Student Government: Senate to purchase clickers for voting, p. 3
Volleyball: Tigers sweep way to Hotel Encanto title, p. 8
Reveille The Daily
Football season begins: - Talented RB duo elicits “thunder and lightning” comparisons, p. 7 - Columnist Rob Landry calls Chip Kelly “a fraud,” p. 9
Tuesday, September 6, 2011 • Volume 116, Issue 11
www.lsureveille.com
photos by ALEXANDRE MENEGHINI / The Associated Press
Rebel fighters gather in the streets (left) and paint pre-Gadhafi flags (right) in celebration of the fall of the former dictatorial regime.
‘It would be an honor to fight for democracy’ Andrea Gallo
Libyan student cheers rebels from afar
Staff Writer
LAUREN DUHON / The Daily Reveille
Petroleum engineering sophomore and Libyan native Ibrahim Matri reflects on the impact of the Libyan rebellion and Moammar Gadhafi’s regime.
The world has looked on and cheered as rebel forces have built momentum against the oppressive dictator Moammar Gadhafi’s more than 40-year regime in Libya. The progress has especially hit home for petroleum engineering sophomore Ibrahim Matri as his family and friends are caught in the crevices of change. Matri, a Libyan international student, spent his high school years in Libya’s capital, Tripoli, where his family still resides. When rebel forces stormed Tripoli on Aug. 21, it meant Matri
could, for the first time, speak candidly to his family without worrying about phones being hacked by prying Gadhafi officials searching for people rallying against him. “That was probably one of the happiest days of my life,” Matri said. Libya has been entrapped in a whirlwind of violence and political uprising during the past several months, as “revolutionaries,” as Matri calls them, have started rioting and resisting Gadhafi’s stronghold on the country. Until now, Matri said, no one could speak openly about politics or Gadhafi without risking his or her life. “People were so scared to say anything against him,” Matri said, “even
Highland Road armed robbery victim recounts late-night incident
Brian Sibille Staff Writer
One of the victims of an armed robbery on the morning of Aug. 31 on Highland Road north of campus said he narrowly avoided harm by offering the thief $10. Nicholas Gautreaux, psychology sophomore, said he was leaving The Varsity Theatre around 2 a.m. with a friend when they noticed a man following them.
LIBYA, see page 19
Libya went without Internet access from February to August. See what students have to say about the situation on p. 6.
CRIME
BRPD: No advancements made
with their relatives.” Once the rebels took over Tripoli and Gadhafi fled, Matri called his family, and they told him he was free to unleash his feelings, anger, whatever he pleased — the rebels had come. Those rebels include Matri’s friends and cousins, who he said are fighting on the front lines. “I would have been on the front lines as well if I was still in Libya,” he said. “It would be an honor to fight for human rights, for democracy.” Matri’s family has long toiled under Gadhafi’s rule. His father works for Libya’s foreign ministry and has al-
“I kept walking, but my friend confronted him,” Gautreaux said. He said the man then put a gun to his friend’s stomach and demanded his cell phone. The man then put the gun to Gautreaux’s stomach and asked for his phone, too. “I pushed the gun away and told him no,” Gautreaux said. Gautreaux said he offered the man $10 from his wallet instead of his phone, and the man took the money and fled. Baton Rouge Police Department officers were called soon after and a report was filed, Gautreaux said. A University
LEE’S WRATH
emergency text message was sent around 3 a.m. advising caution in the area. Gautreaux said he and his friend were later informed by police that a suspect had been caught. But Sgt. Don Stone, BRPD spokesman, said Sept. 1 no advancements had been made in the case, and several BRPD representatives told The Daily Reveille on Monday they were unable to confirm or deny whether a suspect had been caught. GERALD HERBERT / The Associated Press
Contact Brian Sibille at bsibille@lsureveille.com
Workers hand off sandbags Saturday to stop flooding waters from Bayou Barataria in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Lee in the town of Jean Lafitte, La.