EU condemns bloodshed in Libya
Libya has warned Europe it will “suspend cooperation” in the fight against illegal immigration.
The threat came as the EU issued a strong denunciation of Tripoli’s bloody crackdown against pro-democracy protesters.
Relations between the bloc and oil-rich Libya have rarely been so strained as reports of its brutal repression emerge.
EU Foreign Affairs representative Catherine Ashton told euronews:
“I’m really worried about what’s happening in Libya at the present time. We have been urging restraint, we continue to do so. It’s very important – you will have heard it from all of the foreign ministers you’ve asked tonight -, it’s very very important that this violence stops and they move to dialogue.”
According to Luxembourg’s Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn, Libya’s leaders will reap the consequences of their harsh treatment.
“Anyone who does not respect human life, who does not respect the expression of popular will, and uses methods that are worthy of the Middle Ages, those should be tried by the International Criminal Court. “
Europe’s foreign ministers are set to discuss the unfolding crisis in the region at a special meeting later today.
Army tells Egyptians: ‘Get back to work’
Egypt’s military rulers on Monday called upon disgruntled workers to stop striking and return to their jobs.
Employees in a number of key sectors want better pay and conditions.
The country’s economy ground to a halt during demonstrations that toppled former president, Hosni Mubarak.
In a statement on state television, military spokesman General Mohsen el-Fangari said strikes and disputes would threaten Egypt’s security and damage its economy.
He called on all citizens, professionals and labour unions to be responsible at this crucial time.
Egypt’s stock exchange has been shut since January 27 because of the political unrest.
Banks are not expected to reopen until Wednesday.
The tourism sector, which accounts for six percent of GDP, has also been hit by a drop in revenues.
Women wary of new Egypt constitution
There are concerns in Egypt that the country’s post-revolution constitution will fail to fully represent women.
In the weeks leading up to the downfall of authoritarian President Hosni Mubarak, women played their role in the push for democracy and were a visible presence in the crowds at Tahrir Square. It’s estimated that women made up between 20 percent and 50 percent of protesters. A lack of any sort of meaningful political representation under Mubarak gave them as much as, if not more reason to demand change than their male counterparts.
Yet many Egyptian women fear that despite their part in deposing Mubarak, they will be denied their just rewards in the post-Mubarak Egypt.
When the military took full control of the country last month, it appointed Tarek al-Bishry to form a committee that would change the constitution to make it comply with what the protesters had been risking their lives to demand. That committee has eight members, most of them politicians and judges, all of them men.
It is perhaps then not a great surprise that women’s groups are wary that the all-male committee may deprive them of their full rights in the new democratic process.
The Egyptian Coalition for Civic Education and Women’s Participation has reviewed the proposed amendments to the constitution and identified points of concern. For example, Article 75 guarantees that “Egypt’s president is born to two Egyptian parents and cannot be married to a non-Egyptian woman. Neither he nor his parents shall have another nationality except the Egyptian one. He shall practice his own civil and political rights.”
The fact that the president cannot be married to a non-Egyptian woman suggests that the president must be a man. As does the phrase “He shall practice…”
The interim military leadership has set a date of March 19 for a referendum on constitutional changes ahead of parliamentary and presidential elections in June and August respectively.
Egypt’s women have little time left to make sure the change they worked so hard to make possible becomes a reality.
“It is legal and right”: leaders justify attacks
Leaders of the forces assembled to stop Colonel Ghaddafi killing his own people in defiance of a UN resolution have spoken out about the military action which began on Saturday.
Speaking from South America, President Obama said:
“So we must be clear. Actions have consequences and the writ of the international community must be enforced. That is the cause of this coalition.”
The coalition was brought together in Paris for an emergency summit on Saturday, and includes the US, European states, Canada, members of the Arab League, and a representative of the African Union.
To read – Libya: a timeline of international diplomacy
After French aircraft led the way in the afternoon, British planes flew sorties as night fell.
“Tonight British forces are in action over Libya,” said British Prime Minister David Cameron. “They are part of an international coalition that has come together to enforce the will of the UN and to protect the Libyan people. So what we are doing is necessary. It is legal and it is right.”
Clashes after protest death in Iran
There have been fresh clashes in Tehran at the funeral of a student killed in anti-government protests on Monday.
Anger between supporters and critics of the Iranian government spilled over into violence as mourners made their way through the city.
26-year-old Sanee Zaleh was one of the two people who died when opposition campaigners rallied for the first time in more than a year.
Both sides have blamed each other for his death.
Thousands of people took to the streets of Tehran on Monday, wanting to demonstrate their solidarity with the opposition movements in Tunisia and Egypt.
Now the country’s hard-line clerics have added their voice to calls for the opposition leaders to be tried and executed.
Mir Hossein Moussavi and Mehdi Karroubi have been under house arrest since they issued the call to protest last week.
UN and Arab League talk unity over Libya
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon attended a meeting at the headquarters of the Arab League in Cairo. On the agenda were talks on maintaining unity over Libya.
League leader Amr Moussa said yesterday he thought the heavy bombardment had gone beyond its no-fly zone remit.
But during a joint news conference, Moussa said it was the Arab League who asked the UN to implement the no-fly zone in the first place. They respect the UN resolution, he added, and there is no disagreement over this, especially as it stipulates that there should be no ground offensive, but only action to tackle the threat to Libyan civilians in Benghazi and elsewhere.
The support of the Arab world is vital, said Ban, adding;“This decisive measure is a means of protecting the civilian population who have been killed by Colonel Gaddafi.”
TO READ – Libya: a timeline of international diplomacy
But just after the meeting, the UN leader’s convoy was prevented from visiting Cairo’s now-famous Tahrir Square by an angry crowd of pro-Gaddafi protestors.
Against military intervention, they brandished pictures of the Libyan leader amid chants of “Down with the USA.”
International Crisis Group warns of Libya splitting
Laura Davidescu, euronews: With the no-fly zone in place over Libya, and Western leaders insisting that the campaign is not about ousting Colonel Gaddafi, many ask what political results, if any, can the current military intervention yield?
Louise Arbour, President of the International Crisis Group is the former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.
euronews: Louise Arbour, in your opinion, the no-fly zone is not the best course of action the International Community could have taken in Libya. Why not?
Louise Arbour: “The Security Council focused very specifically on protection of civilians and authorized all necessary measures, including, but not limited to a no-flight zone to insure the protection of civilians.
Now this resolution, I think contains many many ambiguities and I think we’re going to see that played out as the military operations continue to unfold.”
euronews: Before the adoption of the Resolution 1973, your organization has called for a different approach, a diplomatic one, comprising a ceasefire, dispatching a peacekeeping force and initiating dialogue.
But was Gaddafi ever a dialogue partner? Could he have been one?
Louise Arbour: “I think to look exclusively at the military options is a form of escalation that is not prudent. The African Union had already launched a negotiation initative, dispatched a mission, the secretary general has a special envoy so I think diplomatic initiatives have to continue to be pursued. First to cease all combat operations and to try to find a form of accomodation that would bring democratic space into Libya.”
euronews: Yes but did the international community have the choice with Colonel Gaddafi threatening civilian populations?
Louise Arbour: “When a country leader states unequivocally that he will show no mercy on his own people, those who have sided with the rebels, there is obviously a lot of cause for a concern. Now the question, though, is, now the debate: is it just a no-fly zone or a regime change?”
euronews: You believe that the no-fly zone could compromise and divide the anti-Gaddafi coalition. What are your concerns with respect to this?
Louise Arbour: “The perception of a Western, even a legal Security Council approved military operation transforms the conflict from a national insurgency into an international war opposing the West to Libyans. And in the same way, even more troubling is a possibility that this could lead to a de facto splitting of Libya between the east, which will be controlled and supported by the rebels and the west part of the country, with Tripoli at the centre, that will continue to be under Gaddafi’s control. And this could lead to a very prolonged and painful stalemate.
UN steps up pressure on Gaddafi
A rare show of unanimity by the UN Security Council on Saturday imposed arms, travel and asset sanctions on Libya’s Colonel Gadaffi and his closest aides.
The passing of the resolution provoked an emotional response from the Libyan delegates to the United Nations, who embraced tearfully. The sanctions increase the pressure on Gaddafi to quit before any more deaths occur.
“The Tripoli regime no longer has any credibility”, said Libya’s Deputy Ambassador to the UN, Ibrahim Dabbashi. “It goes without saying that this resolution represents moral support for our people who are resisting”
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said the text “sends a strong message that gross violations of basic human rights will not be tolerated, and that those responsible for grave crimes will be held responsible.”
In the Libyan city of Benghazi, where opposition demonstrators control the streets, there was support for the UN decision
“This is the people’s decision, the decision of our republic and the decision of the Security Council and we support it,” said one man.
But there was also some scepticism.
“This is a popular revolution. We do not want foreign interference. Obama is only looking after his own interests and the interests of Europe. We are looking after our own national interest, which is to topple Gaddafi”.
The UN also agreed to refer the Gaddafi regime’s deadly crackdown on protesters to the permanent war crimes tribunal.
Gaddafi clings on as rebels consolidate gains
Colonel Gaddafi’s grip on Libya looks increasingly frail amid reports rebel militias are nearing the capital.
In the country’s second city Benghazi, which is all but free of government forces, there were jubilant scenes as protesters called for Gaddafi to go, despite another defiant speech by the Libyan leader on TV in which he blamed al-Qaeda for the uprising.
Earlier, the White House said President Obama had spoken with the leaders of France, Britain and Italy to discuss the crisis. Washington says a ‘range of options’ is on the table, including sanctions and humanitarian assistance.
Many ordinary Libyans, however, fear foreign motives. One man said: ‘‘We have to defend ourselves. Western governments are hypocrites. They are only interested in oil. They talk of human rights but they don’t intervene when we are being killed.”
Gaddafi’s fate appears to rest on control of a number of key strategic locations, most notably Tripoli.
For the moment, he appears to remain in charge of the capital, although there are reports of fierce fighting in towns close to the city.
Benghazi committee attempts to restore order
The Libyan army in the east has melted away, abandoning tanks and deserting or joining the people in their uprising against Colonel Gaddafi.
Thousands of people have been coming out into the streets to celebrate the fall of the regime, honking car horns and painting anti-Gaddafi slogans wherever they can.
There has been resistance from loyalist forces and a hastily-formed Security Committee in Benghazi is trying to take over administration.
The revolt has also spread to the west where several towns say they are now controlled by rebel forces. Heavy fighting has been reported in one, Zawiyah, where at least 23 people have been killed and 44 wounded, and clashes continue.
Tobruk airport fell after heavy fighting, with aircraft and more armour falling into the hands of the rebels.
“Thank God we won. They had weapons but we had stones,” said one. “God helped and we won. All Arabs must do something to stop this tyrant. Where is the United Nations?”
The Benghazi committee says it has 23 alleged mercenaries from Sudan, Chad and Niger in custody, captured after fighting alongside government forces.
With most of Libya’s oil in the east, Gaddafi will have to move against the rebels, and they are digging in expecting imminent attack. But before that, they are exploding with joy at the humiliation of a hated leader.
