•Geographical and Historical Background

•Touareg Cultural and Traditional Literature

•UNESCO Campaign to revitalize Touareg Language

•Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People(2007, UN)

•Language Rights in Libya

Areas where significant number of Touareg live

Geographical and Historical Background

Tuaregs are indigenous tribes, live in five countries in Africa (Mali,

Niger, Algeria, Burkina Faso and Libya). They are also considered

as a branch of Amazigh (Berber), the wide spread tribe in North

Africa. Gramant is believed to be the origin of Tuaregs and it was

the predominant tribe in the south west of Libya some time

before 1000 BC. Migdalovitz (1989)

Tuaregs live in a tribal society. Tuaregs’ population is estimated

at about 1,200,000 people in the five countries mentioned (Mali,

Niger, Algeria, Burkina Faso and Libya) Prasse (1995). The

population of the Libyan Tuaregs is approximately 10,000 Ajjer

Tuaregs. About 8,000 Ajjer live along the Algerian border while

the rest (2,000) settles in the Oasis of Ghat in the south west of

Libya Prasse (Ibid) and Migdalovitz (1989) . This estimation is

different from the one cited by the African Commission on

Human and Peoples’ Rights (60,000) in a report issued in 2009.

Cultural and Traditional Literature in Tuareg

Tuareg language, Tamasheq, has its own alphabet

(Tifinagh). The history of Tifinagh dates back to the ancient times

(the Phoenicians, the Greeks and the Romans) when the signs

were used on the monuments, Prasse( 1995).

The Northern Tuareg have no written records of their history. The

contemporary source material is of French origin when the French were

pushing south into the Sahara until (1920), Keenan (2004). The orally

transmitted literature is extensive. Literature is transmitted through their

poems, riddles and proverbs Prasse (1995).

UNESCO Campaign to Revitalize Touareg Language

•A decision was made by UNESCO to literate Touareg in their language by using Latin alphabet, though they were not truly illiterate as they have the Tifinagh.

•A conference was held in 1966 in Bamako to establish orthographies for Tuareg and other languages.

•In 1968 a seminar for local literacy campaign workers was organized in Niamy. A short grammar of Tuareg was prepared and Prasse compiled a short dictionary for use in the literacy programme.Little progress has been made in the literacy process.

Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (2007, UN)

Article 131. Indigenous peoples have the right to revitalize, use, develop

and transmit to future generations their histories, languages, oral traditions, philosophies, writing systems and literatures, and to designate and retain their own names for communities, places and persons.

Article 141. Indigenous peoples have the right to establish and control

their educational systems and institutions providing education in their own languages, in a manner appropriate to their cultural methods of teaching and learning.

2. Indigenous individuals, particularly children, have the right to all levels and forms of education of the State without discrimination.3. States shall, in conjunction with indigenous peoples, take effective measures, in order for indigenous individuals, particularly children, including those living outside their communities, to have access, when possible, to an education in their own culture and provided in their own language.

Article 161. Indigenous peoples have the right to establish their own media in their own languages and to have access to all forms of non-indigenous media without discrimination.

Language Rights in LibyaIn the Decree No (131) issued by the vice minister for the social affairs, ``languages such as Tuareg, Swahili, Toubu and Peluh will be taught as a minor subject in the basic education and the teaching of these languages must continue into higher education`` Article (1)

Article (2)` the national institute for Scientific teaching is responsible for preparing the necessary programme for teaching these languages.`

Bibliography

Keenan, J. 2004. The lesser Gods of the Sahara. Frank Cass, London.

Migdalovitz, C. 1989. Libya: a Country study. Headquarters Department

of the Army. United States.

Prasse, K. 1995. The Tuaregs: The Blue People. Mueum Tusculanum,

University of Copenhagen.