Libya requests UN investigation into NATO abuse

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[JURIST] Libyan Prime Minister Al Baghdad Ali Al-Mahmoudi [BBC backgrounder] requested that the UN create a “high-level commission” to investigate alleged human rights abuses [Reuters report] by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) [official website]. Though NATO was mandated by the UN to use force in order to stop Muammar Gaddafi [BBC profile; JURIST news archive] from fomenting violence upon Libyan citizens, the campaign has allegedly gone beyond the scope of protecting civilians and recently led to the death of 85 civilians in one night [All Africa report] after NATO forces bombed a residential area supposedly housing a rebel command center. The current Libya conflict arose [JURIST report; CNN timeline] out of a February 2011 protest to remove Gaddafi’s government, which resulted in the death of over 200 peaceful protesters calling for reform.

There have been numerous allegations of war crimes and human rights violations over the Libyan revolt. In July, lawyers filed a civil suit against NATO [JURIST report] for killing 13 civilians in an airstrike bombing of a residential neighborhood in violation of the Geneva Convention [ICRC materials]. Earlier that month, the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) [official website], after an investigative panel, published a 92-page report on human righsts abuses in Libya, decided to extend its mandate [JURIST reports], instructing it to continue investigating allegations. The report claims Libyan authorities have committed varying crimes against humanity “as part of a widespread or systematic attack against a civilian population with knowledge of the attack.”

Read more detail on JURIST – Paper Chase

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One Response to Libya requests UN investigation into NATO abuse

  1. Dika says:

    Brendon asks a very specific qesituon about what the Gadafi military were doing to try to stop the massive demonstrations of the Libyan population? ‘could you please supply a verified account of one Libyan airforce bombing run, or one tank round fired by the massive Libyan army to try to stop the massive demonstrations of the Libyan population?’Brendon is asking about bombing runs and tank rounds being fired directly at the mass demonstrations and this is not what I understood to be the case. I do not believe that this is what happened. Obviously my poor writing is leading to some confusion so I will try to clarify my general point.Because ‘we all know that the Libyan government security forces opened fire on demonstrators, like in Egypt and Syria, and Yemen’ and because we know that the demands of those demonstrators are for free and fair elections etc., ‘we’, that is anyone on the left were and still are on the side of the demonstrators.Gadafi was killing people with small arms fire, thus forcing the remaining people to arm themselves. The side that I supported had to seize any armoury and all the military weapons that they could, and as you point out Gadafi’s forces bombed them, and fired tank shells at them doing that and so forth because there was now a civil war in progress, and what’s more the Gadafi forces were winning this civil war hands down. Gadafi WAS winning until NATO stepped in and backed the side demanding free and fair elections who were being shot down with small arms for their troubles. Robert Fisk can attest that there was no requirement for NATO to save the revolution in Egypt because the demands of that revolution are being met. Fisk is telling a story about how someone who is unknown gave orders that were not in writing to fire tank rounds into the crowds in the square, that didn’t happen because these orders were refused. If true (and it could be) then the Egyptian military leaders who ordered that won’t ever try to do it again will they!? Especially after what has just happened to Gadafi and what is about to happen to Assad! The Egyptian military do still play a very significant role in the Egyptian transition to bourgeois democracy. That is to be expected. But politics is now out in the open and elections are coming. Chav, a NATO strike that was not required would have harmed the revolution and would not have been possible anyway. This is Egypt you are talking about. The masses were on the streets of Cairo demanding change and they have got it. The military will not run the government after the elections and those elections are coming. Chav is right to point out that the Mubarak controlled security forces killed many hundreds during this latest mass uprising that saw him swept from power and now in custody and on trial for this. Also, I am quite sure there are yet people in the still apalling prisons in Egypt that ought to not be there, and so struggle for reforms will go on and indeed speed up; but the demonstrators have secured their basic demands so Egypt is now going through the process that will produce a new government under a new method of human association as previously unknown over the thousands of years of Egyptian history! A bourgeois democracy is emerging. Naturally all leftists (Who by definition stand with the oppressed against the oppressor) and all working people subject to owning class exploitation, must cast aside illusions , and prepare for further struggle. But at least they can now openly form their own political parties and build their own united actions with their own priorities resulting from the specific problems that arise for them. Just like in Iraq! Roll on the rest!

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