Herold Leelawardena

Few days back, BBC reported as the US president Obama said; “Make no mistake, because we acted quickly, a humanitarian catastrophe has been avoided and the lives of countless civilians – innocent men, women and children – have been saved.” That is the same thing that Bush said when the US and its allies started their war on Afghanistan twelve years ago, and Iraq eight years ago. But both those wars have killed or maimed over aƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ millionƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ civilians to date and counting.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ There is only one difference between those two wars and this one. That is; theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ CaucasianƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ consortium got the UN approval to ‘save civilians’ inƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Libya. ButƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ most people outsideƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ CaucasianƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ countries knew that ‘save civilians’ is a ruse and the real aim is the regime change. So, when the resolution 1973 was submitted for approval by the Anglo-French-American consortium,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ theyƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ expected Russia and China to use their veto power.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ It is obvious that the Caucasian consortiumƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ had duped the Arab League. And the fact that the Arab League backed the resolution made BRIC to do the unexpected. Five countries ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬‚ Brazil, Russia, India, China (Bric) and Germany ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬‚ decided not to vote.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Arab League should have found out more about those ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”civilianƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ demonstrators in Libya before they made a declaration to back the UN resolution 1973. Among hosts of questions they should have queried had been, who these ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”civiliansƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ were. And, how they got hoards ofƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ machine guns, not stones and Molotov cocktails in their hands as inƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Tunisia, Egypt, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia or Yemen. All thoseƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ demonstratorsƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ wereƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ civilian andƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ unarmed.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Then come about a turning point. There emerged a man namedƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Abdel-Hakim al-HasidiƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ as the leader of those ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”civiliansƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ and, Arab decision to back the Caucasian consortium seemed to have changed. Abdel-Hakim has admitted that his fighters in Libya have Al Qaeda links.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ With which Al Qaeda thatƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Abdel-HakimƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢sƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”rebelsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ fought is no doubt an important question? Is it the Al Qaeda that fought to oust the Russians fromƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Afghanistan? Or is it the one that still fight to rid the US led forces from Afghanistan? Or is it the one that follow Osama bin Laden blindly?

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ On 25^thƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Friday Amr Moussa, head of the Arab League said, his organization had only supported the enforcement of a no-fly zone and not full-scale bombing in Libya. Whether Amr Moussa had found out which al Qaeda that the demonstrating ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”civiliansƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ in Libya orƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Abdel-HakimƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢sƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”rebelsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ had been fighting, we do not know. Whatever it is, Amr MoussaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s change of heart seems to be changing the worldwide opinion.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The African UnionƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s panel on Libya had announced late night on Saturday 26th that it would follow up on its opposition to the air strikes by calling a meeting in Addis Ababa on Friday. On the same day, South Africa and Lebanon said, if the African Union and the Arab League had taken todayƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s position at that time, they would not have voted for the CouncilƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s resolution.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Mauritania President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, whose country is hosting the unionƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s summit right now,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ addedƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ that ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-the African Union rejects the idea of foreign military intervention in Libya, regardless of its form.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin on Monday 27th likened the UN Security Council resolution supporting military action in Libya to medieval calls for crusades.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-In Bill ClintonƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s times they bombed Yugoslavia and Belgrade, Bush sent troops to Afghanistan and then, under a made-up and absolutely false excuse they sent troops to Iraq, liquidated all Iraqi authorities, even children from Saddam HusseinƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s family were killed. Now its LibyaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s turn. They use protection of civilians as an excuse. But it is the civilian population who perish in air raids. So where is the logic and conscience? There is none of both.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ China’s mostƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ important political newspaperƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ the People’s Daily,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ratcheted up the country’s criticism of WesternƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ airstrikes against Libya on Monday, comparing them to the US-led invasions in Iraq and Afghanistan.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ “The blood-soaked tempests that Iraq has undergone for eight years and the unspeakable suffering of its people are a mirror and a warning. The military attacks on Libya are, following on the Afghan and Iraq wars, the third time that some countries have launched armed action against sovereign countries. It should be seen that every time military means are used to address crises, that is a blow to the United Nations Charter and the rules of international relations.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Though India never said the same words, it has hardened its opposition to the Anglo-French, US military action against Libya.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-We view with grave concern the ongoing violence, strikes and deteriorating humanitarian situation in Libya. We regret the air strikes that are taking place….ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ India calls upon all parties to abjure violence and the use of threat and force to resolve the differences. I think the need of the hour is cessation of armed conflict.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ We the people of Sri Lanka should declare our opposition to Caucasian aggressionƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ for we know whatƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Anglo-French-American consortiumƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ had done in many countries in the past.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Herold Leelawardena