Libyan bombing illegal says concerned group

More than 200 African intellectuals say Nato's bombing of
Libya is part of a re-colonisation of the continent

LIVHUWANI MAMMBURU

Published: 2011/08/24 03:01:25 PM
http://www.businessday.co.za/articles/Content.aspx?id=151539

A group of concerned African leaders have issued a
statement warning about Africa being re-colonised as Nato
continues its support of the Libyan rebels.

Speaking to media in Johannesburg today, leaders released
a letter lamenting "misuse of the United Nations Security
Council to engage in militarised diplomacy to effect
regime change in Libya" and the "marginalisation of the
African Union".

University of Johannesburg head of the politics department
Professor Chris Landsberg spoke for the group saying Nato
has violated international law.

"Nato has empowered itself openly to pursue the objective
of regime change and therefore the use of force and all
other means to overthrow the government of Libya, which
objectives are completely at variance with the decisions
of the UN Security Council," Landsberg said.

The letter was signed by more than 200 prominent Africans,
including former African National Congress president Thabo
Mbeki , Prof Shadrack Gutto of the University of SA,
former intelligence minister Ronnie Kasrils, Prof Chris
Landsberg the head of the Department of Politics at the
University of Johannesburg, Prof Mahmood Mamdani from the
University of Columbia, former deputy minister of Foreign
Affairs Aziz Pahad , author and poet Dr Wally Serote and
many other influential Africans.

Serote says the African Union (AU) Road Map remains the
only way to peace for the people of Libya.

"The AU stand for peace, democracy and freedom of all
people. This is the role that the AU still wants to play
whether you talk about the Ivory Coast, whether you talk
about Sudan, whether you want to talk about Libya or
whichever of the African country on the continent, the AU
stand for that. It has a plan to put in place," Serote
said.

Its not clear if the AU leadership approached Libyan
rebels or the government for their points of view before
making the statement.

Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi's 42-year rule has been
teetering on the brink of collapse after months of Nato
airstrikes causing most of his forces to flee as rebel
forces took control of the capital and the dramatic rebel
takeover of his Bab al-Azizya compound yesterday.

Gaddafi himself has remained elusive. He was last seen two
months ago.

Libyan rebel fighters celebrated at Green Square, renamed
Martyrs Square by rebels, in Tripoli yesterday. REUTERS
and

[log in to unmask]

  VIDEO: "Concerned Africans" release re-colonization
statement in Johannesburg

___________________________________________

Portside aims to provide material of interest to people
on the left that will help them to interpret the world
and to change it.

Submit via email: [log in to unmask]

Submit via the Web: http://portside.org/submittous3

Frequently asked questions: http://portside.org/faq

Sub/Unsub: http://portside.org/subscribe-and-unsubscribe

Search Portside archives: http://portside.org/archive

Contribute to Portside: https://portside.org/donate