| 20.12.2004
Washington, D.C., 20 December 2003
Most recently Libya's dictator, Colonel Gaddafi, admitted
to having programs of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD),
and willingness to dismantle them. He has also admitted
responsibility for the Pan Am 103 bombing and several other
horrific tragedies. Although these developments are encouraging,
there is a great deal more to be done such as addressing
human rights issues, embracing representative democracy,
and initiating verifiable political, economic and legal
reforms.
The current Libyan regime has a long notorious record of
gross human rights violations that includes: execution without
a trial; forced disappearances; assassination of political
opponents; collective punishment; ethnic and tribal discrimination;
arbitrary detention; torture and murder of prisoners of
conscience; restrictions on freedom of speech; peaceful
assembly; freedom of the press; and freedom of expression.
The colonel's own political oppressive undemocratic ideology
speaks volumes on the nature and structure of the totalitarian
Libyan government. His so-called "Third International
Theory" has devastated the development of civil society,
nurtured corruption and intolerance on unimaginable scale,
suffocated the separation of powers, and eliminated any
meaningful democratic constitutional progress.
Our Administration rightfully blamed terrorism on tyranny.
Gaddafi has, for too long, proved himself to be unpredictable
and remains an avowed tyrant who still practices terrorism
and intimidation as tools of national control and instruments
of international manipulation. When we talk of weapons of
mass destruction, we should include tyrants as the most
lethal of those weapons, therefore they should be the first
to be dismantled. Otherwise the destroyed weapons programs
will be resurrected as soon as the eyes of the world are
diverted to other crises.
It has been established beyond a shadow of doubt that appeasement
of tyrants leads to unmistakable catastrophes. Only firmness
and credible threat of coercion yields desirable results.
The so-called leader-for-life would have never yielded anything
if he had not seen what has happened to the deposed tyrant
of Iraq. We urge more US pressure to bring an end to Libya's
decades of tyranny and oppression. America must take the
lead to bring those who committed heinous crimes against
Libyan and non-Libyan civilians to justice, and to help
establish a viable constitutional democracy that serves
the real interest of the Libyan people and add to the security
and prosperity of all nations.
For further information please contact: Dr. Mohamed M.
Bugaighis, info@alfa-online.net |
