A LIBYAN activist who has spent the past 30 years exiled in Sanderstead is helping to rebuild his newly freed homeland.

Once placed on Colonel Gaddafi's kill list, Ashur Shamis started work late last year in Tripoli as a media advisor to the post-Gaddafi transitional government.

The writer set foot in Libya for the first time in 40 years in September, at the height of the Nato-backed bloody rebellion that ended Gaddafi's 40-year iron rule.

"It was a fulfilment of a long, protracted struggle," said Mr Shamis, of the dictator's fall.

"With six boys to succeed him, we thought the Gaddafi dynasty would be with Libya for another 100 years."

Mr Shamis said returning to Libya was "exhilarating".

He added. "I went to see my family who were not expecting me. Then I just immersed myself in the celebrations."

The 63-year-old has agitated against Gaddafi since arriving in England as a student in 1965, staying here after "political reasons" prevented his return.

From his home since 1979 on Mayfield Road, he penned articles published around the world, appearing as a commentator for Al Jazeera, The Guardian and other media.

In 2001 he set up an opposition news website and in 2003 he founded pro-democracy group the Libya Human Development Forum.

"Our differences with Gaddafi were fundamental," he said.

"His regime was military, its philosophy totalitarian, the use of force was central to its way of ruling.

"This ugly, political and social being had turned Libya into a pariah state."

After many years of struggle, Mr Shamis was "surprised" at the speed of the rebellion that started in February last year, backing Nato's intervention "with great reluctance".

"The terms of the international intervention were very clear," he said. "No boots on the ground, no occupation.

"We tried to hold them to their word, and they did. The Libyans could not have defended the citizens of their own country. Gaddafi had a huge arsenal of weapons."

Months after the battle was won, Libya's struggles remain enormous, Mr Shamis added.

"I see Libya heading towards a civil, democratic, modern state," he said. "But after 42 years, it will take time to recover.

"Libya's main problem at this moment is 'freedom'.

"There is huge chasm, in the Libyan mind, between freedom as a concept and as a tool to live and operate within society.

"This is the big challenge."