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Libya, Human Rights and the Invasion





South Africa celebrated the Human Rights day earlier this week.  What happened there was very interesting and something disturbed my human rights consciousness.  I unfortunately will not be airing my views on it as we are close to the local government elections and well- meaning comments can be easily construed as being party political.  There it is, my confession that I am suppressing my human right to freedom of expression as enshrined in section sixteen of the Bill of Rights that is contained in our Constitution.  I will nonetheless deal with a subject that is unlikely to affect the outcome of the upcoming elections, Libya.

The uprisings in the Middle-East has caught the world spell-bound.  For many people it has been the confirmation of the adage that the masses make the revolution.  In all these uprisings there were no discernible political party hands.  It was the people in all their hues and socio-economic standings. I guess all of us love the “underdog”.  An interesting aspect about these was the reaction of the United States of America (USA) and other Western countries.  Whilst they were supporting the public uprisings and condemning the dictatorial regimes of these countries some brave fellows ventured to point out that these regimes were propped up by the West, the USA in particular.

When the uprising flared up in Libya, it was in a country that is a sworn enemy of the West. Listening to Ghadafi on TV I realized that he is a mad man.  He made a long speech that was premised on Libya being himself.  It was like he was saying if he is removed there will be no independent Libya.  This is the delusion of all dictators.  Fortunately for Gardaffi there was no wholesale turning of the security forces against him and subsequently protesters were mercilessly mauled down. This is what prompted the Security Council’s resolution 1973.  The Security Council authorised “all necessary measures”  including the imposition of a “no-fly zone” to curb the loss of civilian lives in Libya.   This seemed good as the people were defenseless against a well trained army but after the first incursion in Libya I started having reservations.

It seems like I am not the only one.  It is claimed that the League of Arab States asked for the imposition of a no fly zone in Libya and defended it by saying that they support the UN resolution “especially as it indicated there would be no invasion but that it would protect civilians from what they are subject to in Benghazi”
After the air strikes that unnerved me the Secretary-General of the Arab league Mr Amr Moussa protested that “What is happening in Libya differs from the aim of imposing a no-fly zone, and what we want is the protection of civilians and not the bombardment of more civilians.”
The president of our Country Jacob Gedleyihlekisa  Zuma in his Human Rights day speech said “ As South Africa we say no to the killings of civilians, no to the regime change doctrine and not to the foreign occupation of Libya or any other sovereign state” .  The “regime change doctrine” is further enunciated in a statement by the ANC youth league that questions the motives of the “invading” forces in Libya.   The Youth league argues that those who are part of this exercise have a history of “bloodletting and criminality” and they are more interested in installing in Libya a government that will be amenable to these countries and thus enabling them to loot Libyan oil.  The League further condemns the fact that France has chosen to give official recognition to the “unelected” Libyan Interim Transitional National Council.  Remember that it is claimed France led the air-strike on Libya.
I support the right of people to self determination and to fight for a democratic dispensation in their own country.  I doubt the motives of those who are eager to attack Libya.  I wish there was the same eagerness to intervene in apartheid South Africa and not hide behind the “domestic affairs” doctrine.  I disagree with the ANC Youth league on many things and yet I reserve the right to agree with them when they make sense. This time they are.  Happy Human Rights week Mzantsi!!. (March 2011)

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