Cessez le feu en Libye

Ceasefire in Libya: A Gift for U.N. Day? by Rene Wadlow 2020-10-28 09:34:43 Geneva On Friday 23 October 2020, Stephanie Williams, the U.N. acting Special Envoy for Libya said that the representatives of the parties in Geneva had agreed to a ceasefire starting 24 October, U.N. Day. All military units and armed groups on the front lines are to return to their camps. All mercenaries and foreign fighters in Libya are to depart within a maximum period of three months from 24 October. Both the Russians and the Turks have sent mercenaries to back their interests. The Russians have used the "private" security firm Wagner, first founded to back Russian interests in Ukraine. The Turks have sent Syrian militias friendly to Turkey with promises of money and Turkish citizenship. Since the outbreak of armed conflict on the outskirts of Tripoli on 3 April 2019, many persons have been killed and wounded. Migrants and refugees being held in detention centers have suffered. The humanitarian situation has degraded dramatically. In the recent past, all the armed factions have violated the laws of war and have a sad record of abuses against civilians. General Khalifa Hifter hoped his attack would be a blitzkrieg (a lightning war). He badly underestimated he degree of military response that he would meet from the militias loyal to the Government of National Accord led by Prime Minister Fayez al-Sariaj. Libyan society faces large and complex issues in order to create a stable administrative structure of government that takes into consideration the geographic and ethnic diversity of the country. There are three distinct regions which must have some degree of autonomy: Tripolitania and Cyrenaica both bordering the Mediterranean and Fezzan in the southern Sahara. Within each of the three regions, there are differing and often rival tribal societies which are, in practice, more kinship lines than organized tribes. (1) There are differing economic interests and different ideologies ranging from "Arab Socialism" to the Islamist ideology of the Islamic State (ISIS) which has spread from its Syrian-Iraqi base. The Association of World Citizens has proposed the possibility of con-federal constitutional structures. However, the first priority in the U.N.-led negotiations was to reach a ceasefire. Taken Al-Sonni, Libya's permanent representative to the U. N. commenting on the signing of the ceasefire agreement said that the success of any political solution to the Libyan crisis must include confidence-building measures and comprehensive national reconciliation. A "Libyan Dialogue Forum" under the auspicies of the U.N. is to start in Tunis on 9 November with persons not holding government or administrative positions. Meanwhile, talks among the official representatives of the factions which led to the ceasefire who had been meeting in Geneva have moved to Montreux , a city also on Lake Geneva. We must hope that the ceasefire will hold and that discussions on constitutional structures will follow. ******************** Note: 1) See J. Davis Libyan Politics Tribes and Revolution (London: L.R. Turis, 1987) ******************** Rene Wadlow, President, Association of World Citizens RépondreTransférer

Conflicts yet common interests

if the Russian-Turkish cooperation-rivalry in Syria were not enough, we find the same combination of rivalry and some common interests between Russia and Turkey in Libya - with even more oil and pipeline issues thrown in. On the one hand, Russia is backing General Khalifa Haftar who had done part of his military studies in the USSR and has a relatively easy relation with Russians. Since April 2019, General Haftar and his "Libyan National Army" is bogged down in his quest to take over the capital, Tripoli, which would make him master of most of the socio-economic wealth of the country. Haftar is blocked by tribal militias loyal to what is considered the legitimate government led by Fayez al-Saraf.

A large number of people in the Tripoli area have been displaced, seeking relative safety in other areas. Migrants and refugees being held in detention centers are suffering. Food and medical supplies are lacking. While there is a ceasefire agreement, the agreement is often violated and migrant-holding camps are hit.

Both the Russians and the Turks have sent mercenaries to back their interests: the Russian, the "private"security firm Wagner, first founded to back Russian interests in Ukraine. The Turks have sent Syrian militias friendly to Turkey with promisses of money and Turkish citizenship.

The growing Turkish influence in Libya worries both Greek and Cypres who have Law of the Sea exclusive-economic-zone disputes with Turkey in areas that may have important oil and gas reserves.

There is general agreement among the U.N. negotiators as well as diplomats from interested States that the aim is to develop a single, unified, inclusive, and effective Libyan government that is transparent, accountable, fair with equitable distribution of public wealth and resources between different Libyan geographic areas, including through decentralization and support for municipalities, thereby removing a central grievance and cause of recrimination.

The creation of such State structures has been the chief issue since 1945 when the Allies - Britain, the USA and the USSR - agreed that the Italian colonies should not be returned to Italy, although Italian settlers were encouraged to stay. The Allies did not want to create the structures of the new State believing that this task should be done by the Libyans themselves. Also, the three Allies disagreed among themselves as to the nature of the future State.

By 1950-1951 with more crucial geopolitical issues elsewhere, the Allies were ready for the creation of a Libyan State. It seemed that a monarchy was the most appropriate form of government as there were no structured political parties that could have created a parliamentary government. Thus in 1951, Idris was made the King of the State. Idris was the head of the Senussi Sufi Order created by his father. The Senussi Sufi Order had branches in most parts of the country. Idriss ruled the country as if it were a Sufi order and did little to structure non-religious political structures. Idris ruled until September 1969 when he was overthrown by Muammar el- Qaddafi.

Qaddafi was also not interested in creating permanent political parties which, he feared, might be used against him. He called himself "the Guide of the Revolution" not "President" and Libya became the Libyan Jamaihirya, that is, the authority of the people. The closest model to Qaddafi's vision is a Quaker Meeting, where decisions are taken by consensus and compromise at the local level. These decisions are then sent as recommendations to the next higher level where by consensus and compromise again a decision is taken. Ultimately, these decisions reach to the top of Libya, and the "Guide" sees how they can be carried out.

The problem with the governance of Libya was that not everyone was a member of a Sufi order where the search for enlightenment in a spirit of love was the way decisions were to be made. Moreover, there were hardly any Libyan Quakers, and compromise was not the chief model for the tribal and clanic networks which was how the country was structured under Qaddafi.

Since the overthrow and death of Qaddafi in 2011, there has been no agreement on how the country should be structured. The model which is most likely to be followed is that of General Khalifa Haftar, The model is a military-based dictatorship with a small number of civilians as "window dressing". The model is well represented through the world although not always held up as a model form of government. Haftar holds a good bit of the Libyan territory, although his hope of a quick victory over the "national unity" government in the capitol Tripoli has not been successful for the moment.

The National Unity Government of Faiez Sarraj is a civilian-led government but heavily dependent for its survival on tribal militias. The model for the government is that of Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey with a certain ideological coloring from the Islamic Brotherhood, originally from Egypt but whose ideology has spread. What type of structures can be created between these two major models is not known. I would expect to see a Khalifa Haftar-led government with a few civilians brought in from the National Unity Government.

The only geographic area outside of the current Tripoli-centered conflict between Faiez Sarra and Khalifa Haftar is the area known as the Fezzan - the southwestern part of the country on the edge of the Sahara. The area was associated with the rest of the country during the period of King Idrass as there were a number of branches of his Sufi order in the oases where most of the 200,000 people in the area live, mostly date palm farmers. Gaddafi largely left the area alone as there was little possibility of developing organized opposition. However, today, the governmental neglect has opened the door to wide-spread smuggling of people, weapons and drugs. The Italian government in particular has drawn international attention to the lack of administration in the Fezzan as many of the African migrants who end up in Italy have passed through the Fezzan on their way to Europe.

The creation of highly decentralized governmental structures in Libya will not be easy. Nevertheless, such decentralized administration is key to the future, and a challenge to all of us who want to see a peaceful and relatively just Libya;

Rene Wadlow, President, Association of World Citizens

Russian Shadows Darken the Sky Over Libya
by Rene Wadlow
2020-01-30 10:22:16

Libya: The Fairy Godmothers hoping to bless a new State Structure meet in Berlin

The Fairy Godmothers of world politics met in Berlin on 19 January 2020 to assist at the birth of a State structure arising from the currently deeply divided factions of Libya: German Chancellor Angela Merkel and U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres were the co-hosts with the Turkish Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Russia's Vladimer Putin, France's Emmanuel Macron, the U.K.'s Bosis Johnson, the USA's Mike Poupeo as well as the less easily recognized officials - Prime Minister of Italy, Giuseppe Corte and the representatives of China, Egypt, Algeria, and the United Arab Emirates. There were also representatives of the major intergovernmental organizations involved in Libya: the United Nations, the European Union, the African Union and the League of Arab States.

The Final Document of the Berlin Conference is an effort to please all participants, but, in fact, on the crucial issue of the creation of a functioning administration for Libya, there was only a broad vision of a desirable future: a single, unified, inclusive, and effective Libyan government that is transparent, accountable, fair with equitable distribution of public wealth and resources between different Libyan geographic areas, including through decentralization and support for municipalities, thereby removing a central grievance and cause of recrimination.

The creation of such State structures has been the chief issue since 1945 when the Allies - Britain, the USA and the USSR - agreed that the Italian colonies should not be returned to Italy, although Italian settlers were encouraged to stay. The Allies did not want to create the structures of the new State believing that this task should be done by the Libyans themselves. Also, the three Allies disagreed among themselves as to the nature of the future State.

By 1950-1951 with more crucial geopolitical issues elsewhere, the Allies were ready for the creation of a Libyan State. It seemed that a monarchy was the most appropriate form of government as there were no structured political parties that could have created a parliamentary government. Thus in 1951, Idris was made the King of the State. Idris was the head of the Senussi Sufi Order created by his father. The Senussi Sufi Order had branches in most parts of the country. Idriss ruled the country as if it were a Sufi order and did little to structure non-religious political structures. Idris ruled until September 1969 when he was overthrown by Muammg Qaddafi.

Qaddafi was also not interested in creating permanent political parties which, he feared, might be used against him. He called himself "the Guide of the Revolution" not "President" and Libya became the Libyan Jamaihirya, that is, the authority of the people. The closest model to Qaddafi's vision is a Quaker Meeting, where decisions are taken by consensus and compromise at the local level. These decisions are then sent as recommendations to the next higher level where by consensus and compromise again a decision is taken. Ultimately, these decisions reach to the top of Libya, and the "Guide" sees how they can be carried out.

The problem with the governance of Libya was that not everyone was a member of a Sufi order where the search for enlightenment in a spirit of love was the way decisions were to be made. Moreover, there were hardly any Libyan Quakers, and compromise was not the chief model for the tribal and clanic networks which was how the country was structured under Qaddafi.

Since the overthrow and death of Qaddafi in 2011, there has been no agreement on how the country should be structured. The model which is most likely to be followed is that of General Khalifa Haftor, who now likes to be addressed as "Field Marshall". The model is a military-based dictatorship with a small number of civilians as "window dressing". The model is well represented through the world although not always held up as a model form of government. Haftor holds a good bit of the Libyan territory, although his hope of a quick victory over the "national unity" government in the capitol Tripoli has not been successful for the moment.

The National Unity Government of Faiez Sarraj is a civilian-led government but heavily dependent for its survival on tribal militias. The model for the government is that of Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey with a certain ideological coloring from the Islamic Brotherhood, originally from Egypt but whose ideology has spread. What type of structures can be created between these two major models is not known. I would expect to see a Khalifa Haftar-led government with a few civilians brought in from the National Unity Government.

The only geographic area outside of the current Tripoli-centered conflict between Faiez Sarra and Khalifa Haftar is the area known as the Fezzan - the southwestern part of the country on the edge of the Sahara. The area was associated with the rest of the country during the period of King Idrass as there were a number of branches of his Sufi order in the oases where most of the 200,000 people in the area live, mostly date palm farmers. Gaddafi largely left the area alone as there was little possibility of developing organized opposition. However, today, the governmental neglect has opened the door to wide-spread smuggling of people, weapons and drugs. The Italian government in particular has drawn international attention to the lack of administration in the Fezzan as many of the African migrants who end up in Italy have passed through the Fezzan on their way to Europe.

The creation of highly decentralized governmental structures in Libya will not be easy. Nevertheless, such decentralized administration is key to the future, and a challenge to all of us who want to see a peaceful and relatively just Libya;

********************************

Rene Wadlow, President, Association of World Citizens

Libye Libre et démocratique

Il y a 2 semaines une page d'information sur la Libye a vu le jour  afin d'informer l'opinion publique. Elle est totalement accessible hors facebook et est administrée par des personnes bien au fait de la réalité libyenne.
Les langues d'usage sont le français, l'anglais et l'arabe.

 https://www.facebook.com/libyedemocratique?sk=wall




Dernière nouvelle du jour: capture d'un des fils du dictateur déchu ;Khadafi et cette fois ci

Seïf el islam capturé

joies après la capture de seïf el islam

Saïf Al-Islam Kadhafi a été arrêté dans le sud de la Libye, selon le ministre de la justice libyen.Recherché par la Cour pénale internationale, le fils de l'ancien dirigeant libyen avait fui Tripoli avec son père et son frère Mouatassim. Il s'était réfugié à Syrte, d'où il avait réussi à échapper aux troupes du Conseil national de transition. Selon un responsable touareg, il s'était ensuite rendu à la frontière du Niger pour y chercher refuge.

Le procureur de la Cour pénale internationale (CPI) n'exclut pas d'inculper l'ancien chef des renseignements libyens Abdullah al Senoussi dans le cadre de l'enquête sur des centaines de viols commis lors de la guerre civile de cette année.

L'Assemblée générale des Nations unies a voté, vendredi, en faveur de la réintégration de la Libye dans les rangs du Conseil des droits de l'homme.

résolution n° 1973 activée

Certains crient au loup avec le début des opérations militaires menées par des nations en application des directives de la résolution 1973 dont l'objectif est la défense des populations civiles. Il est difficile pour nous citoyens du monde d'aller à l'encontre de cette résolution qui est le fruit d'une longue tractation entre les membres du conseil de sécurité en accord avec les forces populaires qui se sont soulevées contre le régime génocidaire de Khadafi. Il et du devoir de l'Onu de secourir des populations menacées. Cela ne s'est pas toujours fait précédemment et c'est regrettable et il est possible que cela ne se fasse pas ailleurs aujourd'hui et demain mais nous nous devons de faire avancer les lois sur la question afin que nul ne puisse être menacé pour s'être exprimé. L'attitude criminelle de khadafi à l'encontre du peuple Libyen  est inadmissible et ne peut pas être laissée menée sans action internationale qui fut menée après l'appel du peuple libyen et en accord avec la ligue arabe.

Ce qu'autorise cette résolution:

Ce texte s’inscrit dans le cadre du chapitre 7 de la Charte qui définit les conditions dans lesquelles l’ONU peut autoriser le recours à la force armée. Rien à voir avec l’invasion de l’Irak par les Etats-Unis, qui agissaient en dehors du cadre de l’ONU.

·         La résolution vise les condamnations par la Ligue arabe, l'Union africaine et le secrétaire général de l'Organisation de la Conférence islamique, des violations graves des droits de l'homme (C’est le cadre civil courant) et du droit humanitaire international (C’est un conflit armé interne). L’accusation de l’interventionnisme occidental s'en trouve très affaiblie.

·         Le texte permet d’aller très loin, car tous les moyens militaires pertinents peuvent être utilisés pour « protéger les civils et les zones peuplées par des civils ».

·         Les bateaux et avions se rendant en Libye pourront être inspectés pour vérifier la présence d’armes, ce qui au passage rappelle qu’un Etat ne peut de lui-même procéder à ce type de contrôle.

·         Cette résolution est un précédent, qui aurait été impensable sans le contexte des révolutions arabes, et les principes posés  ont vocation à s’appliquer à des situations similaires.

Tahar Houhou , membre du congrès des peuples,

L'Onu en voie d'adopter une résolution sur la Libye

Tout le monde l'attendait cette résolution qui pour la première fois avait été accueillie avec joie par la rue arabe solidaire du peuple Libyen et totalement opposé au dictateur de Libye, Khadafi.
Elle avait annoncée pour certaine dès la fin d'après midi et fut obtenue après une âpre négociation

Le projet de résolution a été présentée par la France, la Grande Bretagne et le Liban

la résolution prévoit "toutes les mesures nécessaires" contre les forces du colonel Khadafi, à l'exception d'une occupation du territoire libyen.comme l'avait souhaité les opposants au dictateur Khadafi et plus contraignante que ce qu'auraient souhaité les autres états arabes dirigés pour la plupart soi par des monarchies soi par des tyrans.

vous pouvez la voir dans inégralié en version anglaise en cliquant sur ce lien ici

Appel des citoyens du Monde

LES CITOYENS DU MONDE APPELLENT

A UN CESSEZ-DE-feu en libye

et a L’ouverture de negociations

pour une nouvelle republique libyenne

 Dans un message du 15 mars 2011 au Secrétaire Général de l’ONU, Ban Ki-moon, le Professeur René Wadlow, Représentant en Chef auprès de l’Office des Nations Unies à Genève de l’Association of World Citizens (AWC), a exhorté le Secrétaire Général à prendre l’ascendant en appelant à un cessez-le-feu en Libye qui mît fin aux hostilités en cours et à l’hémorragie de réfugiés. En se prolongeant et s’intensifiant, le conflit ne fait que placer un insupportable fardeau sur des lieux de soins médicaux déjà débordés et sur l’approvisionnement visant à répondre aux besoins élémentaires de la population.

          Un cessez-le-feu constituerait aussi un premier pas en direction de négociations menant à un nouvel ordre constitutionnel et à une nouvelle République libyenne dont le fondement démocratique serait des plus larges.

          Dans leur message, les Citoyens du Monde ont affirmé que les discussions actuelles entre quelques gouvernements et les organisations intergouvernementales au sujet de la proclamation d’une zone d’exclusion aérienne tandis que le conflit se poursuit n’étaient pas à même d’aborder le cœur du problème. La vraie question est de savoir comment aboutir à une fin des combats qui ait fait l’objet d’un accord préalable, puis d’ouvrir la porte à la nécessaire restructuration constitutionnelle du pays et à la création d’une République libyenne de large fondement démocratique.

          Selon l’exemple des révolutions non-violentes de Tunisie et d’Egypte, des protestations contre le fonctionnement politique et économique de la Libye ont éclaté. Plutôt que d’entamer le dialogue, les autorités libyennes ont entrepris une politique de répression, laquelle a conduit à la violence à grande échelle que nous voyons aujourd’hui, provoquant par là même un flot massif de départs de travailleurs immigrés du pays ainsi qu’un important déplacement interne de Libyens.

          Seul un cessez-le-feu permettra le début d’un traitement en profondeur des questions constitutionnelles fondamentales que le pays a affrontées depuis l’Indépendance. Lorsque celle-ci est survenue en 1951, l’autorité reposait sur le Roi Sayyid Idriss as-Sanoussi (1890-1983), dirigeant d’une importante fraternité islamique qui se montrait de longue date plus soucieuse de réformes religieuses que de la structure du gouvernement ou de la qualité de l’administration. Son gouvernement possédait quelques attributs de décentralisation et de fédéralisme, mais reposait pour beaucoup sur des confédérations tribales qui existaient depuis bien plus longtemps. (1)

          Quand les officiers de l’armée menés par le Colonel Muammar Kadhafi prirent le pouvoir à l’occasion d’un coup d’Etat en septembre 1969, la discussion s’engagea pendant un cours laps de temps quant à la forme de gouvernement qu’il convenait de développer. L’idée d’un pouvoir plus centralisé faisait l’unanimité, de même que la conservation des politiques de l’ancien roi et de la Fraternité Sanoussi en matière de religion – ce qui prit le nom de néo-salafisme. Cependant, afin de ne pas mettre d’obstacles à la future unité arabe, aucune structure étatique basée sur un accord constitutionnel ne fut officiellement créée.

          Le colonel Kadhafi voulait se débarrasser du gouvernement de type parlementaire et des élections visant à élire une représentation, ce au profit de comités populaires, d’un congrès du peuple et de comités révolutionnaires, tous tenus ensemble par les présomptions idéologiques de la Troisième Théorie Universelle de Kadhafi – un concept qui englobe l’anti-impérialisme, l’unité arabe, le socialisme islamique et la démocratie populaire directe. (2)

          Des désaccords sur la nature de l’Etat menèrent à d’importantes divisions au sein du cercle dirigeant, notamment en 1975. Cependant, toute discussion ouverte sur la nature de l’Etat, sur la relation entre l’Etat et la société, ou encore sur la place des tribus et des fraternités religieuses, était considérée subversive, revenant à une trahison. En pratique, bien que non en théorie, le processus de décision demeurait entre les mains du colonel Kadhafi, de sa famille, de ses amis et de ses alliés tribaux. (3)

          Sur le court terme, les négociations suivant un cessez-le-feu pourraient conduire à la prorogation de la structure libyenne du pouvoir concentrant celui-ci en le seul colonel Kadhafi, ainsi que ses fils et leurs alliés. Toutefois, le degré de violence constitue une indication claire de ce que la structure de l’Etat ne fonctionne pas, et que, quoi que l’on puisse lui reprocher par ailleurs, un parlement permet à certaines des exigences du peuple d’être entendues et crée des garde-fous à l’exercice du pouvoir.

          Historiquement, en Libye, il existait seize tribus marabtin renommées pour leur sagesse religieuse, lesquelles servaient de médiatrices et d’arbitres au sein des structures politiques de la Libye tribale d’avant la colonisation. Cette tradition de médiation réconciliatrice existe peut-être encore, ce qui signifie que recourir aux voies traditionnelles de médiation devrait être envisagé de manière sérieuse.

          Un cessez-le-feu doit être un premier pas, et l’ONU, l’institution la plus appropriée pour maintenir ensuite le cessez-le-feu tandis que les négociations constitutionnelles commenceront.

1)      Pour une analyse utile des structures de gouvernement libyennes, voir J. Davis, Libyan Politics, Tribes and Revolution (Londres: I.B. Tauris, 1987)

2)      Voir M.M. Ayoub Islam and the Third Universal Theory: The religious thought of Muamar al Qadhafi (Londres: Kegan Paul, 1987)

3)      Voir René Lemarchand (Ed). The Green and the Black: Qadhafi’s Politics in Africa (Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1988).

Libye: L'ONU en panne de réponse.

C'est avec effroi que les représentants du mouvement des citoyens du monde ont appris que le le conseil de sécurité des nations unies a été incapable de prendre de décision sur la possibilité de  créer une zone d'exclusion aérienne au dessus de la Libye afin  d'empêcher Khadafi de procéder à des bombardements de cibles civils; Le conseil de sécurité en refusant de prendre une décision en faveur de la protection des populations civiles porte une lourde responsabilité dans les massacres à venir. Ce blocage étant essentiellement dû au refus de la Russie de voter une résolution alant dans le sens de la majorité du conseil de sécurité voulant ainsi suivre la décision de la ligue arabe souhaitant une mise en place immédiate d'une zone d'exclusion aérienne au dessus de la Libye.

Le mouvement des citoyens du monde par le biais de sa structure représentative, le congrès des peuples prend note de la décision du conseil de sécurité; Le congrès des peuples soutiendra toute action qui oeuvrera à la protection de la population civile libyenne en accord avec les résolutions internationales actuelles.

Pour plus d'informations sur le sujet : lien1

Il n'empêche que sur le sujet les informations évoluent très vite et les discussions au sein du conseil de sécurité sont ardues. On parle actuellement de couloirs humanitaires possibles après des discussions avec la Chine et la Russie, les plus enclins à refuser des décisions sévères à l'encontre de la Libye

voir le lien suivant lien2.

Pour une exclusion de survol par les avions de Khadafi

Nous citoyens du Monde, appelons le conseil de sécurité de l'Onu à voter pour la mise en place pratique d'une exclusion de l'espace aérien libyen aux avions et hélicoptères qui depuis quelques jours sous les ordres de Khaddafi procèdent à des bombardements sur des cibles civiles. Nous soutenons à ce titre toute action qui vise à atténuer les souffrances du peuple Libyen et appelons à signer la pétition que voici :

http://www.avaaz.org/en/libya_no_fly_zone_1/?cl=974853008&v=8576

Blood in the Sand: A World Citizen Protest to Repression in Libya

Surely, I said

Now will the poets sing

But they have raised no cry

I wonder why

Country Cullen Scottsboro, Too, Is Worth Its Song

         We, citizens of the world, determined to safeguard future generations from war, poverty, injustice, and environmental degradation, have always stood for a simple yet powerful idea: that humanity on this planet, must think of itself as one society and must unite in developing the basic policies that advance peace with justice.

         The Right to Life — a reverence for life — is the core value upon which our efforts for human rights, for the resolution of conflicts, and for ecologically-sound development is based

         Thus, we are encouraged by the waves of efforts for democracy and social justice that are sweeping over North Africa and the Middle East. We salute the courage of those who have brought change and an opportunity for justice in Tunisia and Egypt. The people’s revolution for dignity and social justice is on the march.  The march will not be broken, although the old structures of repression try to hold back the future with force.

         We are sad when we note a loss of life in different countries throughout North Africa and the Middle East, nearly always the life of a protester at the hands of the military, the police or militia forces.

         We are particularly concerned with the repression and loss of life due to the forces of Colonel Moammar Gadhafi in Libya. Although foreign journalists have been refused entry and internet and phone lines have been disrupted, we have received reports made in good faith of widespread repression and killings by special commandoes and government-sponsored snipers.  These actions seem to constitute a widespread and systematic practice.

         Therefore, we first call upon the Government of the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya to uphold universally-recognized human rights and to prevent the disproportionate use of force by its agents.

         Secondly, we call upon the Member States of the U.N. Human Rights Council, which has the duty to address situations of the systematic violation of human rights, to organize an Emergency Special Session to mandate a fact-finding team of independent experts to collect information on possible violations of international human rights law.

         Thirdly, we call upon the representatives of Non-Governmental Organizations and other representatives of civil society to raise their voices so that all will hear their determination to protect the Right to Life and Human Dignity.

         When in 1931 in the USA, the Scottsboro Boys — a group of nine Blacks — were tried for rape in Alabama under conditions which prevented a fair trial, the poet Countree Cullen was listening for the voices of protest, for the calls for justice, but he heard no such cries and wondered why.

         Let it not be said of us that when the blood of protesters in Libya flowed into the sand, no cries were heard.

*Rene Wadlow, Senior Vice-President and Representative to the United Nations, Geneva, Association of World Citizens

Appel aux consciences

Le bureau du Congrès des Peuples constate avec effroi la dégradation de la situation en Libye.

Il soutient les initiatives pacifiques du peuple Libyen en vue de l'instauration de la démocratie .

Il regrette amèrement les actes de violence criminels perpétrés par les autorités libyennes à l'encontre de sa population et espère une intervention rapide de la ligue arabe, de l'UA et de l'ONU afin que cessent les massacres qui endeuillent la Libye

The office of the Peoples Congress notes with dismay the deteriorating situation in Libya.
It supports the peaceful initiatives of the Libyan people for the establishment of democracy.
He bitterly regrets the criminal acts of violence perpetrated by the Libyan authorities against its population and expects a rapid response of the Arab League, AU and the UN for an end to the massacres that marred Libya

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