PRESS RELEASE

 

Sponsored terror in Libya

It is with horror that we watch events in Libya.It is mind blowing to watch terror unfolding in Libya within months of Women Of Africa participating in an Africa Diaspora NGO Conference on migration that was sponsored by the now slain Libyan Leader Colonel Muammar al-Gaddafi from January 14 – 17, 2011 in Tripoli.

As the conference brought Africans from all over the world, we became acquainted with NGOs working in the area and nearby Italy. Thus, we received alarming reports of how migrant workers of black African origin were brutally executed throughout the Libyan armed conflict. Both Gaddafi forces and the Libyan rebels committed war crimes against humanity that should be thoroughly investigated.

It is not our place to comment on the international politics that led to the sponsored terror in Libya, but as women and mothers, we feel a sense of duty to reflect on the cruel developments that followed shortly after our presence in Tripoli.

We condemn the slain Libyan leader for denying the Libyan people the right to elect their leaders in democratic elections for over forty two years. No individual or groups of individuals should hold on to political power irrespective of the perceived good it is doing for its citizens.

As we continue to watch the unfolding terror in Libya, we reflect on the plight of the

Iraqis during the invasion of that country to liberate them from their dictator Saddam

Hussein, we see parallels although major differences are emerging. Unlike Libya, the invading forces of Iraq did not have UN Security Resolution 1973 (2011) to back their military actions against the Iraqi people to liberate them.

Another major difference is the final outcome between Saddam Hussein and Colonel al-

Gaddafi. Whereas Saddam Hussein had the opportunity of a fair trial according to modern rule of international Law and humanity, the Libyan leader was executed on capture through mob action on the street of his home town of Sirte. Watching the mobile phone images and the accounts immediately following the capture, one can not help but wonder about the brutal nature of some Libyans.

Contrary to the account presented to the world by the Libyan Transitional National

Council of how the Libyan Leader met his death, images have emerged of Gaddafi’s capture after the NATO attack on his fleeing car envoy showed him pleading for mercy from his captors. The images suggested that he may have cautioned his people that their (mob) actions were against Islam, he asked if they did not know right from wrong. These are worrying revelations about the final end of Colonel Al- Gaddafi.

We are concerned that whilst the execution of an African leader who over stayed his tenure in the government of his country is unacceptable, he should have been allowed to stand trial for his crimes against humanity. He was denied mercy when he pleaded for his life. According to established international, from the time he was captured he became a prisoner of war whose right to life should have been respected.

The failure of the Libyan rebels to show mercy when their leader of forty two years begged them for it means that the world may have sponsored terror at a time that our fight against terror is yet to be won.

We believe that UN Resolution 1973 (2011) backed NATO allies was to protect Libyan civilians, if that is case, Gaddafi after capture became a civilian as he was at this time without military power, therefore, as a Libyan civilian, the provisions of this UN

Resolution should have protected him from being summarily executed by his fellow

Libyans, but it failed.

After executing the ex-Libyan Leader the world was then forced to watch as the Libyan public queued up to view and photograph the remains. If the dead can see, Gaddafi would be even more alarmed at the anti – Islamic and inhumane behavior of his own people.

Libyan is predominantly an Islamic country that being so, one would have expected that the remains of the Colonel M. Al-Gaddafi should have been treated with more respect and subjected to the Law of Islam. Even the remains of Osama Bin Laden was accorded full Islamic respect.

We wonder given the exposure of the brutal nature of some of the Libyan people against migrants workers of black African origin in their country and now their own leader if the world has not sponsored terror in Libya.

After forty two years of Colonel M. Al – Gaddafi’s repression of his people, no one can blame the Libyan repels for seeking Freedom. But, the blatant show of inhumanity and brutality as evident cannot be justified as condoning such brutal behavior undermines the well established international and every principle of Natural Law.

Based on the intensity of the hatred displayed by some of the Libyan people, we are forced to look at some of the benefit enjoyed by the Libyans during the forty years of Gaddafi’s reign of terror. We saw that compared with most African countries in terms of economic and social welfare, Gaddafi worked well for the Libyan people. He provided for his people benefits that other Africans can only wish for and dream of.

We are hoping that investigation into the execution of the Libyan Leader and others with him on that day would be thorough; honest and transparent so that world’s war against terrorism is not compromised is not seen to have been compromised.

Women Of Africa would like to pose the following questions as pertinent to establishing the facts: who armed under age Libyans who according to official explanation fired the shot that killed the ex- Libyan leader during the mob attack? Why was the remains put on display in the market place? Is there a possibility that forces loyal to the Libyan leader fired the shot that killed Gaddafi?

All over the world, there are citizens struggling for self determination and respect for

their human rights, given the Libyan model, should other countries expects the United

Nation and NATO to support their cause?

Gaddafi’s reign of terror against his own people were not carried out by him alone, who were those with him during the forty two years in political office? Every one dancing at now in Libya cannot be innocent. Women Of Africa congratulate Libyan women for their

FREEDOM from tyranny and mourn with them at the many lives that were lost during the NATO backed war. We will continue to observe events on folding in Libya.

African women wish to appeal to all African Leaders to learn from the Libyan experience

as there is no justification for holding on to political power into perpetuity. Africa needs

to be reformed through inbuilt opportunity for every African to contribute directly and

positively to Africa’s developmental process. Dictatorship dressed up as democracy to

meet international definition is not in the long term interest of peace and progress of

Africa. African women want to be recognized as stakeholders and not portrayed as

victims. Repression of Africans will not endure for ever.

Report posted by Stop the War campaign on Sat, 16 April, 2011 15:33:08

“…According to an article on the Fox News website on February 28:

As the United Nations works feverishly to condemn Libyan leader Muammar al-Qaddafi for cracking down on protesters, the body's Human Rights Council is poised to adopt a report chock-full of praise for Libya's human rights record.

The review commends Libya for improving educational opportunities, for making human rights a "priority" and for bettering its "constitutional" framework. Several countries, including Iran, Venezuela, North Korea, and Saudi Arabia but also Canada, give Libya positive marks for the legal protections afforded to its citizens -- who are now revolting against the regime and facing bloody reprisal.

Whatever might be said of Gaddafi's personal crimes, the Libyan people seem to be thriving. A delegation of medical professionals from Russia, Ukraine and Belarus wrote in an appeal to Russian President Medvedev and Prime Minister Putin that after becoming acquainted with Libyan life, it was their view that in few nations did people live in such comfort: [Libyans] are entitled to free treatment, and their hospitals provide the best in the world of medical equipment. Education in Libya is free, capable young people have the opportunity to study abroad at government expense. When marrying, young couples receive 60,000 Libyan dinars (about 50,000 U.S. dollars) of financial assistance. Non-interest state loans, and as practice shows, undated.

Due to government subsidies the price of cars is much lower than in Europe, and they are affordable for every family. Gasoline and bread cost a penny, no taxes for those who are engaged in agriculture. The Libyan people are quiet and peaceful, are not inclined to drink, and are very religious. They maintained that the international community had been misinformed about the struggle against the regime. "Tell us," they said, "who would not like such a regime?"

Even if that is just propaganda, there is no denying at least one very popular achievement

of the Libyan government: it brought water to the desert by building the largest and most expensive irrigation project in history, the $33 billion GMMR (Great Man-Made River) project. Even more than oil, water is crucial to life in Libya. The GMMR provides 70 percent of the population with water for drinking and irrigation, pumping it from Libya's vast underground Nubian Sandstone Aquifer System in the south to populated coastal areas 4,000 kilometers to the north. The Libyan government has done at least some things right.

LIBYA: Rebels execute black immigrants while forces kidnap others

ADDIS ABABA — While much of the world’s attention is focusing on crude oil prices and the Libyan pipelines in the east of the country– human right groups say rebels are committing crimes against humanity.

In east Libya, African hunt began as towns and cities began fall under the control of Libyan rebels, mobs and gangs. They started to detain, insult, rape and even executing black immigrants, students and refugees.

In the past two weeks, more than 100 Africans from various Sub-Sahara states are believed to have been killed by Libyan rebels and their supporters.

According to Somali refugees in Libya, at least five Somalis from Somaliland and

Somalia were executed in Tripoli and Benghazi by anti-Gaddafi mobs. Dozens of refugees and immigrants workers from Ethiopia, Eritrea, Ghana, Nigeria, Chad, Mali and

Niger have been killed, some of them were led into the desert and stabbed to death. Black

Libyan men receiving medical care in hospitals in Benghazi were reportedly abducted by armed rebels. They are part of more than 200 African immigrants held in secret locations

by the rebels.

In many disputes involving Libyan residents and black Africans, the Libyans are turning

in the Africans as mercenaries.

Thousands more Africans caught up in this mercenary hysteria are terrified. Some barricaded themselves in their homes, while others hid in the desert. Insulted, threatened, beaten, chased and robbed. Their only crime was being black and therefore treated as “mercenaries” of Gaddafi.

In many disputes involving Libyan residents and black Africans, the Libyans are turning

in the Africans as mercenaries.

Thousands more Africans caught up in this mercenary hysteria are terrified. Some barricaded themselves in their homes, while others hid in the desert. Insulted, threatened, beaten, chased and robbed. Their only crime was being black and therefore treated as “mercenaries” of Gaddafi.

Rebels hold a young man at gunpoint between the towns of Brega and Ras Lanuf

(Reuters/Goran Tomasevic)

While the airing of Gaddafi’s so called “black mercenaries” by Western media has ignited the issue, some say an xenophobic attitude towards these refugees and labourers has existed for years. They say the current attacks are racially motivated because the rebels have released many actual Libyan mercenaries and soldiers under a tribal agreement. They believe many Arabs felt their Libyan leader was abandoning them for black Africans ever since he became a “pan-Africanist”. Many immigrants were regularly victims of racism.

In many situations, Gaddafi and his inner circle preferred black Africans and Libyans from the south over Libyans from the east. Now the angry mobs using the revolutionary movement across Arabia and North Africa are hunting down black people.

Mohamed Abdillahi, Somaliland, 25, was sleeping at his home in Zouara, when the mobs arrived. “They knocked on the door around 1 o’clock in the morning. They said get out, we’ll kill you, you are blacks, foreigners, clear.”

The testimonials and are very similar among the thousands of Africans that saw the ugly side of Libya in the past weeks. “They have attacked us, they took everything from us,” said Ali Farah, Somali labourer 29 years.

“They wanted to kill civilians, they beat many of us. To me, they are animals,” says Jamal Hussein, 25 years Sudanese worker.

Many of the fleeing Africans are terrified to tell their stories. At the checkpoint, they do not mingle with others. When asked about their ordeal, they just freeze, “they stopped us many times and said not tell what has happened here, say there are no problems,” Elias Nour from Ethiopia said.

“For the past seven days, my whole family has been holed up at home without any food, running water or electricity, we appeal for urgent intervention,” Mohamed Abdi from

Somaliland told local reporters by cellphone.

In the latest reports reaching Somalilandpress from Tripoli, forces loyal to Col. Muammar Gaddafi have reportedly began kidnapping African and Libyan youths from their homes and universities. They are said to be preparing them for a showdown against the rebels. The kidnapped youths include five teenagers from Somaliland.

Many Africans have virtually nothing after years in Libya, many have been looted, robbed, while others saw their living quarters and apartments go in flames. Now they are praying to God to send them home

Visit us;  www.womenofafrika.org Email; alice_ukoko@yahoo.co.uk +44 (0) 7903 937 705

Alice Ukoko is the director of this organisation