Dr. Tarek Tumiya, a trauma surgeon from Libya, gave us a deeper insight into the situation in Libya, and events leading up to their current turmoil.
He recounted his personal experiences growing up there, including being imprisoned for three years for trying to save the life of a fellow student being hanged during his university’s annual “cleansing” to encourage students not to combat the Ghaddafi regime.
After his release, he was able to leave Libya and move to the US where he happily practices trauma surgery and lives with his (Libyan physician) wife and two children. He recently returned to Libya as a volunteer to help treat the devastating injuries inflicted by the extreme “shoot to kill” weaponry being used. As a humanitarian, he was dedicated to providing the best medical care for all of the wounded, regardless of their tribal affiliation – the spirit of Rotary indeed!
