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Prosci Practitioner Certification Course
Program Overview:
Prosci’s Change Management Certification Program gives you the knowledge, skills and tools to drive successful change initiatives. This three-day experiential learning program teaches you to apply a holistic change management methodology and toolset, including the Prosci ADKAR® Model, to a real project. You will leave with a change management plan that leverages research-based best practices to effectively manage change and enhance project results.
Change Enablement will also provide 5 hours of coaching for the group after certification to assist and embed the learning from the course.
Target Audience:
The Prosci Change Management Certification Program is ideal for anyone responsible for driving change. Participants are frequently in these roles:
Change leaders
Project managers
Change management practitioners
Continuous improvement specialists
IT professionals
Human Resource business partners
Organisational Development professionals
Project team members
Learning Objectives:
Understand how effective change management improves organisational results
Learn to apply a research-based change management methodology and toolset
Understand the fundamentals of change and change management
Articulate the value of change management to your peers and leaders
Learn how to apply the Prosci ADKAR Model to facilitate individual change
Apply the Prosci 3-Phase Process to a real project, enabling you to:
Assess readiness
Identify impacted groups
Build a holistic strategy for influencing individual transitions
Walk away with a change management plan and an executive presentation on the business case for change management
Gain certification in the Prosci change management methodology and access to the Prosci change management methodology and tools
Program Agenda:
Day one:
Why change management?
The ROI of effective change management
The Prosci ADKAR Model
7 concepts of change
Preparing for change: assessing change readiness
Day two:
Preparing for change: building team structure and assessing sponsorship
Managing change: creating customized communication and sponsorship plans
Executive project plan presentations
Day three:
Managing change: creating coaching, training and resistance management plans
Reinforcing change
Assessment
Graduation
Course Materials:
Program workbook and assessments
Best Practices in Change Management
Employee’s Survival Guide to Change
Change Management: The People Side of Change
ADKAR: A Model for Change in Business, Government and our Community
A one-year subscription to the Prosci Practitioner eToolkit for change managers
Prosci Practitioner Certification Course
Enrol Now!
Early bird discount: 15% discount when enrol by 16 September.
Dates: 17th October - 19th October 2016, 3 days residential. Welcome dinner is on 16th October at 7pm
Location: Hong Kong, Auberge Discovery Bay
Enrol Now
EASY AND EFFECTIVE TIPS TO MAKE YOUR BRAND STAND OUT IN A CROWDED MARKETPLACE
Branding can make or break a business, whether it is a large corporation such as Apple or Coca Cola, a B2B company, or for that matter, a small online store. Developing a branding strategy that gives you a leg up over the competition can make all the difference, especially in a crowded marketplace, where there is little to set you apart from your competition.
It is branding that makes your product or service more than just a commodity. Branding decides whether a business survives or gets cast aside – not developing an effective branding strategy is one of the reasons for new startups to have a failure rate of 80%.
So what is branding and how can your small business develop a brand that works?
A brand is essentially a promise made by a business to its customers. Every business conveys a message through its branding strategy, about the quality and effectiveness of its products and services, and what differentiates its offerings from those of the competition. As a small business, your brand illustrates who are, how you want to be seen and how you are actually seen.
Developing a Brand Strategy that Works
Developing an effective branding strategy is all about deciding how you want to communicate, what you want to convey and to whom you wish to reach out. It is about delivering your message in a way that is guaranteed to influence people to take positive action and turn into paying customers or buyers. Advertising is a part of your branding strategy, as are the distribution channels through which you communicate your message.
Follow the tips given here to make your brand stand out in a crowded marketplace…
Tip #1: You Can’t Be All Things to All People
How do you see your business? Is it a young startup, still making its way, or an established business with a great track record? Do you sell expensive, high quality products? Or are your products cheap, affordable and offer great value for money? The point about branding is you cannot be everything to everyone. You should brand your business based on your target customers, on what they need and expect.
Tip #2: Invest in Search Engine Optimization
Getting your website on top of Google’s SERPs (search engine results pages) can make all the difference to your business. If your website is languishing in the lower reaches of Google, it’s time to hire a reputable SEO company and invest big time in search engine optimization. Develop an effective SEO strategy based on your consultations with the SEO firm.
Tip #3: Use Social Media Marketing to Good Effect
Social media marketing is one of the most cost-effective ways to build your brand and grow your business. You must have a presence across all the top social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Pinterest and Google+. You should make good use of video marketing on YouTube. Develop a social media strategy to gain much better online visibility for your business.
Tip #4: Develop a Logo that Conveys a Great Message About Your Brand
Developing a great logo is arguably the most important part of branding. Your logo conveys a lot of things about your business. Once designed, it should be integrated in all promotional materials, packaging and used extensively on your website.
Tip #5: Invest in Online Reputation Management
It is very important to maintain a clean reputation online. Even if you have hundreds of great reviews, just a couple of bad reviews can cause potential customers to think twice about doing business with you. Hire an online reputation management company to protect your brand online. They usually find ways to get rid of the negative content in a legal and ethical manner.
Conclusion
We have discussed what branding means, why it is so important to develop an effective branding strategy and given a few easy and effective tips to differentiate your brand from the rest of the competition. Ultimately branding is all about making a statement about why you should be taken seriously as a business or a startup. You won’t get too many chances at this, so you better get your branding strategy right the first time.
EASY AND EFFECTIVE TIPS TO MAKE YOUR BRAND STAND OUT IN A CROWDED MARKETPLACE
HOW TO DEVELOP A LEAD MAGNET IDEA THAT WORKS?
As an internet marketer, or at least as someone who is familiar with the internet, you would come across the term “Lead Magnet” a lot. A lead magnet is essentially an incentive offered to a prospect in exchange for their contact information. An effective lead magnet idea is one that maximizes the number of targeted leads that you get for a particular offer.
Here are some of the Lead Magnet Ideas that you should know about…
#1: A free software tool or download
#2: Free coupons
#3: A quiz or a test
#4: A free webinar or a recorded video recording
#5: A case study
#6: A toolkit
#7: Free consultation or sales material
#8: Â A free eBook or a report
#9: A PDF checklist
Each of these lead magnet ideas are proven to work and are guaranteed to get the attention of your audience. But it is not as simple as you think. You will need to work hard and take effective action to develop lead magnets that get you the expected results.
Follow the step-by-step guide given here to develop lead magnet ideas that work, time and time again.
Step #1: Choosing a lead magnet
We have listed some of the best lead magnets above. You can pick any one of these ideas, depending on the information you would like to share. For example, if you’re going to offer a free report, what is it going to be about? If you want to offer a quiz instead, have you properly considered the questions?
An effective lead magnet does the following for you…
#1: It is attractive and grabs attention.
#2: It offers quality information that the client would want to have and would benefit them in some way or another.
#3: It is relevant to your products, business or service.
#4: It is simple enough for a potential client to understand, but hard enough so that they would want to have more information from you.
#5: It tells your clients what they need, is educational and descriptive about a problem and offers a simple solution. It tells them why they might find your product or service useful.
Step #2: Create great content
Now that you know which lead magnet would be the right one to offer, the next step is to create great content for it. Some lead magnets such as eBooks or reports need more content than others; each lead magnet idea would require quality material.
Here are a few tips on content creation for a lead magnet…
#1: Designing a landing page for the lead magnet – The landing page should have enough descriptive content that explains what the lead magnet is and what it has to offer. The landing page will also have a download button to access the lead magnet.
#2: Designing a form page – On the form page, the customer fills up a form before downloading the lead magnet. Most internet marketers ask for the subscriber’s phone number, name, e-mail address, business or profession and website URL. Only the name and the e-mail address need to be mandatory, the other entries can be made optional, this way, the subscriber doesn’t feel like they are being asked for too much information. As soon as they fill up the form, send them an email with the download link for the lead magnet.
#3: Designing a “thank you” page – The subscriber should be led to the thank you page after downloading the lead magnet. This is where you thank them for downloading the lead magnet and explain where they can find the download link. The “thank you” page allows you to track the number of times the lead magnet has been downloaded. This way you will know how many leads you’ve had.
Step #3: Setting up the lead magnet on your website
You’ve done the hard work – created the landing page, form and the “thank you” page. You probably have the material for the lead magnet read as well. Now, it’s all about setting it up on your website. Add a web page called “resources” with links displayed right on top of your website. This should be unique and distinctive from the rest of the website and make it easy for people to opt-in, should they want to. Clicking on this link should take them to the landing page for the lead magnet.
Next, place effective calls-to-action for the lead magnet at various places on the website. This could be in the sidebar of your blog, below the web page or in other easily accessible places. The call-to-action should include attractive, clickable visuals for best effect.
Step #4: Optimizing the Conversions
The next step is to see if the lead magnet actually works. Track the number of downloads and find out how many of them have developed into leads. If you’re getting a fair share of downloads and a high conversion rate with your lead magnet, then you’ve done well. If not, find out why.
Why a lead magnet fails to convert…
Reason #1: Â Perhaps it supplies irrelevant information, which is not related to your business, product or service.
Reason #2: It is hard to understand.
Reason #3: It doesn’t offer enough information; lacks descriptive content or material.
Reason #4: It’s designed very unattractively; is an eye sore.
Reason #5: The email link or the download button is not working.
Reason #6: The email with the download link ends up in the SPAM folder of your subscriber.
Conclusion
We have discussed the importance of lead magnets, given you examples of effective lead magnet ideas and explained how to develop them. If your lead magnet fails to give you the expected results, do read the tips given here once again, try out different ideas till you get one that works.
The Dutch Nomad Family visited the Middle East for the first time.
Dubai in the United Arabic Emirates is a fantastic holiday destination. The Dutch Nomad Family visited the Middle East for the first time. Cultural and architectural a whole new experience and we all loved it!
The Burj Khalifa is the tallest building in the world. Your kids will never forget this one! It is 829 meters high. The elevator brought us to the observation deck on the 124th floor at 456 meters within 1 minute! And when the doors open: Wow, you are on top of the world, the city, teeny tiny cars, the sea and the desert around Dubai. Isis and Thijs were fascinated to see all the construction projects going-on and were amazed that it’s all built on desert sand.
Being at the right time at the right place, in front of the Burj Khalifa at sunset there are spectacular dancing fountains and light show. Illuminated by 6,600 lights and 25 colored projectors, it is 275 meter long and shoots water up to 150 meter into the air accompanied by a range of classical to contemporary Arabic and world music. That was impressive.
The aquarium in the Dubai Mall, the largest mall of the world, was definitely worth the visit. It is really big and there is also an underwater zoo. There was a King Crocodile, weighing a whopping 750 kilograms and measuring over 5m in length. Its head alone is more than 150 kilograms! And we never can get enough of seeing Nemo.
Isis and Thijs also visited the Atlantis Waterpark on the Palm Island. The aquarium is really beautiful. The waterpark is awesome as well but we ran out of time. Palm Island is an experience on it’s own. And the kids remember vividly seeing the only 7 star hotel Burj Al Arab. Tom and Inge spent a full day in the Burj al Arab hotel and that was an absolutely awesome experience on all fronts.
Ski Dubai is and indoor ski center for skiing, snowboarding and a penguin encounter. It is fantastic for kids to meet the penguins and they are able to feed them. They like fish and that’s what they get at Ski Dubai. There is two types op penguins, the Gentoo and the King penguin. Gentoo penguins are the third largest penguins, with a height of 60 to 75 centimeter. The King penguin is bigger, 94 centimeter. Ski Dubai is fun for the whole family.
In the old part of town, we strolled over the spice souk and gold souk. The quantity of gold and all its formations blew us away. The sellers are very friendly to kids and it’s a great place to buy your souvenirs. And then we made a boat trip over the Dubai Creek to a traditional Arabic restaurant, with sunset over the Creek.
A Gold class (first class) ticket in the Metro allowed us to sit in the first cabin of the metro, with a huge front window to see the whole skyline of Dubai in front of us and passing by as we travelled back from the old part of town to Al Barsha. The metro ride was an experience in itself.
Dubai also has Kidszania, an all time favorite for Isis and Thijs. Children can try around 50 different professions and get trained to use the equipment and to follow the instructions. Whether it’s to be a surgeon, a driver, a pilot or a kitchen chef. Look around for Kidszania in each big city in Asia; the concept is fantastic.
The Dutch Nomad Family had a fantastic time in Dubai.
The Web Marketing Tips
“SPEAK IN DUBAI” EXPERIENCE[Dubai, United Arab Emirates] – Rhonda Swan, co-founder of the Unstoppable Family, will be sharing her own special expertise in personal branding and core messaging May 15-21, 2016. Since leaving her native country; USA eight years ago with husband Brian Swan and daughter Hanalei, Swan has been educating and coaching small business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs in the arts of personal branding, social media marketing, and sharing your story through public speaking. The “Unstoppable Family” and “Unstoppable Momma” brand has over 80k followers worldwide, they share secrets to making a life, not a living from a laptop all while traveling abroad and staying in exciting exotic locations where they coined the phrase”Freedom-Preneur”. Their blogging and online marketing events are known all over the world.For the upcoming “Speak in Dubai Experience,” Swan will be joining a panel of world-renowned experts such as Perry Marshall, Mike Koenigs, and Mitch Carson at the Expert Summit in Dubai and Bahrain. Other speakers are Ernesto Verdugo, Joel Bauer, Bonnie Bruderer, Dave Crane, James Reynolds, and a highly sought-after “Mystery Guest” who is appearing by special arrangement when the group visits “Burj Al Arab” hotel for the day.Participants will receive a number of educational and hard materials along with cultural understanding, and fun. The event will be covering personal branding, how to market yourself as a speaker, various sources of income, how to deal with event promoters, how to turn a $5000 gig into a $25,000 gig, how to assemble a professional Media Kit, and much more. Participants will experience speaking onstage at Dubai Internet City, as well as the stage of the Applied Science University in Bahrain.For more information, visit http://internetmarketing-dubai.com/included-sid.
CUSTOM DESIGN VS WORDPRESS THEME
Basically with a custom design you will have full control over the look and feel of your website that your visitors will see when they first land on your page.
Looking around there are a number of excellent themes which you can customize to get close to the custom design you are looking for and these are usually paid themes, the reason we suggest this is the free versions stop being updated after a certain period of time whereas the paid themes are updated regularly to better enhance the performance of the theme.
But if you want the true look of a dedicated sales page that has a call to action or presents videosa custom design is a way better way to go as it is costly to make changes to an off the shelf theme.
Communication is key:
When talking about your website there should be asked checklist of questions before your web designer even begins and also an opportunity to discuss everything you had in mind. Throughout the process there should be contact with you confirming questions asking for more input.
Site mock-up
Although you have a general idea of what you are wanting your site to look like you may even had a few sites that you have taken a few ideas that you liked and would want to incorporate into your own website that is when the designer may offer you a mock up of the site especially if it’s a custom site to ensure you like the look of the layout.
When all of this is gathered then the magic starts we figure out what needs to bedone. And to be totally honest with you it’s magic. This is not my area of expertise. But theguys and girls on the team, they’re absolutely great at this.
They’ll take your wish list, sliceit up, for lack of a better word, so that it works with WordPress, make it mobile friendly, so that it displays well, things line up perfectly, and then put it on toyour website typically as a child-theme to the Genesis WordPress theme.
Branding
If you can imagine it like being a puzzle that is laid out and it needs certain elements and at times perhaps also needs coding to be added. After your designer has got the basics down he is now looking at branding if you do not have a brand in mind or you wish to update logos and graphics he is the one to have a few designs made up based on the information you have shared with him.
The team will continue to build your site, which includes it beingmobile-friendly you have had your content written and everything is being uploaded.
What else you should have on your checklist?
You will be asked to supply .PSD files of good quality pictures or images that you have already or have ones that you have selected from photo libraries.
Once everything has been done and a reasonable amount of changes incorporated (each web designer will allow so many before charging) that you wanted modified or changed you have now a beautiful website.
if you wish to discuss your own website please contact [email protected] we are looking forward to you contacting us.
Source:
http://www.needava.com/custom-design-vs-wordpress-theme/
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To enjoy good health, to bring true happiness to one's family, to bring peace to all, one must first discipline and control one's own mind. If a man can control his mind he can find the way to Enlightenment, and all wisdom and virtue will naturally come to him. Buddha
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Hassan Tatanaki: Libya businessman aiding fellow Libyans
The elections may not be held on schedule because the events on the ground keep changing around the clock. Meanwhile, neighboring countries are closing their borders to people, the Arab League is taking action and the Maghreb countries are calling for a meeting to discuss the developments in Libya. For their part, the United Nations, the United States and Europe are watching with a great level of suspense. Tatanaki said that Islamic political parties were controlling the GNC after they had received the consent of Western circles and became powerful. However, he considers Libya’s problem to extend beyond this, as developments reveal a desire to turn this country into a hotbed of terrorism. Tatanaki said he is optimistic about the ability of the Libyan people, with all their revolutionaries, armed forces and tribes, to overcome chaos and deter extremist leaders that are striving to spread discord between the tribes and across the cities. He suggested the creation of an emergency government monitored by an elected parliament to enhance the army, the police and the judiciary, and respect the responsibilities of the tribes as per their customs, for deterrence. This leads to getting rid of illegal weapons and makes people trust the state security institutions and the judiciary. As a political activist, Tatanaki said in all transparency that he helped close associates of the regime in solving the problem of the blockade resulting from the Lockerbie problem. Back then, the regime of former President Moammar Gadhafi considered him a close associate of the United States and some European countries. Some Gadhafi supporters even accused him of collaborating with these countries. Tatanaki accompanied the Libyan revolution from the very beginning. He offered social and media assistance and served as an assistant to the first administration of the revolution, which was headed by Mustafa Abdul Jalil. He helped the administration in its relations with the United States and some European countries. Tatanaki always prefers to be referred to merely as a Libyan “citizen.” The text of the interview follows: Al-Hayat:  Revolutions breed chaos while waiting for the crystallization of the national political system, and in the case of Libya, this is taking some time. There are concerns plaguing both the domestic and the regional arenas. Why is the process taking so long? Is it a natural or intentional delay? Tatanaki:  The GNC’s term, as per specialized observers, has expired, but the political Islam parties’ control of the GNC and their disrespect of the people and the state explains their survival and the survival of the GNC. It’s like they’ve kidnapped the state by impeding the establishment of new post-revolutionary institutions. The GNC is invalid now, despite the fact that foreign countries believe it is. Had a similar act occurred in a foreign country, the involved people would have been referred to courts. The control of the GNC, the weakness of the government and the presence of militias are all factors that lead to a dictatorship project with an imaginary entity called political Islam. They are trying to control the state departments and employ their supporters in the joints of public departments and institutions, although they are a minority, and they are doing so through pressures that the Libyans are aware of, including direct and indirect threats. At the popular level, these people do not enjoy great support, but they engage in inhumane behavior and political games that cannot be afforded by the post-revolution phase of state construction. For example, they push some of their figures to the forefront and present them as independent. Al-Hayat:  The Islamic political groups are losing in the Libyan post-revolution referendums, but they are clinging to power positions, sometimes with the consent of major foreign countries. Tatanaki:  Western leaders consider what happened in Egypt and is happening in Libya as a natural matter. According to them, the Brotherhood is a religious and social movement that has a political framework connected to the demands of the people. These leaders cannot distinguish between the Muslim Brotherhood and the conservative religious education of the people. There is quite a difference between the two. The Brotherhood is a political movement; it does not include people specialized in religious sciences and guidance. The Muslim Brotherhood’s relationship with religion is neither solid nor unreliable. Their leadership does not include specialized clerics because most of them are engineers and doctors, among other civil disciplines. They just grow beards and take themselves for guardians of Islam. Some European presidents have shallowly supported the Brotherhood in a bid to let Muslims solve their own problems internally, but did they really leave us and abstain from interfering in our affairs and supporting the Muslim Brotherhood? There is no doubt that this is a game that goes beyond Libya’s border and spreads in the region. The great potential and discourse of the Brotherhood and their allies in Libya goes beyond their need to take control of Libya alone. There is more to it. [They] want to turn Libya into a platform and a source of terrorism given its strategic location. Terrorism is being practiced under the banner of Islam, although in actuality it has nothing to do with Islam. Situation of tribes Al-Hayat:  Does tribalism in Libya constitute a real obstacle to the crystallization of the new Libyan state? Tatanaki:  There are extremist leaders who exploit individuals in tribes for sedition purposes and in a bid to tighten their control, but the Libyan people communicate among each other, and there are no fundamental problems between the tribes. We have more than a hundred tribes, and there are only limited problems among a small number of them, and this is normal in any society in the world. Some Islamic movements provoke tribal disputes in an attempt to create baseless conflicts for sedition purposes. During the era of Gadhafi, the popular bases of the tribes were interrelated, and Gadhafi only controlled some of the leaders of these tribes. However, one should always be cautious. When blood starts to flow, it is hard to stop it. We are still at the beginning, and it is easier for us to prevent a torrent of blood on the hands of sedition-seekers who only care about control. There are no broad affiliations to political Islamic organizations in Libyan society. The percentage of those who have certain affiliations does not exceed 5%, knowing that their affiliation is tribal, regional and national, and they are all Muslims. Tribalism leads to the [building of the] state. It does not hinder the process, but there are people who sow discord among tribes, especially in the western regions. Misrata, as a revolutionary city, originally derived its strength from being an economic city. The actions of some people who are sympathetic toward the Muslim Brotherhood have led to the emergence of discord among the people of Misrata and those of Benghazi. It is as if they are taking Libya toward a greater strife. Are these actions aimed at dividing Libya as a country — not as a people — and distributing the resulting parts among the neighboring countries? There is no other explanation for such seditious behavior. In a matter of months, if Libya does not get stronger, i.e., if the entire state is not strengthened, it will face grave risks, which may probably include foreign strikes. The Islamist groups have an irresponsible sense of nationalism and do not believe in the national borders of the state. Al-Hayat:  What is the truth behind the rumors that the revolution began in eastern Libya and was delayed in other areas? Tatanaki:  The citizens started the Libyan revolution, which began at the same time in all of the regions, with different potentials and conditions. The movement has emerged in Benghazi, as a result of the significant marginalization the city suffered from under the Gadhafi rule, where the military presence of its residents was limited to the Saeqa forces, led by Abdel-Fattah Younis, which defected against the regime. These conditions have encouraged the street movement in Benghazi. On the next day, Tripoli was mobilized. Yet Gadhafi’s reaction against it was harsher, given the heavy presence of his forces in the capital. As for the just demands of the people of Cyrenaica, we must distinguish between the federation and partition. The decentralization is probable, yet it does not imply the partition that is being promoted by some, most notably the Brotherhood. In fact, the decentralization is positive in a vast country, and the Libyan people are the ones who decide on this issue, after a good explanation prior to the referendum. The partition of Libya is undoubtedly a greatest treason. As for the form of the administration, it is put to the referendum. Al-Hayat:  There has been a tendency by the ruling forces to keep intellectuals who immigrated abroad at a distance, what do you think about that ? Tatanaki:  It is negative behavior that a person accepts to be kept away or that he excludes himself. We are continuing our battle for a better future for Libya, and the overthrow of the Gadhafi rule was just the first round. Al-Hayat:  Is there any coordination with the Libyans living abroad to support the revolution and the new institutions? Tatanaki:  There are superficial contacts. Yet, in Libya, without any exception, we lack the culture of a team to resolve the crisis. We have been working so far as individuals and entities. The fear for the country has not reached out to our deep thinking, although it is a critical situation. The direct preliminary ideas are the ones prevailing, even though some of them are practical and beneficial. Al-Hayat:  What do you think about the reconciliation slogan that Islamist groups have repeatedly raised? Tatanaki:  Actually, there are no major problems among the people, the tribes or between cities. There are individual acts, and the Brotherhood is creating and spreading a problem, although it is individual and can be solved by itself. They address those who left Libya and ask them to come back, without providing them with safety. Al-Hayat:  What about the Libyans who live abroad and were in positions of responsibility under the Gadhafi rule? Tatanaki:  It is necessary to prosecute senior officials and not junior employees or soldiers, [or else it would be similar to] the prosecution of a whole tribe for the actions of its leaders or some of its leaders. It would be similar to the prosecution of Libya as a whole for the Lockerbie bombing, or the prosecution of the Libyan people for the actions of Gadhafi. Al-Hayat:  In your opinion, what are the limits of political isolation? Tatanaki:  In principle, I support it, if it deals with senior officials under the Gadhafi rule, considering that they pledge loyalty to the dictator. Yet, there are two problems. The first is related to the stages when these officials were appointed. The second one is linked to the positions they held. The Gadhafi rule went through different stages. It depends on the position and the stage. It is to be noted that in the 1980s, the appointments were based on the loyalty to the revolutionary committees. There is no generalization in this regard. It is not necessary now to employ those who ruled under the Gadhafi rule; if some of them were subject to injustice, it is not a problem. In fact, taking part in the governance under the Gadhafi era is an experience in bad governance. So, if employed, they will do us no good. We can forgive them, but cannot employ them. I believe one cannot be forced to do a specific job unless threatened with death. The courts will decide the matter. In any way, there are enough men and women in Libya to employ and spare the country the return of former officials of the Gadhafi rule. The Brotherhood pledged allegiance to Gadhafi in 2005 and 2006 (Gadhafi and Saif al-Islam Gadhafi). The Brotherhood did so and did not participate in the government, which is why they were not isolated politically. The number of businessmen, especially tradesmen, is high, as in any other country. Yet, there are individuals who were supported by the authorities to create economic entities. Suddenly, an employee would be possessing $50 million, which will certainly raise questions about the source. Yet, all these people must be provided with a fair trial at all times. Before anything else, the country needs a police, an army and a judiciary. When these departments serve the state, they will stabilize it, knowing that it cannot be built under a lack of security and the presence of corruption. Al-Hayat:  Are the Arabs and the world aware of how serious the situation is in Libya today? Tatanaki:  We need to be wary of any foreign intervention that could result from the actions of an extremist current. The innocent Libyan people will be paying the price. A military intervention in a foreign state needs a justification that they will find in the mistakes committed in Libya. In general, our people are emotional and quickly forget. The issue of the US ambassador who was killed in Benghazi is not over yet. In Washington, they have not forgotten that, because for them, time explains the problem and doesn't solve it. Years have passed before the Lockerbie issue was solved, after the Libyan people had suffered financially because of the siege imposed on the country. Al-Hayat:  In your opinion, what solution is required for Libya? Tatanaki:  Building the institutions of a unified state. It is unavoidable to form an emergency government that is monitored by parliament, that withdraws the weapons [from militias], develops the police, the army and the judiciary (uses the tribes to assume the responsibility of tribal militiamen and apply the norms to deter them). A fair judiciary is needed, because an activated judiciary is equal to an army and a police. Without it, we would have laid the foundations of a new barbarism. We can also seek the help of foreign technical expertise. When it comes to the cadres, we have enough Libyans and capable cadres that can be employed. I am not talking about leaders, but engineers, technicians and administrators. I would like to note the proper use of resources, and permanent awareness of the damage caused by the prevailing corruption in most of the sectors. I raise the slogan of “every citizen is a watchman,” which means that citizens will take the initiative of contributing to the social, economic, political and administrative security. This is in addition to the promotion of good neighborly ties with the regional countries, based on mutual cooperation and common interests, which were damaged by the Gadhafi rule for decades.
The following interview with Libyan businessman Hassan Tatanaki was conducted a few days before the sudden events took place in Libya. The General National Congress (GNC) was surprised by the military deployment led by retired Maj. Gen. Khalifa Hifter in B...
Libya needs emergency government
The following interview with Libyan businessman Hassan Tatanaki was conducted a few days before the sudden events took place in Libya. The General National Congress (GNC) was surprised by the military deployment led by retired Maj. Gen. Khalifa Hifter in Benghazi, Tripoli and other areas. This operation was supported by sectors of the army and has pushed the GNC to announce, in a shocking step, the election of a new parliament on June 25 to replace the GNC, whose term has expired.
SummaryÂ
 Libyan businessman Hassan Tatanaki talked to Al-Hayat about the necessity of forming an emergency government in Libya to strengthen the army, police and judiciary, before the country becomes a source of terrorism.
Author Mohammad Ali Farhat Posted May 23, 2014
Translator(s)Joelle El-Khoury
 Original Article Â
 اقرا المقال الأصلي باللغة العربية
The elections may not be held on schedule because the events on the ground keep changing around the clock. Meanwhile, neighboring countries are closing their borders to people, the Arab League is taking action and the Maghreb countries are calling for a meeting to discuss the developments in Libya. For their part, the United Nations, the United States and Europe are watching with a great level of suspense. Tatanaki said that Islamic political parties were controlling the GNC after they had received the consent of Western circles and became powerful. However, he considers Libya’s problem to extend beyond this, as developments reveal a desire to turn this country into a hotbed of terrorism. Tatanaki said he is optimistic about the ability of the Libyan people, with all their revolutionaries, armed forces and tribes, to overcome chaos and deter extremist leaders that are striving to spread discord between the tribes and across the cities. He suggested the creation of an emergency government monitored by an elected parliament to enhance the army, the police and the judiciary, and respect the responsibilities of the tribes as per their customs, for deterrence. This leads to getting rid of illegal weapons and makes people trust the state security institutions and the judiciary. As a political activist, Tatanaki said in all transparency that he helped close associates of the regime in solving the problem of the blockade resulting from the Lockerbie problem. Back then, the regime of former President Moammar Gadhafi considered him a close associate of the United States and some European countries. Some Gadhafi supporters even accused him of collaborating with these countries. Tatanaki accompanied the Libyan revolution from the very beginning. He offered social and media assistance and served as an assistant to the first administration of the revolution, which was headed by Mustafa Abdul Jalil. He helped the administration in its relations with the United States and some European countries. Tatanaki always prefers to be referred to merely as a Libyan “citizen.” The text of the interview follows: Al-Hayat:  Revolutions breed chaos while waiting for the crystallization of the national political system, and in the case of Libya, this is taking some time. There are concerns plaguing both the domestic and the regional arenas. Why is the process taking so long? Is it a natural or intentional delay? Tatanaki:  The GNC’s term, as per specialized observers, has expired, but the political Islam parties’ control of the GNC and their disrespect of the people and the state explains their survival and the survival of the GNC. It’s like they’ve kidnapped the state by impeding the establishment of new post-revolutionary institutions. The GNC is invalid now, despite the fact that foreign countries believe it is. Had a similar act occurred in a foreign country, the involved people would have been referred to courts. The control of the GNC, the weakness of the government and the presence of militias are all factors that lead to a dictatorship project with an imaginary entity called political Islam. They are trying to control the state departments and employ their supporters in the joints of public departments and institutions, although they are a minority, and they are doing so through pressures that the Libyans are aware of, including direct and indirect threats. At the popular level, these people do not enjoy great support, but they engage in inhumane behavior and political games that cannot be afforded by the post-revolution phase of state construction. For example, they push some of their figures to the forefront and present them as independent. Al-Hayat:  The Islamic political groups are losing in the Libyan post-revolution referendums, but they are clinging to power positions, sometimes with the consent of major foreign countries. Tatanaki:  Western leaders consider what happened in Egypt and is happening in Libya as a natural matter. According to them, the Brotherhood is a religious and social movement that has a political framework connected to the demands of the people. These leaders cannot distinguish between the Muslim Brotherhood and the conservative religious education of the people. There is quite a difference between the two. The Brotherhood is a political movement; it does not include people specialized in religious sciences and guidance. The Muslim Brotherhood’s relationship with religion is neither solid nor unreliable. Their leadership does not include specialized clerics because most of them are engineers and doctors, among other civil disciplines. They just grow beards and take themselves for guardians of Islam. Some European presidents have shallowly supported the Brotherhood in a bid to let Muslims solve their own problems internally, but did they really leave us and abstain from interfering in our affairs and supporting the Muslim Brotherhood? There is no doubt that this is a game that goes beyond Libya’s border and spreads in the region. The great potential and discourse of the Brotherhood and their allies in Libya goes beyond their need to take control of Libya alone. There is more to it. [They] want to turn Libya into a platform and a source of terrorism given its strategic location. Terrorism is being practiced under the banner of Islam, although in actuality it has nothing to do with Islam. Situation of tribes Al-Hayat:  Does tribalism in Libya constitute a real obstacle to the crystallization of the new Libyan state? Tatanaki:  There are extremist leaders who exploit individuals in tribes for sedition purposes and in a bid to tighten their control, but the Libyan people communicate among each other, and there are no fundamental problems between the tribes. We have more than a hundred tribes, and there are only limited problems among a small number of them, and this is normal in any society in the world. Some Islamic movements provoke tribal disputes in an attempt to create baseless conflicts for sedition purposes. During the era of Gadhafi, the popular bases of the tribes were interrelated, and Gadhafi only controlled some of the leaders of these tribes. However, one should always be cautious. When blood starts to flow, it is hard to stop it. We are still at the beginning, and it is easier for us to prevent a torrent of blood on the hands of sedition-seekers who only care about control. There are no broad affiliations to political Islamic organizations in Libyan society. The percentage of those who have certain affiliations does not exceed 5%, knowing that their affiliation is tribal, regional and national, and they are all Muslims. Tribalism leads to the [building of the] state. It does not hinder the process, but there are people who sow discord among tribes, especially in the western regions. Misrata, as a revolutionary city, originally derived its strength from being an economic city. The actions of some people who are sympathetic toward the Muslim Brotherhood have led to the emergence of discord among the people of Misrata and those of Benghazi. It is as if they are taking Libya toward a greater strife. Are these actions aimed at dividing Libya as a country — not as a people — and distributing the resulting parts among the neighboring countries? There is no other explanation for such seditious behavior. In a matter of months, if Libya does not get stronger, i.e., if the entire state is not strengthened, it will face grave risks, which may probably include foreign strikes. The Islamist groups have an irresponsible sense of nationalism and do not believe in the national borders of the state. Al-Hayat:  What is the truth behind the rumors that the revolution began in eastern Libya and was delayed in other areas? Tatanaki:  The citizens started the Libyan revolution, which began at the same time in all of the regions, with different potentials and conditions. The movement has emerged in Benghazi, as a result of the significant marginalization the city suffered from under the Gadhafi rule, where the military presence of its residents was limited to the Saeqa forces, led by Abdel-Fattah Younis, which defected against the regime. These conditions have encouraged the street movement in Benghazi. On the next day, Tripoli was mobilized. Yet Gadhafi’s reaction against it was harsher, given the heavy presence of his forces in the capital. As for the just demands of the people of Cyrenaica, we must distinguish between the federation and partition. The decentralization is probable, yet it does not imply the partition that is being promoted by some, most notably the Brotherhood. In fact, the decentralization is positive in a vast country, and the Libyan people are the ones who decide on this issue, after a good explanation prior to the referendum. The partition of Libya is undoubtedly a greatest treason. As for the form of the administration, it is put to the referendum. Al-Hayat:  There has been a tendency by the ruling forces to keep intellectuals who immigrated abroad at a distance, what do you think about that ? Tatanaki:  It is negative behavior that a person accepts to be kept away or that he excludes himself. We are continuing our battle for a better future for Libya, and the overthrow of the Gadhafi rule was just the first round. Al-Hayat:  Is there any coordination with the Libyans living abroad to support the revolution and the new institutions? Tatanaki:  There are superficial contacts. Yet, in Libya, without any exception, we lack the culture of a team to resolve the crisis. We have been working so far as individuals and entities. The fear for the country has not reached out to our deep thinking, although it is a critical situation. The direct preliminary ideas are the ones prevailing, even though some of them are practical and beneficial. Al-Hayat:  What do you think about the reconciliation slogan that Islamist groups have repeatedly raised? Tatanaki:  Actually, there are no major problems among the people, the tribes or between cities. There are individual acts, and the Brotherhood is creating and spreading a problem, although it is individual and can be solved by itself. They address those who left Libya and ask them to come back, without providing them with safety. Al-Hayat:  What about the Libyans who live abroad and were in positions of responsibility under the Gadhafi rule? Tatanaki:  It is necessary to prosecute senior officials and not junior employees or soldiers, [or else it would be similar to] the prosecution of a whole tribe for the actions of its leaders or some of its leaders. It would be similar to the prosecution of Libya as a whole for the Lockerbie bombing, or the prosecution of the Libyan people for the actions of Gadhafi. Al-Hayat:  In your opinion, what are the limits of political isolation? Tatanaki:  In principle, I support it, if it deals with senior officials under the Gadhafi rule, considering that they pledge loyalty to the dictator. Yet, there are two problems. The first is related to the stages when these officials were appointed. The second one is linked to the positions they held. The Gadhafi rule went through different stages. It depends on the position and the stage. It is to be noted that in the 1980s, the appointments were based on the loyalty to the revolutionary committees. There is no generalization in this regard. It is not necessary now to employ those who ruled under the Gadhafi rule; if some of them were subject to injustice, it is not a problem. In fact, taking part in the governance under the Gadhafi era is an experience in bad governance. So, if employed, they will do us no good. We can forgive them, but cannot employ them. I believe one cannot be forced to do a specific job unless threatened with death. The courts will decide the matter. In any way, there are enough men and women in Libya to employ and spare the country the return of former officials of the Gadhafi rule. The Brotherhood pledged allegiance to Gadhafi in 2005 and 2006 (Gadhafi and Saif al-Islam Gadhafi). The Brotherhood did so and did not participate in the government, which is why they were not isolated politically. The number of businessmen, especially tradesmen, is high, as in any other country. Yet, there are individuals who were supported by the authorities to create economic entities. Suddenly, an employee would be possessing $50 million, which will certainly raise questions about the source. Yet, all these people must be provided with a fair trial at all times. Before anything else, the country needs a police, an army and a judiciary. When these departments serve the state, they will stabilize it, knowing that it cannot be built under a lack of security and the presence of corruption. Al-Hayat:  Are the Arabs and the world aware of how serious the situation is in Libya today? Tatanaki:  We need to be wary of any foreign intervention that could result from the actions of an extremist current. The innocent Libyan people will be paying the price. A military intervention in a foreign state needs a justification that they will find in the mistakes committed in Libya. In general, our people are emotional and quickly forget. The issue of the US ambassador who was killed in Benghazi is not over yet. In Washington, they have not forgotten that, because for them, time explains the problem and doesn't solve it. Years have passed before the Lockerbie issue was solved, after the Libyan people had suffered financially because of the siege imposed on the country. Al-Hayat:  In your opinion, what solution is required for Libya? Tatanaki:  Building the institutions of a unified state. It is unavoidable to form an emergency government that is monitored by parliament, that withdraws the weapons [from militias], develops the police, the army and the judiciary (uses the tribes to assume the responsibility of tribal militiamen and apply the norms to deter them). A fair judiciary is needed, because an activated judiciary is equal to an army and a police. Without it, we would have laid the foundations of a new barbarism. We can also seek the help of foreign technical expertise. When it comes to the cadres, we have enough Libyans and capable cadres that can be employed. I am not talking about leaders, but engineers, technicians and administrators. I would like to note the proper use of resources, and permanent awareness of the damage caused by the prevailing corruption in most of the sectors. I raise the slogan of “every citizen is a watchman,” which means that citizens will take the initiative of contributing to the social, economic, political and administrative security. This is in addition to the promotion of good neighborly ties with the regional countries, based on mutual cooperation and common interests, which were damaged by the Gadhafi rule for decades.