Sudan & AU break silence on Libya as death toll rises

February 23, 2011 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese government issued a statement reacting to events in Libya and called on the latter to exercise “self-restraint” and cease “use of force” in the face of burgeoning demonstrations against the four-decade rule of Muammar Gaddafi.

Libya continues to sink deeper into chaos as its defiant ruler Muammar Gaddafi battles to retain control of the capital Tripoli amid an international outcry over the rising death toll and mass exodus by foreigners.

Hundreds were killed since the demonstrations broke out on 17 February and spread from the eastern city of Benghazi, which is now totally controlled by the opposition, to the capital Tripoli.

Italian foreign ministry on Wednesday said the clashes killed 1,000 people.

Sudan’s foreign ministry on Wednesday said it was gravely concerned by reports of mounting violence against civilians, advising Libya to refrain from use of forces against demonstrators, as reported by the country’s official news agency (SUNA).

“The ties of brotherhood, neighborhood, history and shared fate obliges Sudan to advise the Libyan leadership on the necessity of ceasing the use of all forms of violence against the Libyan people and resolve disputes in peaceful ways in order to spare the Libyan people more bloodshed,” the ministry said in its statement.

Ironically, Sudan used heavy force to break up small anti-government protests which erupted on 30 January in response to a campaign organized via the internet by youth groups inspired by the popular revolts convulsing the Middle East.

Libya borders Sudan and its western region of Darfur in which conflict between the Sudanese government and ethnic rebels killed 300,000 people and displaced more than 2.7 million since it erupted in 2003, according to UN figures.

The ministry warned that failure to de-escalate the situation would reflect negatively on regional stability.

Libya is currently hosting Khalil Ibrahim, the leader of Darfur rebel group Justice and Equality Movement (JEM). Gaddafi offered sanctuary to the rebel leader after he was denied entry to his erstwhile ally Chad following a thaw in its previously tense ties with Sudan.

The spokesman of Sudan’s foreign ministry, Khalid Musa, on Monday said that Darfur rebels could be involved in Libya’s clashes after reports emerging from the country suggested that Gaddafi is using “African mercenaries” to quell the uprising.

But JEM’s spokesman Ahmad Hussein strongly condemned the ministry’s suggestion, accusing it of inciting anti-Sudanese hatred and endangering the lives of its own citizens in Libya.

Gaddafi’s regime attempted to unite – and in some instances supported – some of Darfur rebel factions despite being an ally of the Sudanese government.

In a related development, Sudan has formed an emergency taskforce to assist its citizens who are trying to flee Libya.

Karar al-Tohami, head of the committee, told Reuters 100-200 people had already fled across the remote border to Sudan and were being housed in a camp and that they were considering using military planes if necessary to evacuate civilians from Libya.

Tohami said that Sudanese military planes will evacuate as many as 500,000 of its citizens.

The African Union (AU) Peace and Security Council today also issued a statement condemning the “indiscriminate and excessive use of force and lethal weapons against peaceful protesters in violation ”.

“The aspirations of the people of Libya for democracy, political reform, justice and socio-economic development are legitimate” stressing that the “territorial integrity and unity” should be preserved.

AU commission chairman Jean Ping said in separate remarks that he is in contact with Libyan authorities as part of his efforts to put an end “to the spilling of the blood”.

Ping stressed that “only dialogue and consultation will enable the Libyans to find appropriate solutions to the challenges facing their country and to embark upon the necessary reforms to fulfill the aspirations of their people”.

The Pan-African body said it will send a mission to Libya to assess the situation there.

The UK based rights group Amnesty International welcomed AU’s statement but stressed that the proposed mission should include a specific investigation into reports that armed elements are being transported from African countries to Libya.

Amnesty International noted its criticism of the AU for failing to address the events in Libya earlier contrary to other regional and international blocs.

“Amnesty International renewed its call on the African Union to take steps to secure the land borders into Libya and monitor suspicious flights to Libya”.

Gaddafi, who has billions of dollars at his disposal, is one of the AU’s largest benefactors providing along with four other countries 75% of its budget. The Libyan leader has been pushing for an African unity government for years, saying it is the only way Africa can develop without Western interference. He wanted the organization’s small executive body to be granted enhanced powers and remodeled as the African Authority.

The AU’s statement made no reference to the issue of accountability, a contentious issue for the African bloc which has grown hostile over last few years to what it called abuse of universal jurisdiction that targeted its leaders.

The UN Security Council yesterday condemned the violence against pro-democracy protesters in Libya and called for accountability on the part of those who carried out attacks against them.

Former Liberian president Charles Taylor is currently being tried by Special Court for Sierra Leone while ex-Chadian leader Hissène Habré is awaiting trial in Senegal.

In 2009, the Sudanese president Omer Hassan Al-Bashir was charged by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for alleged war crimes in Darfur.

Gaddafi has lobbied the AU successfully in July 2009 to adopt a resolution barring any country on the continent to apprehend Bashir even if they were under legal obligation to do so.

Libyan deputy ambassador to the United Nations, who disowned Gaddafi, called on the ICC prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo to investigate what he described as genocide and crimes against humanity committed by Muammar Gaddafi during the ongoing unrest.

But Ocampo said in statement today that he cannot investigate crimes in Libya unless the country’s authorities accept the court’s jurisdiction or the UNSC refers the situation to the ICC.

“The decision to do justice in Libya should be taken by the Libyan people,” ICC prosecutor said in a statement.

He said the office would act only after Libya accepts the court’s jurisdiction or the Security Council refers the situation to the court.

(ST)