UN imposes sanctions against Libya

Dark Angel · Guru

How does the government prevent the people from demonstration and protest ?

Dark Angel · Guru

Why do the American government and president Obama shut their mouths when the monarchy ( the living God )who is the ally with the American government has been committing the crime against the humanity ?

-- Edited by Dark Angel on Saturday 26th of February 2011 10:20:14 AM

Dark Angel · Guru

The crime against the humanity has been committing by the monarchy( the living God) and the government who are the friends with the American government and no word from the president Obama. See no evil and hear no evil by the American government and the president Obama unlike Egypt , Iran and Libya.

-- Edited by Dark Angel on Saturday 26th of February 2011 10:52:26 AM

Dark Angel · Guru

The world see no evil and hear no evil when the monarchy ( the living God ) committed the crime against the humanity.

taxi · Senior Member

UN imposes sanctions against Libya

The UN Security Council has voted unanimously to impose sanctions on Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi, his five adult children and top associates.

Voting after a day of discussions — interrupted at times for consultations with home capitals — council members agreed on Saturday to impose an arms embargo, freeze the assets of Gadhafi, his four sons and one daughter, and to ban travel by the whole family plus 10 close associates.

The day was consumed mainly with haggling behind closed doors over language to refer Libya's violent crackdown on protesters to the International Criminal Court for investigation of possible crimes against humanity.

All 15 nations on the council ultimately approved referring the case to the permanent war crimes tribunal.

Obama says Gadhafi should step down

The vote came hours after U.S. President Barack Obama said Gadhafi must leave now.

Obama made the comments to German Chancellor Angela Merkel in a private telephone conversation Saturday as they discussed the violence in Libya. The White House says Obama told Merkel that when a leader's only means of holding power is to use violence against his people, then he has lost the legitimacy to rule and needs to do what's right for his country by "leaving now."

The comments mark the first time that Obama has called on Gadhafi to step down.

The Libyan leader has launched a violent crackdown against protesters demanding his ouster and has vowed a bloody fight to the end.

Gadhafi arms civilians in Tripoli

Gadhafi's regime passed out guns to civilian supporters Saturday, set up checkpoints and sent armed patrols roving in the capital Tripoli to put down a revolt by residents inspired by the success of rebels elsewhere who hold about half of the North African nation.

Foreign journalists allowed into the city for the first time since protests engulfed Libya saw the scars of rebellion: a burned police station with piles of ashes outside, walls covered with anti-Gadhafi graffiti and shattered glass and rocks in the streets.

Outside the capital, rebels hold a long swath of about half of Libya's 1,600-kilometre Mediterranean coastline where most of the population live and even captured a brigadier general and a soldier Friday as the Libyan army tried to retake an airbase east of Tripoli. Several cities in the Gadhafi-held pocket of northwestern Libya around Tripoli also have fallen to the rebellion.

The CBC's Carolyn Dunn reported from the eastern city of Benghazi that the rebels there were firmly in control.

A coalition of volunteers including students and professionals are filling the political void by doing many of the jobs the government used to do, such as directing traffic and providing security, she reported.

Many shops in the city remain closed because shopkeepers are still fearful things could flare up again.

Banks opened for the first time in days, but many shops remain closed because shopkeepers are still fearful things could flare up again.

Protesters are camping at the local courthouse and say they'll stay until Tripoli falls.

With files from CBC News and The Canadian Press

taxi · Senior Member

Yemen hit by largest protests yet

Yemen's embattled president suffered back-to-back blows Saturday: hundreds of thousands called for his ouster in the largest anti-government rallies yet and two powerful chiefs from his own tribe abandoned him.

The huge turnout reported in towns and cities across Yemen and the defection of the tribal chiefs were the latest signs that President Ali Abdullah Saleh may be losing his grip on the impoverished, conflict-ridden country.

Saleh appeared to be hardening his stance, after initially offering protesters to engage in dialogue and promising that the security forces would not use force against them. Yemeni TV on Saturday quoted him as telling army commanders that the armed forces will not hesitate to "defend the security of the nation as well as the unity, freedom and democracy."

On Friday, troops opened fire on demonstrators in the port city of Aden, killing at least four and wounding 43, according to security and medical officials. The London-based Amnesty International said it has received reports that at least 11 protesters were killed in Yemen on Friday, and that security forces prevented residents from taking some of the wounded to hospitals.

"Events in Yemen are taking a serious turn for the worse and the Yemeni security forces are showing reckless disregard for human life," said Philip Luther, Amnesty International's Deputy Director for the Middle East and North Africa.

Yemen has seen daily protests

In recent weeks, Yemen has seen daily protests, inspired by successful uprisings in Egypt and Tunisia. Saleh, a key ally in the U.S. campaign against the al-Qaeda terror network, has promised to step down after national elections in 2013, but the demonstrators want him out now and have rejected his offer of dialogue.

Large crowds were reported Saturday in Yemen's largest cities, including about 80,000 in the capital of Sanaa, about 150,000 in the city of Taiz and 30,000 in Aden, according to security officials.

Large rallies were also held in six other areas, including in Emran, a tribal stronghold north of Sanaa.

Tens of thousands of members from both the Hashid tribe and Baqil, the second largest tribal federation in Yemen, marched in Emran to denounce the president and demand his ouster.

In a speech to the protesters, Sheikh Hussein bin Abdullah al-Ahmar, a key Hashid leader and a longtime ally to Saleh, said he is resigning from the leadership of the ruling party.

"I call on every honourable Yemeni to work to topple the regime" said al-Ahmar to the applause of the protesters, many carrying weapons. "The regime should go and be replaced by state institutions."

In a separate statement Saturday, Mohammad Abdel Illah al-Qadi, a key leader of the Sanhan, a Hashid affiliate and a longtime bulwark of Saleh's regime, said he was resigning from the ruling party.

One of Saleh's political survival strategies in 32 years in power had been to capitalize on tribal rivalries and loyalties. However, the chiefs who joined opposition forces Saturday were from his own tribe, the Hashid. The defections threaten to further erode Saleh's power base at a time when the country is also facing a separatist movement in the south and trying to combat growing al-Qaeda activity.

Youth leaders, who have played a major role in the protests, on Saturday rejected Saleh's offer of dialogue.

"We will not make ourselves busy with a ridiculous dialogue because we know that this aims to show the regime is good," said Abdul-Rahman al-Julbain, an activist in Sanaa. "The regime is lying and the biggest proof is that we did not get any invitation for talks."

eye_sky · Guru

Oppression in its many form will inspire protests. If the government respects rights of people, this will probably not happen.

http://eye-in-the-blue-sky.blogspot.com/2011/02/putrajaya-landmark-on-hill.html

taxi · Senior Member

Canadian frigate headed to Libyan waters

Canada is sending frigate HMCS Charlottetown to the waters off Libya amid an international buildup of military forces in response to the violent internal crackdown by Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi's regime.

The Halifax-based warship will depart its home port on Wednesday to assist in the evacuation of foreigners from Libya, Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced during Tuesday's question period in the House of Commons.

Speaking to reporters outside the House after Harper's announcement, Defence Minister Peter MacKay said it will take six days for the vessel and its 240 Canadian Forces personnel to reach the region.

MacKay said the ship could have a role in enforcing any future sanctions — including a blockade — if such measures are approved by either the United Nations or NATO.

The CBC's James Cudmore reported the frigate could also be used as a launching platform for special forces missions. But the defence minister said he would not comment on special forces operations.

Canadian flight refused permission to land in Tripoli

The deployment comes after a Canadian military transport plane was forced to abandon its mission to pick up Canadians in Libya on Tuesday after being refused permission to land at the country's main airport.

The C-130J Hercules transport was on its way to Tripoli International Airport from Malta but was reportedly turned back due to congestion on the tarmac, a military spokesman said.

"The reason for the denial is apparently due to a shortage of ramp space," said Maj. Andre Salloum, spokesman for Canadian Forces Expeditionary Command.

Canada now has two C-17 military cargo planes and two Hercules aircraft sitting on the tarmac in Malta and has sent a military reconnaissance team of 13 soldiers to the Mediterranean island country located just 300 kilometres north of the Libyan coastline.

Since Libyans began their revolt against Gadhafi's 41-year-old rule two weeks ago, his regime has launched the harshest suppression of protests in the Arab world, where authoritarian rulers are facing an unprecedented wave of uprisings.

After recent criticism of Canada's sluggish response to revolts in other North African countries, Canada has adopted a UN resolution and has already instituted some sanctions, including a freeze on Gadhafi's assets and a travel ban on him, his family and members of his regime.

Billions in Libyan assets frozen

Billions of Gadhafi's assets have already been frozen by Canada, the United States and European nations in response to the regime's crackdown, which has been blamed for the deaths of as many as 1,000 people, according to UN estimates.

Senior government sources told CBC News on Tuesday that Ottawa has frozen $2.3 billion in Libyan assets in Canadian financial institutions so far.

On Tuesday, Harper spoke with Lawrence Gonzi, the prime minister of Malta, thanking him for hosting Canadian aircraft and personnel as part of the evacuation efforts.

Dimitri Soudas, the prime minister's spokesman, said the leaders also discussed the need for co-ordinated international relief efforts.

Liberal foreign affairs critic Bob Rae said Canada is doing the right thing by stationing equipment and personnel after delays in reacting to the crises in other North African countries such as Egypt.

"It's not just a matter of what's happened, but a matter of also being able to understand that there are many, many other places in the Middle East and indeed around the world where change can happen very, very quickly," Rae said. "So I think we have to improve the kind of responses we've been able to make."

Rae said Canada should be quick to join an international humanitarian effort in the region.