The Last Words of Salwa Bugaighis
The last words of Salwa Bugaighis on June 25, 2014 - the day she was cowardly assassinated.
1.Please wait and have patience until eight o'clock. They will not beat us and they will not thwart Benghazi’s electoral process. Be on time. Greetings to those who oversee the polling centers. Tell people...call your friends and your family…they must fight peacefully by using their votes.
2. I beg the people of Benghazi to head to the polling stations to protect them, to raise morale, and to encourage those in charge of them. I beg my people on all sides to stop the clashes for just three hours. I beg the youth to go and vote now.
3. My people of Benghazi, we must pray to God to give them patience, strength, and determination for a few hours where they will take an unforgettable stand for Benghazi and Libya. Go for the sake of our martyrs’ blood…go...They will not stop us from practicing our constitutional rights and our national duty.
4. Benghazi has challenges, as usual...but despite the pain, fear, and sadness, Benghazi will prove to everyone that it will not kneel or bow. It will continue to fight no matter the challenges and difficulties. We are determined to build the Libya we have always dreamed of.
5. Everyone must remember our martyrs whose sacrifice made it possible for us to enjoy democracy now. Participation has exceeded all international and local expectation…The international community is surprised that this proud city has stood its ground. I am filled with pride for my Benghazi and its people for their exceptional participation in the democratic process for Libya. We may become disappointed or get let down but we will never give up for Libya - no matter how long the struggle takes.
6. Please follow the electoral process to the end. Beware and take care if you are an elections observer. You must protect our votes.
7. I hope to protect the Supreme Court. People of Tripoli, please be on time. We must have human shields in front of the Court from nine o'clock.
These were Salwa's last words that represent the values that she believed in, fought for, and for which she gave her life: discussion, peaceful struggle, peaceful transfer of authority through elections and rule of law.