The Genie is out of the Bottle - there is no going back! Gaddafi must Go!
Yesterday the 17th February was the “Day of Rage” for Libya as Human Rights activists and Opposition Groups took to the streets of major cities across Libya for the third day running to fight for an end of Gaddafi’s regime and Libyan exiles all over Europe joined Opposition Groups in Solidarity Protests. The British Libyan Solidarity Campaign and the National Conference of Libyan Opposition organised a protest outside of the Libyan Embassy in Knightsbridge, London. As in cities inside Libya, including Benghazi, Tripoli, Albaida and Darnah; Gaddafi's Regime organised a counter demonstration in London and over 300 young males, suspected to be students who are here to study in Britain paid for by the regime, were rumoured to have been paid £300 a head to stand and display their giant images of Gaddafi and printed Green Flags with their powerful sound systems that blared out Arabic music. There has obviously been a lot of money thrown at the event and at 11.00 am in the morning they looked confident, they expected to own the day. They were wrong. By 1 pm as coached arrived from Birmingham, Manchester and Liverpool well over 600 Protestors against the regime turned out with passion and fire in their bellies that made the orchestrated Pro Gaddafi supporters look bewildered and confused as they watched the Opposition chant and wave the old flag of Libya and demand that Gaddafi should step down after 42 years in absolute power. The difference between the opposing Groups was all too obvious. Those who had gathered there for Justice, Human Rights, Freedom of Speech, Independent Media and the end of single party totalitarian state rule were fuelled by passion and fury, the paid lackeys of Gaddafi's regime looked unenthusiastic and bored. When the Opposition Group chanted questions about how much they had sold the freedom of their people for, some even looked embarrased.
Although there is no official reporting as Gaddafi does not allow any independent media in his country, news came out of Libya overnight and by this morning eyewitness accounts from those with mobile phones and access to the internet built a report that estimated at least 27 Libyans had been shot dead last during the protests – a tragic and outrageous response from the Regime’s infamous internal Security services who were firing live ammunition at men, women and children who were unarmed. Today we hear that the British Government is reviewing it’s arms supply to Bahrain as a response to the Kingdoms brutality towards its rebellious citizens. The British Libyan Solidarity Campaign is demanding that the British Government does the same with the Libyan deals which are already under suspicion of being as a result of underhand deals with Gaddafi. Tony Blair’s “deal in the dessert” resulted in contracts to supply Libya with arms worth £350 million, BAE systems got a contract for anti tank missiles worth £147 million. The British Libyan Solidarity Campaign has been asking the British Government to stop this dealing until Human Rights and Justice are restored to Libya for years, but the British Government wasn’t interested in our demands. Now we have the Eyes of the World watching the actions of the Internal Security Forces in Libya so there is no hiding the evidence. Even though Gaddafi has tried to deflect attention away from the Police and Security and paid released prisoners to do his dirty work of terrorising the protestors, it is obvious to the watching world what is happening and the British Government can not hide behind feigned ignorance any longer. We will stand in solidarity with the Libyan Protestors until there is Justice and Freedom and Gaddafi is consigned to the archives of history.
Come and join us outside the Libyan Embassy in Knightsbridge London - Contact Azeldin El Sherif +447828894161
Or Manchester Protests outside the BBC Building on Oxford Road – Contact Lucinda Lavelle on +447974254668
Notes to the Editor
The British Libyan Solidarity Campaign was founded in 2006 to campaign for the Human Rights and Freedom of Libyan’s in exile and to put pressure on external Governments not to do business with Gaddafi’s regime until Human Rights are protected in Libya.
The BLSC is monitoring Gaddafi’s dealings internally and externally and publicizing the abuses his regime commits.
For further information please contact:
Azeldin El Sharif President 00 44 (0) 7908580391
Lucinda Lavelle Secretary 00 44 (0) 7974254668
Headquarters: C/o 12 Collingwood Road, West Point, Manchester M19 2A
