeling bad!
How about a smile now... I hate to see you weak...I hate to see you feeling bad!
Mother don't show them they're winning... Mother don't show them you're aching
You see, we have towered high above the tyrants. Mother, we're men but they're not!
أماه لا تجزعي بل وابسمي فرحا فحزن قلبك ضغف لست أرضاه
أماه لا تشعريهم أنهم غلبوا أماه لا تسمعيهم منك أواه
إنا شمخنا على الطاغوت في شمم نحن الرجال وهم يا أم أشباه
