Governments, Including Canada’s, Must Take More Action To Back People Fighting and Dying For Liberty Libya – Join A Rally In Toronto This Saturday, February 26 To Demand Action

By Susan Howard-Azzeh

A delegation to Ottawa last Tuesday,  February 15,  including St. Catharines Libyan Canadians, asked the Canadian government to condemn the current crack down by Moammar Gadhafi on peaceful protesters.

Three young people, including youth from Niagara of Libyan descent, rally in Toronto earlier this February. Photo courtesy of Susan Howard-Azzeh.

The delegation also asked the Canadian government to work with the United Nations  Security Council to establish a no-fly zone to prevent Gadhafi from using the air-force against Libyan people;  to press the International Criminal Court (ICC) in the Hague to hold Gadhafi, his family and his regime responsible for crimes of genocide; called on our government and other governments to freeze the assets of Gadhafi, his family and his senior officials; and called on the Canadian Red Cross to work with their counterparts in both Egypt and Tunisia to provide safe haven areas and medical treatment on the outskirts of Libya.

As witnesses stream across the Libya border, reports are that Moammar Gadhafi, his men, hired foreign mercenaries, planes, tanks and snipers have massacred more than 1,000 civilians and wounded more than 10,000. Without the eyes of the world upon him and international condemnation, Libya’s Deputy UN Ambassador Ibrahim Dabbashi said, “He will kill as many as he can.“

Right now the United Nations is in emergency meetings and could impose a no-fly zone, freeze the regime’s assets, and threaten trials in international courts.

Gadhafi came to power in Libya in 1969 at the age of 27 in a military coup which overthrew the monarchy. He is the longest-serving dictator in Africa and the Middle East. He calls himself a revolutionary leader but has ruled Libya with an iron fist with no parliament or constitution and either murdering or jailing all opposition. No foreign press are allowed in Libya and a few days ago Gadhafi shut down the Internet and mobile phone networks in an attempt to hide his fast and furious violence against pro-democracy demonstrators.

Like the other dictators Ben Ali of Tunisia and Mubarak of Egypt, Gadhafi has not used his time in power to develop democratic institutions, free and fair elections, a participatory democracy or a sharing of the country’s wealth. Compare this to Canada where even elementary school children elect class presidents; high schools, colleges and universities elect student representatives and have active school councils; where we have free and fair municipal, regional, provincial and federal elections; and we have numerous non-governmental charitable and social justice organizations. In Canada there are many, many opportunities for people to both learn and to be consultative and effective leaders, to bring people together, to contribute positively to our communities, economy and country, and to govern productively and democratically.

Too afraid to protest until after witnessing the example of Tunisia and Egypt, Libyans have taken to the streets demanding regime change, freedom, free elections, basic health care, education, and living wages. After benefiting from Gadhafi’s tyranny, many of his military leaders and diplomats have now defected.

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper said: “We find the actions of the government, firing upon its own citizens to be outrageous and unacceptable, and we call on the government to cease this kind of violence immediately. We encourage the government of Libya to engage in peaceful dialogue with its people, towards political and economic reform.”

Lawrence Cannon, Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, said, “Canada strongly condemns the violent crackdowns on innocent protesters that have resulted in many injured and killed. We call on the Libyan security forces to respect the human rights of demonstrators and uphold their commitment to freedom of speech and the right to assembly. The Libyan authorities must show restraint and stop the use of lethal force against protesters.”

U.S Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said: “Now is the time to stop this unacceptable bloodshed. We’re working urgently with friends and partners around the world to convey this message to the Libyan government.” Clinton also said, “The United States would take appropriate steps in time.”

British Prime Minister David Cameron called the slaughter “appalling and unacceptable.”

The UN Security Council condemned the use of violence and called for those responsible for attacks on civilians to be held accountable.

All of this is appropriate condemnation, but the situation requires more than rhetoric. It requires action. Such as the no-fly zone, refugee and medical centers on the Libyan border, evacuations, and international tribunal etc. that the delegation to Ottawa called for.

Frequent travel, the internet and a global economy have made the world a global village. We are all interconnected and interdependent. Let us take concrete actions to support all those struggling to create better lives for their communities, nations and the global village.

There is a solidarity rally for Libya, Yemen, Bahrain… this Saturday, February  26 in Toronto’s Dundas Square at Young and Dundas. I hope to see you there. The rally starts at noon and a march to the US Consulate starts at 2 pm.

Susan Howard-Azzeh is a Niagara resident and long-time peace activist.

(Join the call for action to help Libyan people get out from under the thumb of one of the more murderous dictators in the world.  Join or support the Toronto rally in your own way, by calling your federal MPs and demanding action.)

(You can also leave your views in the comment boxes below at Niagara At Large at www.niagaraatlarge.com – Niagara’s independent site  for posting news and commentary on matters of interest and concern to residents in our greater Niagara region and beyond.)