The True Face of col. Gaddafi's Regime?

August 31, 2011
Update Sept. 15

Okay, the tortured maid of Hannibal Gaddafi's wife. I can see that. For a bit there I was. The video was shown by CNN, re-posted by LibyanM (Shabbab Libya's youtube account, I think - embedded below). The demonized regime we're crushing on all fronts, was by this looted home decadent, rich, had servant, possibly did some actual evil things here and there. Surely it's not ALL lies, right?

So this Somalian lady they just found, left there all alone by the fleeing family, locked in until rescued by the heroic FFs ... says she refused to beat their child, and was punished with boiling water all over her body, twice, most recently three months ago. She was denied medical treatment, and even had maggots on her head (gone now). But she's still alive and fairly well seeming, despite the still unhealed sores all over, missing hair, layered scalp dripping pus, etc.

She was also never paid, and now couldn't afford to even take herself to the hospital. That's strange, considering medical care was always free in Libya, I had thought. Then I look again at her and, like some commenters there, see it totally different. I can still go either way, but felt my doubts worth putting down. Below is my comment there, in case it doesn't stay:

I have to say, there's a case for this being fake as hell. The makeup would have to be pretty darn good, but that's doable. Her acting ... she doesn't wince in pain convincingly. She acts like someone with makeup on, I think. 

And the part about needing money for the hospital - even if she had the foresight to know of the NTC penchant for privatization, they JUST took over. Historically, medical care is free. Don't give her any money. She'll just spend it on makeup. 

In a bit more detail, I note the serious gore/makeup is only on her visible scalp, and a bit on her upper chest. Her pretty face is left unmarred by this ick, but does look burned at some point. And she's got dark splotches over the much of her body (arms and legs) that could almost be those mutant, all-over "birthmarks" some people have, or the simple layer of her makeup. Or all body scalding. Would like to see an expert's opinion.

But again, no strange movements from the rawness, no mental lethargy from the long captivity. Sepsis from prolonged neglect of her maggot-crawling scalp over the last three months might leave her racked with internal complications, weak or sickly yellow, something, but she seems feisty and chatty almost, like someone ready to go out to a Haloween party.

She does have the pleading eyes, which dart around to others, as if for confirmation she's doing well. But her acting is good enough otherwise that I can't call it acting on that alone.

"Is this the true face of col. Gaddafi's regime?" asks correspondent Dan Rivers, who I hope feels like Alice in Wonderland these days. If the allegations of this lady are true, then I apologize for doubting, and I'd have to answer no. This was its truest and purest face, smashed to bits now. This story, if true, is an aspect, a clue of something, perhaps even of some family-centric state brutality that's always trumpeted but often turns to dust on inspection.

But if my doubts are more correct, we might in fact be looking into the same fake as hell face of the brutal regime we've been sold for decades on end now, and just non-stop the last week or two.

Update Sept. 15: The nanny, Shweyga Mullah, 30, has been flown to Malta for treatment of this possible effectsjob. The PM Gonzi has taken a personalinterest, the defense minister is with her, she's got lawyers and is seeking assylum and damages, I hear.We'll see if this pans out orfizzles away like Iman al Obeidi's did.
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20110915/local/gaddafi-s-burnt-nanny-in-malta-for-treatment.384865
http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/national/hannibal-gaddafi-s-wounded-nanny-on-way-to-malta-for-medical-care