Today must be considered a defining moment in the history of human rights and democracy, thanks to the Arab League and the UN Security Council which voted for a “No-fly zone” over Libya to protect the Libyan people from further massacre and genocide by Muammar Gaddafi and his government.
The Arab League and specifically the USA must be complimented for their leadership in that regard. The US was initially ambivalent but we expected the greatness of Obama to emerge and save the people of Libya from the carnage taking place there.
In true democracies, governments listen to the voice of their people, especially if it is “the voice of reason” and they act accordingly.
Chancellor Merkel is a fine example in that regard. She listened to the voice of the German people and acted proactively to shut down 7 nuclear plants built before 1980 to avert a potential nuclear catastrophe of the order of what Japan is facing now.
Colonel Gaddafi apparently is not endowed with that wisdom; and instead of listening to the voice of his people for democratic reforms, he embarked on a mass murder campaign on a scale approaching genocide, slaughtering and crushing his “subjects” on an unprecedented scale.
Democracies around the world initially played the usual “diplomatic game” of condemnation; but that outpouring of condemnation only seemed to have excited the repressive Gaddafi to intensify his genocidal instincts. He was on a mission to wipe out pro-democracy freedom fighters from the face of Libya perhaps on the scale of the Holocaust by Hitler.
While western democracies were attempting to accelerate towards a solution to the unfolding catastrophe in Libya, the government of St. Lucia was in a “state of inertia”. According to the Foreign Minister, Rufus Bousquet, St. Lucia would simply sit back and observe despite the genocide. The question is: What message did St. Lucia send to the world? Why would any government with a sense of humanity be in a “state of inertia of rest” when governments around the world were mobilizing against the crimes against humanity by Gaddafi? Is it simply because Gaddafi promised “30 pieces of Libyan silver” in aid? Should St. Lucia accept any form of aid from the Gaddafi Government which has so much blood on its hands?
The St. Lucia government has been in a state of inertia and has been stuck in a black hole which has stalled the economy and destroyed national pride.
We in Choiseul want to world to know that we support resoundingly the decision to have a “no-fly zone” imposed over Libya as a first initiative to halt the genocide of the Libyan people by Gaddafi. We also want to express solidarity with the pro-democracy movement in Libya and implore our brothers and sisters in Libya to stand up against the injustices and atrocities by Gaddafi.
We also wish to apologise for the diplomatic folly of our foreign Minister Rufus Bousquet, who also happens to be our parliamentary representative.
Accept our deepest condolences for the lives of the heroes you have lost.
May God bless you all.
This is from the BBC:
ReplyDelete"The UN Security Council has backed a no-fly zone over Libya and "all necessary measures" short of an invasion "to protect civilians and civilian-populated areas".
In New York, the 15-member body voted 10-0 in favour, with five abstentions.
Libyan leader Col Muammar Gaddafi's forces have recently retaken several towns seized by rebels in an uprising.
Rebel forces reacted with joy in their Benghazi stronghold but a government spokesman condemned UN "aggression".
Loyalist forces are bearing down on Benghazi, home to a million people.
'Threatens unity'
Following the vote US President Barack Obama called the French and British leaders to discuss the next move. They said Libya must comply immediately with the resolution.
It is not thought that the US would be involved in the first strikes, but the British and French are likely to get logistical backup from Arab allies. There were reports military action could come soon.
US officials said an attack on Col Gaddafi's air force could begin by Sunday.
The UK, France and Lebanon proposed Security Council Resolution 1973, with US support.
Russia and China - which often oppose the use of force against a sovereign country as they believe it sets a dangerous precedent - abstained rather than using their power of veto as permanent members.
French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe, introducing the resolution, said: "In Libya, for a number of weeks the people's will has been shot down... by Colonel Gaddafi who is attacking his own people.
"We cannot let these warmongers do this, we cannot abandon civilians."
He added: "We should not arrive too late."
I wish the UN would have a vote in General Assembly just to see how Tucker would vote
ReplyDeleteIf Tucker wanted to go the Libya way, he should have maintained diplomatic relations with China. but even China and Russia who have traditionally supported Libya, did not veto the resolution.
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