We, the undersigned, are ordinary citizens of Africa who are immensely pained and angered that fellow Africans are and have been subjected to the fury of war by foreign powers which have clearly repudiated the noble and very relevant vision enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations.
We, the undersigned, are ordinary citizens of Africa who are immensely pained and angered that fellow Africans are and have been subjected to the fury of war by foreign powers which have clearly repudiated the noble and very relevant vision enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations.
Our action to issue this letter is inspired by our desire, not to take sides, but to protect the sovereignty of Libya and the right of the Libyan people to choose their leaders and determine their own destiny.
Libya is an African country.
On March 10, the African Union Peace and Security Council adopted an important Resolution (3) which spelt out the roadmap to address the Libyan conflict, consistent with the obligations of the AU under Chapter VIII of the UN Charter.
When the UN Security Council adopted its Resolution 1973, it was aware of the AU decision which had been announced seven days earlier.
By deciding to ignore this fact, the Security Council further and consciously contributed to the subversion of international law as well as undermining the legitimacy of the UN in the eyes of the African people.
In other ways since then, it has helped to promote and entrench the immensely pernicious process of the international marginalisation of Africa even with regard to the resolution of the problems of the Continent.
Contrary to the provisions of the UN Charter, the UN Security Council declared its own war on Libya on March 17, 2011.
The Security Council allowed itself to be informed by what the International Crisis Group (ICG) in its June 6, 2011 Report on Libya characterises as the "more sensational reports that the regime was using its air force to slaughter demonstrators".
On this basis it adopted Resolution 1973 which mandated the imposition of a "no-fly zone" over Libya, and resolved "to take all necessary measures...to protect civilians and civilian populated areas under threat of attack in the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya..."
Thus, first of all, the Security Council used the still unresolved issue in international law of "the right to protect", the so-called R2P, to justify the Chapter VII military intervention in Libya.
In this context the UN Security Council has committed a litany of offences which have underlined , the further transformation of the Council into a willing instrument of the most powerful among its Member States.
Thus the Security Council produced no evidence to prove that its authorisation of the use of force under Chapter VII of the UN Charter was a proportionate and appropriate response to what had, in reality, in Libya, developed into a civil war.
It then proceeded to 'outsource' or 'sub-contract' the implementation of its resolutions to NATO, mandating this military alliance to act as a 'coalition of the willing'.
It did not put in place any mechanism and process to supervise the 'sub-contractor', to ensure that it faithfully honours the provisions of its Resolutions.
It has made no effort otherwise to monitor and analyse the actions of NATO in this regard.
It has allowed the establishment of a legally unauthorised 'Contact Group', yet another 'coalition of the willing', which has displaced it as the authority which has the effective responsibility to help determine the future of Libya.
To confirm this unacceptable reality, the July 15, 2011 meeting of the 'Contact Group' in Istanbul "reaffirmed that the Contact Group remains the appropriate platform for the international community to be a focal point of contact with the Libyan people, to coordinate international policy and to be a forum for discussion of humanitarian and post-conflict support."
Duly permitted by the Security Council, the two 'coalitions of the willing', NATO and the 'Contact Group', have effectively and practically rewritten Resolution 1973.
Thus they have empowered themselves openly to pursue the objective of 'regime change' and therefore the use of force and all other means to overthrow the government of Libya, which objectives are completely at variance with the decisions of the UN Security Council.
Because of this, with no regard to UNSC Resolutions 1970 and 1973, they have made bold to declare the government of Libya illegitimate and to proclaim the Benghazi-based 'Transitional National Council' as "the legitimate governing authority in Libya."
The Security Council has failed to answer the question how the decisions taken by NATO and the 'Contact Group' address the vital issue of "facilitating dialogue to lead to the political reforms necessary to find a peaceful and sustainable solution..."
The actions of its 'sub-contractors', NATO and the 'Contact Group', have positioned the UN as a partisan belligerent in the Libyan conflict, rather than a committed but neutral peacemaker standing equidistant from the Libyan armed factions.
The Security Council has further wilfully decided to repudiate the rule of international law by consciously ignoring the provisions of Chapter VIII of the UN Charter relating to the role of legitimate regional institutions.
The George W. Bush war against Iraq began on March 20, 2003.
The following day, March 21, the UK newspaper, The Guardian, published an abbreviated article by the prominent US neo-conservative, Richard Perle, entitled "Thank God for the death of the UN".
But the post-Second World War global architecture for the maintenance of international peace and security centred on respect for the UN Charter.
The UN Security Council must therefore know that at least with regard to Libya, it has acted in a manner which will result in and has led to the loss of its moral authority effectively to preside over the critical processes of achieving global peace and the realisation of the objective of peaceful coexistence among the diverse peoples of the world.
Contrary to the provisions of the UN Charter, the UN Security Council authorised and has permitted the destruction and anarchy which has descended on the Libyan people.
At the end of it all:
- many Libyans will have died and have been maimed
- much infrastructure will have been destroyed, further impoverishing the Libyan people
- the bitterness and mutual animosity among the Libyan people will have been further entrenched
- the possibility to arrive at a negotiated, inclusive and stable settlement will have become that much more difficult
- instability will have been reinforced among the countries neighbouring Libya, especially the countries of the African Sahel, such as Sudan, Chad, Niger, Mali and Mauretania
- Africa will inherit a much more difficult challenge successfully to address issue of peace and stability, and therefore the task of sustained development
- those who have intervened to perpetuate violence and war in Libya will have the possibility to set the parameters within which the Libyans will have the possibility to determine their destiny, and thus further constrain the space for the Africans to exercise their right to self-determination.
As Africans we have predicated our future as relevant players in an equitable system of international relations on the expectation that the United Nations would indeed serve "as the foundation of a new world order."
The ICG Report to which we have referred says:
"The prospect for Libya, but also North Africa as a whole, is increasingly ominous, unless some way can be found to induce the two sides in the armed conflict to negotiate a compromise allowing for an orderly transition to a post-Qaddafi, post-Jamahiriya state that has legitimacy in the eyes of the Libyan people. A political breakthrough is by far the best way out of the costly situation created by the military impasse...
When Richard Perle wrote in 2003 about the "abject failure of the United Nations", he was bemoaning the refusal of the UN to submit to dictation by the world's sole superpower, the US.
The UN took this position because it was conscious of, and was inspired by its obligation to act as a true representative of all peoples of the world, consistent with the opening words of the UN Charter - "We the peoples on the United Nations..."
However, and tragically, eight years later, in 2011, the UN Security Council abandoned its commitment to this perspective.
Chastened by the humiliating experience of 2003, when the US demonstrated that might is right, it decided that it was more expedient to submit to the demands of the powerful rather than honour its obligation to respect the imperative to uphold the will of the peoples, including the African nations.
Thus it has communicated the message that it has become no more than an instrument in the hands and service of the most powerful within the system of international relations and therefore the vital process of the peaceful ordering of human affairs.
As Africans we have no choice but to stand up and reassert our right and duty to determine our destiny in Libya and everywhere else on our Continent.
We demand that all governments, everywhere in the world, including Africa, which expect genuine respect by the governed, such as us, should act immediately to assert "that law by which all nations may live in dignity."
We demand that:
- the NATO war of aggression in Libya should end immediately
- the AU should be supported to implement its Plan to help the Libyan people to achieve peace, democracy, shared prosperity and national reconciliation in a united Libya
- the UN Security Council must act immediately to discharge its responsibilities as defined in the UN Charter.
Those who have brought a deadly rain of bombs to Libya today should not delude themselves to believe that the apparent silence of the millions of Africans means that Africa approves of the campaign of death, destruction and domination which that rain represents.
We are confident that tomorrow we will emerge victorious, regardless of the death-seeking power of the most powerful armies in the world.
The answer we must provide practically, and as Africans, is - when, and in what ways, will we act resolutely and meaningfully to defend the right of the Africans of Libya to decide their future, and therefore the right and duty of all Africans to determine their destiny!
The AU Road Map remains the only way to peace for the people of Libya.
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Yes, good write up. Untill African hooligan political leaders stop screwing their own people up by their constant corruption jamboree and tyrany,their stay in office for life mentality,the West,UN and the likes will continue their presence in the Continent of Africa.Egypt,Libya,Algeria,Zimbabwe,Sudan,Uganda and Somalia to mention a few are good examples why Westerners and the socalled UN still have strong influence or strong hold on Africa.
Should these political unenlightened leaders in Africa stop behaving and acting like wild animals / tyrants and know when they're no longer welcome by their people and accept to have transparent elections then to keep finding corrupt and crook ways of rigging elections to stay in power,there would not be Western or UN involvement on how we run our political lifes,if any,it will be on equal partnerships
Can one imagine, where one political leader dominates a Country's political life for 20,30,to 40 years and more ,with the same end results?.It is on rare situation, can that be manifested in the West if any, unless those that are traditionally Monarchical e.g Britain although maintains Parliamentary system, elect their P.M by the lower and upper houses of commons.
It will be wise for some of our African political rulers be mature,civilized,courageous and be visionaries to know that you can not impose yourselves on peoples when they do not want and need you and moveon.By so doing,you're leaving a legacy that may be admired by your people and the World ,former President of South Africa,Nelson Mandela is good example for other Africa leaders to emulate.African will continue to be piece of crape for the West and UN unless these bafoon political leaders stop their corrupt and tyranical behaviors/ their no body else can lead their people than them few mentality even when some of these political leaders are getting to their God calling home dimising ages like President R. Mugabe,El-Bahir,Banda of Zambia,Libya and Ugandian President Musvene who still are thinking that their Countries are for them and their families to keep for ever and ever.Cameroun is another Country that is crying for total political overhaul.President Paul Biya needs open for elections, the people of Cameroun deserve to inject new political leadership in their blood since after the death of Ahijo in the 1980s.It is time we as Africans start demanding accountability from these political leaders and should have nobody to blame but us if we do not.
For any of the colonized Africans complaining about corruption among Africans... GET A FREAKIN GRIP! All parliamentary governments do it. Even some of Libya's direct democratic representatives did it. People will do things they are not supposed to do. PERIOD. That's human nature so stop your slave-think/talk and get moving! Stand up for yourselves!
Libya is in Africa. When you stand for Libya, you stand for Africa.
Don't mind your governments. If they want to be sheep, leave them to be sheep. Except for Qadhafi, Mugabe, Mandela and a few others, African governments did not become governments by having BALLS, they got to be governments by having NO BALLS. So if they want to continue with no balls LET THEM. You are Africans. You are the people. The power is in the people. Take it. Use it.
It is high time that Africans did more than sit and type and WHINE about what NATO is doing in Libya. If you are serious, then put some money and people where your mouth is. Fly many people to Tripoli. Hold press conferences THERE IN TRIPOLI demanding a stop to the bombing. Otherwise, shut up and just allow the West to continue DOMINATING YOU. Start acting and stop WHINING!!! Can't you see that your WHINING - without sending people TO LIBYA has gotten you NOWHERE??? ACT OR SHUT UP!
THIS IS MOST BRILIANT PIECE OF JOURNALISM AND I SUBMIT THAT ALL THE PEOPLE OF THE WORLD WHO RESPECT TRUTH, RIGHTS , JUSTICE , EQUALITY AND THE POWER OF THE RIGHT FOR ALL NATIONS AND PEOPLES OF NATIONS TO DETERMIN THEIR OWN DESTINYMUST READ THIS ARTICLE. THE ART OF WAR IS ANTIQUE AND BARBARIC ESPECIALLY IN THESE TIMES WHEN MORE PEOPLE ARE LITERATE AND TECHNOLOGY HAS MADE COMMUNICATION SO MUCH EASIER FOR PEOPLE TO HEAR LEARN AND SEE. WHAT WE ARE SEEING IS GROSS INDIFERNCE TO HUMANITY. IF WE ARE TO BELIEVE NATO ;ALL OF LIBYA IS AN ARMED AND MILITARY TARGET. THAT WE KNOW TO BE A FALACY WHEN THE START OF THE LIBYA CAMPAIGN LOOKED DIFFICULT THE THEN SECRETARY OF STATE GATES WAS QUICK TO REMARK; " LIBYA IS A SPARSELY POULATED COUNTRY THERE SHOULDNOT HAVE BEEN SO MCUH DIFFICULTY CONSIDERING LIBYA DOES NOT HAVEA SIGNIFICANT ARMED FORCES". SO WE KNOW THAT THEY ARE DELIBREATELY TARGETING PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT SUPPORTERS OF THE REBELS . THERE ARE MANY TOWNS AND THE FEW VITITES THAT ARE BEING BOMBED ARE IN FACT GOVERNMENT HELD TOWNS WHICH MEANS THAT THE PEOPLE ARE DEFINTELY NOT SUPPORTING THE REBEL CAUSE. AS THE AUTHOR SO RIGHTLY PUT ITY THIS WILL ONLY STIMULATE THE DIVISIONS OF AFRACTURED COUNTRY. TRIBALSIM IN LIBYA WAS HELD TOGETHER BY GADDAFI HE WAS THE GLUE THAT KEPT THE PEACE. NATO HAS EXPLOITED THIS KNOWING THAT THERE WAS NO REAL DICTATORSHIP IN LIBYA AS WAS KNOWN THRUOUT THE OTHER RECOGNISED FREINDS OF THE US IN THE ARAB WORLD. NATO HAS AN AGENDA TRHAT DICTATES THEIR POLICY IN PRECOLONIAL AFRICA AND THE TIMES OF THE ENSLAVEMENT OF AFRICANS AND THE INQUISITION THAT DESTROYED AFRICAN HISTORY AND STARTED THE MISINFORMATION AND THE NEGATIVE PROPOGANDA THAT IS SPOUTED FROM THE WEST REGARDING AFRICA AND AFRICANS. THE WEST HAS BEEN THE PROUD AMBASADOR TO THE DICTATORS IN AFRICA AS THEY DELIBERATELY RERAILED THE PAN AFRICANIST MOVEMENT OF THE FREED AFRICAN COUNTRIES IN THE 60S. THEY THE WEST THE SAME NATO FORCES WE SE TODAY STILL PLYING THEIR NASTY AND DIRTY WARS INA AFRICA . THEY IN THE 60S MURDERED THE MOST PROMINENT OF AFRICVAN LEADERS TOOK TJE CONTINENT AND INVESTED IN SH CHAOS , CONFLICTS , ETHNIC DERISION AND DIVSION, THEY WERE INSTRUMENTAL IN UNDERMINING ALL AFGRICA BY STAGNATING ITS GROWHT BY INTRODUCING THE IMF WHCIH WAS THE AFRICAN CORRUPTOR. THESE BANK LOANS WERE THE PERSONAL LOANS TO INSURE THAT THE DICTATORS STAYED IN POWER AND REMAINED LOYAL TO THE WEST. THESE DICTAORS MURDERED EXTORTED AND EXPLOTED THEIR COUNTRIES ALONG SIDE THEIR WESTERN MATSERS WHO WERE INDEED THE LARGER PROFITEERS AND PIRATES WHO SO CORRUPTED THESE FOOLS WHO WERE INDEED THE LEAST INTELIGENYT OF THE LEADRRS AS THEY ALL RULED WITH BULLYISM AND NO INTELECT RAW BRAWN AND NO BRAIN. THEY DIVIDED AFRICA AND THEY CONTINUE TODAY TO THINMK THEY CAN CONTINUE THAT SAME REGIME. GADDAFI HAS BEEN THEIR OPPONENT FOR YEARS HE SWAS THEIR PLOTS AND CONSPIRACIES AND ENLIGHTENED THE LEADERS OF NEWLY ELLECTED COUNTRIES AND REINFORCED HIS ADVOCACY TO CORRUPTION. THE NATO FORCES KNOW EXACTLT WHAT TRHEY ARE DOING THEY WANT TO WEAKEN THE LBYAN PEOPLE AND THEIR SPIRIT. NATO KNOWS THAT THE PEOPLE OF LIBYA WOULD NEVER RISE UP GAINST A SYSTEM THAT HAS BEEN THEIR REDEEMER FOR YEARS. THE WESTT DOIES NOT HAVEA SYSTEM THAT THEY CAN INTRODUCE TO THE WORLD THATS FLAWLESS IN FACT WHAT EVER THEY HAVE IS CONVOLUTED IT WOULD NOT WORK ANY WHEWRE ELSE THAN WHERE TIT IS. WHAT THEY EXPORT AS A SYSTEM OF CHANGE AND BETTERMENT ONLY ADDS TO DEATH DESTRUCTION AND CHAOS THAT LAST FOR YEAS . THERE USED TO BEA TV SHOW BACK IN THE 60S CALLED "GET SMART" THIS SHOW WAS ABOUT A SECRET SERVICE AGENT NAMED MAXWEL SMART HIS ADVERSARY WAS CHAOS" THIS HAS STUCK IN MY MIND FOR YEARS . THIS WHO THE NATO AND THE WEST IS THEY ARE CHAOS. ITS THEIR JOB TO BRING DISUNITY ,DIVISIONS, CONFLICTS,TURMOIL, CONFUSION, REPRESSION, AGGRESSION,DOWNPRESSION,INHUMANITY THEY ARE THE EARTHS CRIMINALS. THEY ARE NATURAL LAW BREAKERS THEY HAVE NO MORAL AUTHORITY THEY LEGALISE WHATEVER IS WRONG INLIFE THEY ARE WARMONGERS HATERS,CORRUPTORS, BRIBERS OP[PORTUNIST, PIRATES , PROFITEERS,DEMONOLOGIST,, THEY ARE THE INHERRITORS , THEY ARE THE PEOPLE OF THE FLAME ; SIN AND INIQUITY IS THEIR FORTE' THEY HAVE NO OTHER PURPOSE ON THE PLANET. EVRYONE IN LIFE HAS DESTINY AND HAS THE INHERENT CAPABILITY TO KNOW RIGHT FROM WRONG WHEN E SEE A APEOPLE WHO KNOWS NOT WHAT IS RIGHT FROM WRONG ANDTRIES TO ENCOURAGE THE WORLD TO ADAPT THE WRONG THINGS THE THINGS THAT ARE NOT IN THE MORAL VALUES OF THE HUMAN CONCIOUSNESS. THEY HAVE DEVISED ALL THE THINGS THAT ARE COUNTER PRODUCTIVE TO THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE HUMAN INTELLECT. THEY AHVE CONSPIRED TO DECEIVE THE WORLD INTO ACCEPTING ALL THAT IS IMMORAL , ALL THAT IS DEATH TO THE SOUL AND THE MIND OF THE ENLIGHTENED PEOPLE. THEY ARE DECPTIONERS AND LIARS THEY PRACTICE HYPOCRISY AS THOUGH IT WAS THE TEACHINGS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. THEY HAVE DISCOVERD WAYS TO DENY THE TRUTH WHEN ITS STARING RIGHT AT YOU. THEY HAVE DECIDED THAT THERE IS NO REDEMPTION FOR THEIR SOULS AS STATED THEY ARE THE INHERITORS OF THE FIRE THIS THEY KNOW AND HAVE ACCEPTED , WHAT THEY WANT NOW IS AS MANY SOULS AS POSSIBLE TO ACCOMPANY THEM IN THEIR DISTRESS. THESE WORDS MAY SEEM FAR FETCHED TO THOS WHO HAVE BECOME HYPNOTISED AND IN AWE OF THEIR IMAGINED GREAT PWERES OF DEATH AND DESTRUCTION BUT THE REALITY THE TOOLS THEY POSSESS ARE WHAT IT IS THEY REPRESENT IN THE REALITY THEY ARE MERCHANTS OF DEATH .CHAOS IS THEIR NAME CONFUSION IS FOLOWE BY THEIR SIDE SO WHEN YOU ACCEPT WHAT YOU IMAGINE TO BE GLORIPOUS IS NOTHING BUT AN ILLUSION, AS THEY SAY IT IS AVIRTUAL REALITY IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH TRTUH AND REALITY FOR THE CONSEQUENCES OF ADAPTING THEIR IDEOLOGIES INTHES TIMES ESPECIALLY WHEN IT HAS BEEN REVEALED TO YOU. AFRICA HAS BEEN THE BENEFICARY OF THE WORK OF THE "CREAOR" HE MADE THE WORLD STAND STILL WHEN THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY SPOKE WITH ONE VOICE WHEN THEY HUMBLED THEMSELVES BEFORE HIM AND ASKED HIM FOR HIS BLESSINGS AND MERSY AND HE ANSWERED THEIR DISTRESS. WHAT THEY DO WITH WHAT THEY RECIEVD IS TOTALY UP TO THEM IF THEY CONTINUE TO OBEY AND SERVE HIMWITH THE RIGHTS OF ALL THE PEOPLE FOR IT IS ONLY HE THAT JUDGES. MAN DOES NOT HAVE THE CAPABILITY TO BE IMPARTIAL AND DSITANT FROM INNNER CONFLICT AND SUBVVERSION. THESE THINGS CAN ONLY BE ACHIEVED THRU VIGILANTS AND RIGHTEOUSNESS THESE ARE ALL THAT IS PRESCRIBED DICIPLINE AND MORAL INTEFRITY IS IMPORTANT TO BE THE WISET OF LEADERS. AFRICA HAS BEEN GIVEN THIS TO DIRECT AND SHOW THE WORLD THAT THEY HAVE THE MEANS OF SAVING MAN IN THEIR FIGHT FOR EQUITY AND JUSTICE , TO BE FAIR IS TO BE THE MORAL "GIGANTUM AMONGST MAN
Africans need solutions to truly liberate ourselves from the powerful west. We need ACTION and that may require a group of enlightened individuals to spearhead a course of action. Africa has many able, educated and selfless people that could form an action group that may come up with strategies to truly take back our continent. Of course this is a tall order but if we need our independence then we need action. I am of the same opinoin that Africa is owned by the west but I have to admit that I have no clue how we can ever truly escape being at the mercy of the west. Let's face it, they prescribe and decide how we run our affairs. Of course our greedy brothers collude with them until their luck runs out. Those who dare openly resist the bulying are quickly and forcefully removed, that's why this group needs to be supersmart. YES I believe there are super smart Africans. We cant just sit and watch others determine our destiny.
I suggest that this group should be independent from the toothless African Union. ACTION AND STRATEGY IS WHAT WE NEED - THERE IS NO MOUNTAIN THAT IS TO HIGH TO CLIMB, IF THERE WAS, MAN WOULD NOT HAVE GONE TO SPACE.