Chairwoman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) released a statement on Libya earlier this week calling for the Libyan regime to be held accountable for attacks on its citizens, for the UN to revoke Libya’s membership on the Human Rights Council, and for the U.S. and other free democratic nations to impose economic sanctions and freeze the regime’s assets. Ranking member of the committee Howard Berman (D-CA) stated that the Colonel Muammar Gadhafi’s brutal response to protesters “forfeited whatever shreds of legitimacy” his regime had and called on the international community to consider all measures to end the violence, including the immediate freezing of all assets. He also commended the defection of Libyan diplomats and urged the military leadership to do the same. Reps. Jim McDermott (D-WA), Mike Honda (D-CA), Jim McGovern (D-MA) and Keith Ellison (D-MN)also issued a statement on Thursday condemning the violence in Libya and calling for international action along with the establishment and enforcement of a no-fly zone over the country. They also urged the Libyan military to immediately stop “its unlawful and immoral crackdown against the people of Libya.”
As protests continue to escalate in Libya, The New York Timesasks experts what the international community can do and what difficulties lie ahead in a post-Gadhafi Libya. President of the American University in Cairo Lisa Anderson asserts that Gadhafi will leave “a legacy of lawlessness and mistrust in Libya that will be very difficult to surmount” as the regime has thwarted the development of stable institutions and civil society. Multilateral intervention may be necessary, she states. Chairman of the department of political science and geography at the University of Texas at San Antonio Mansour O. El-Kikhi agrees with Anderson, but is optimistic given popular support for the 1951 constitution and the development of local committees to the maintain peace and necessary services. He calls on the West to provide Libyans with necessary non-military goods. Jon Alterman, director of the Middle East Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, echoes Anderson and states that unlike Egypt and Tunisia, “Libya seems destined for a complete change in orientation” which is “likely to be slower, more uncertain and more violent.”
Ronald Bruce St John, author of several books on Libya, states that the creation of functioning and effective social and political institutions will take time and also notes the importance of tribes in creating a provisional government. He calls on the Administration to stress its full support for Libyan protesters. Noman Benotman, analyst at the Quilliam Foundation and former leader of the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group, also notes the importance of tribal structure and the need to incorporate elements formerly close to the Gadhafi regime to help manage a democratic transition. He calls on the West to “support the Libyan people while not interfering in their choices.” Duke University professor of public policy and political science Bruce W. Jentleson argues that with Gadhafi willing to shoot civilians, a military intervention by coalition forces may be necessary. Journalist Lisa Goldman states preconceptions about leadership and conditions necessary for civil society and democracy are being challenged as a provisionary government has been formed in the eastern Libya by tribal leaders who are willingly sharing power with the youth leaders.
Carol J. Williams, writing at the Babylon and Beyond blog at the Los Angeles Times, says that anti-government protesters have been clashing with government troops for control of the city of Zawiya near the capital Tripoli. An army unit attacked the main mosque of the city and up to 100 people have been reported killed.
The International Crisis Group’s latest report looks at the popular protest movement in Egypt and its impact on the broader Middle East. The report states that the success of the Tunisian uprising played a critical role in pushing Egyptians to initiate their own movement and also discusses how post-Mubarak Egypt will largely be shaped by the features that characterized the uprising. The report states that a tug of war between the popular but unorganized opposition and the entrenched military, who sought to protect its own interests and hopes to control the pace and scope of change, will likely continue. It also asserts that as the process moves, “from the streets to the corridors of power,” opposition rivalries are likely to re-emerge and the absence of empowered representatives or an agreed upon agenda will harm its effectiveness. Additionally the report states that the Muslim Brotherhood does not have majority support and will likely invest in long-term strategies as its message, “will resonate widely and be well served by superior organization.” However, as its political involvement deepens it will have to contend with internal tensions between generations.
The report also provides recommendations to Egypt’s military council and current power-brokers to help steer the transition and calls on Western powers to provide economic assistance and avoid “attempts to micromanage the transition” or “react too negatively to a more assertive, independent foreign policy.”
President Barack Obama, speaking from the White House on Wednesday, condemned the use of violence in Libya against civilians. He stated the the U.S. was trying to ensure the safety of American citizens in Libya while working with international partners on “a way forward.” Obama extended condolences to the family and loved ones of those injured or killed in Libya and reiterated American support for the universal rights of the Libyan people: “That includes the rights of peaceful assembly, free speech, and the ability of the Libyan people to determine their own destiny. These are human rights. They are not negotiable. They must be respected in every country. And they cannot be denied through violence or suppression.” Obama also stressed the importance that the international community speak with “one voice” on the situation in Libya and said that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton would be traveling to Geneva to meet with foreign counterparts at the Human Rights Council.
Jennifer Rubin, writing at her blog Right Turn, criticized the President’s statement and policy on Libya as “hapless.” She further called his language choice “obtuse” in not directly stating that Muammar Gadhafi has committed war crimes against his own people and further said the statement portrayed Obama as weak.
On Wednesday, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clintonannounced that the U.S. has placed sanctions on two Iranian officials, Abbas Jafari Dolatabadi,the prosecutor general in Tehran, Mohammed Reza Naqdi,and the commander of Iran’s Basij paramilitary force, for perpetrating human rights abuses against Iranian citizens. She stated that it “has been made clear to the world that Iran denies its citizens the same fundamental rights it continues to applaud elsewhere in the Middle East” and called on Iran to free all political prisoners and prosecuted minorities and to uphold its citizens universal rights. Assistant Secretary of State for Human Rights Michael Posnerstated that Wednesday’s action “underscores our enduring commitment to support Iranians seeking to exercise their universal rights and expresses our solidarity with victims of torture, persecution and arbitrary detention.”
Gérard Buffet, a French doctor working at Benghazi Medical Center, gave an eyewitness account (French) of the atrocities he witnessed against Libyan civilians during the fiercest period of the government crackdown on Benghazi. Reported by the French site LePoint, Buffet says that the Libyan regime relied on primarily Chadian and Nigerian mercenaries to attack protesters. He reported that on the first day of violence the hospital received 75 dead bodies, on the second day 200, and on the third day 500 bodies. He also said that the mercenaries were firing at people’s legs and abdomens and that one of his own medical students was shot in the head. He estimated that a up to a total of 2,000 may have been killed so far.
The following list, compiled anonymously, shows Libyan embassies around the world that have so far either denounced Gadhafi and the Libyan government’s massacre of protesters or fully resigned in protest. Embassies in Egypt and Tunisia witnessed protests while embassies in India, Indonesia, Australia, Bangladesh, as well as missions to the U.N. and Arab League have resigned. The embassies in Malaysia, Malta, and the U.S. have publicly denounced the Libyan government.
Diplomats at the Libyan Embassy in Morocco (Rabat) lowering the Libyan flag and destroying a portrait of Gadhafi
The following video contains extremely graphic images of violence. The video shows Libyan soldiers bound and executed by hired mercenaries on behalf of the Libyan government, for refusing to follow orders and shoot peaceful protesters.
POMED’s contacts on the ground in Libya report that Nour Al Masmari, former chief of protocol for Muammar Gadhafi, told Al Jazeera he resigned because it was the “human” thing to do following the Libyan leader’s actions, which he called “genocide”. Masmari said “it is the end of it” adding that Gadhafi has been forced to use mercenaries because he no longer has control of the military.
Fareed Zakaria, writing in The Washington Post, believes that the revolutions that are taking place across the Middle East cannot be looked at individually because “this is really a seismic shift and will in time reverberate throughout the region.” Zakaria asserts that this is the first time in nearly a millenia that the Arab people “are taking charge of their own affairs.” Zakaria believes that America has shifted its policy on the Middle East drastically due to a realization that support for the regions dictators breeds terrorism and that U.S. power in the region is waning due to over-extension through war and the continued Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He argues that both Bush’s “freedom agenda” and Obama’s quieter work of supporting freedom but making clear that it is not forced have been effective in helping to perpetuate change in the region. Due to the nature of the events the Obama administration has had to handle these uprisings individually but Zakaria asserts that the time has come for the United States to have a clear policy to address “a Middle East that is in the midst of this historic change.”
Elliot Abrams, writing for the National Review, argues that the violence in Libya has created deep fractures that will inevitably lead to the fall of Muammar Gadhafi. Abrams believes that the military firing on peaceful demonstrators as well as other military bases along with the defection of numerous diplomats provide examples of the dissolution of the Libyan state. Abrams states: “If he uses enough force to prevail, the death toll (already in the hundreds) assures that further rebellions will be planned and will occur sooner rather than later.” In response to the violence used against protesters, Abrams believes the U.S. must end its silence on the human rights abuses taking place in Libya and directly call for regime change and the creation of a new government. Abrams says that although this outcome may be inevitable Gadhafi, “will leave behind a shattered land with no alternative government, no real political parties, and no experience with free elections, a free press, independent courts, or any of the building blocks of democracy.” The only asset for prosperity Abrams believes is the $100 billion in reserves that could help build a new future in Libya.
The following graphic was compiled by Iyad El-Bahgdadi from internet sources. According to this map, government control remains in parts of the western and southern parts of the country, in particular Tripoli; while the major cities and population centers in the eastern half of the country are now reportedly under control of anti-government protesters and military defectors.
On Tuesday night, pro-government gunmen opened fire on students staging a sit in at the gates of Sana’a University. Two people were killed and 21 wounded, many of them teenagers. Pro-government supporters of Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh, broke through police barricades and opened fire on the protesters with AK-47s and pistols. Protesters accused the government of paying the gunmen to attack them although the government denies such charges. Earlier protests had been peaceful up until the shooting on Tuesday night. Some protesters also reported being stabbed during the incident. Thousands of protesters gathered on Wednesday outside the university gates chanting defiantly against the Saleh regime and the shooting attacks the night before. Seven Yemeni MPs, all belonging to Saleh’s ruling party the General People’s Congress, resigned in protest of the violence employed to quell anti-government protests.
Al Jazeera reports that the cities of Tobruk and Misurata have been taken over by government opposition forces who are now supported by the Libyan military. Major General Suleiman Mahmoud, the commander of the armed forces in Tobruk, told Al Jazeera that the troops led by him had switched loyalties. “We are on the side of the people,” he said. Ben Wedeman reporting from Eastern Libya, tweeted that the flags outside of buildings have been replaced by the pre-Gadhafi flag.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy, stated: “I would like the suspension of economic, commercial and financial relations with Libya until further notice.” These remarks come as many continue to speculate at the death toll in Libya including Italy’s Foreign Minister Franco Frattini, who stated that reports of 1,000-plus dead are credible. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, also commented on the situation: “The United States continues to watch the situation in Libya with alarm. This bloodshed is completely unacceptable. It is the responsibility of the Government of Libya to respect the universal rights of their own people, including their right to free expression and assembly.” The UN Security Council issued a statement expressing “grave concern at the situation in Libya”; they also condemned the violence and called for an immediate end to the forceful repression and for a national dialogue to commence immediately to address the legitimate demands of the people of Libya.
At least 50 political prisoners have been freed including 23 Shi’a activists accused of plotting the overthrow of the king, in an attempt to acquiesce to the demands of anti-government protesters. Tens of thousands of protesters marched through the streets of Manama on Wedndesday, demanding greater political opportunities. The widow of one of the seven people killed in a crackdown on protesters read a statement outlining the opposition’s demands, which center on the current government’s resignation and the replacement of the ruling Sunni al-Khalifa dynasty with a constitutional monarchy. The statement also demanded a probe into the killings of peaceful protesters during government crackdowns last week.
Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, added that the ”steps need to be followed by concrete actions and reform” and that there is no place for violence against peaceful protesters. State Department spokesman, P.J. Crowley, stated, “we commend the steps taken by King Hamad, as well as Crown Prince Salman and others, to restore calm to Bahrain, to allow peaceful demonstrations to take place… we view recent announcements to launch a national dialogue and the release of political prisoners as positive steps towards addressing the concerns of Bahraini citizens.
On Tuesday, Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) condemned the use of violence by the Ghadafi regime and called on the UN Security Council to immediately condemn the acts and for the General Assembly to expel Libya from the UN Human Rights Council. He also unveiled a Senate resolution condemning Libyan President Moammar Ghadafi and the regime’s use of violence. The resolution calls for the suspension of arm sales to Libya, urges the UNto suspend Libya’s membership on its Human Rights Council, and calls on the International Criminal Court to investigate whether crimes against humanity have been committed by Ghadafi against the Libyan people.
Senate Committee on Foreign Relations Chairman John Kerry (D-MA) also condemned the use of violence and called for immediate international action. He stated that a four step process should take place: Libya’s senior military commanders should be made aware that their acquiescence may open them to future international war crimes charges; American and international oil companies should immediately cease operations in Libya and the administration should consider re-imposing U.S. sanctions; the U.N. Security Council should condemn violence and explore sanctions and the U.N. should remove Libya from the Human Rights Commission; and for the Arab League and African Union to create a new precedent in response to the crisis. Senators John McCain (R-AZ) and Joe Lieberman (I-CT) also released a joint-statement condemning the violence in Libya and applauding the Libyan officials who have broken with the Ghadafi regime. They also call for a no-fly zone to prevent the regime’s use of air power to attack Libyan civilians, sanctions and asset freezes, an arms embargo and the immediate suspension of Libya from international organizations.
On Tuesday, the UN Security Council held formal consultations on the Libya crisis with Western nations calling for a strong statement condemning the use of violence. Libya’s deputy ambassador Ibrahim Dabbashi, who requested the meeting, has called for Gadhafi to stand down and called on the Security Council to order a no-fly zone over Libya and for a humanitarian corridor to get supplies to civilians. Lybia’s UN Ambassador Mohamed Shalgham and UN undersecretary-general B. Lynn Pascoe spoke to the council about the protests. The council condemned the crackdown in a statement agreed to by all 15 council members, expressing “grave concern” and calling for “an immediate end to the violence” and steps to address the legitimate demands of the Libyan people.
Earlier, U.S. Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) released a statement condemning the violence and calling on the U.N. to protect Libyan citizens: “With the brutal violence against protesters in Libya, the United States cannot sit idly by. The reports of air assaults on civilians and arms being flown in from other countries require the establishment of a no-fly zone around Libya. I urge Ambassador Rice to act immediately at the United Nations Security Council to pass a resolution that protects the rights of the Libyan people.”
