THE GUARDIAN: Libya's oil has protected its regime from criticism abroad. But those who support democracy must back our fight for freedom
'Libya is not Tunisia or Egypt. Libya is different, if there is disturbance it will split into several states." These were the words of the son of Muammar Gaddafi, Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, on Libyan state TV on Sunday.
He is right of course; Libya is not Egypt or Tunisia. It is a country of over 600,000 sq miles of land, populated by less than 7 million people. Since 1969 it has known just one leader – a man who has shown merciless cruelty to anyone who speaks out against him, the regime or the revolution he headed. It is a country built on the foundations of tribal unity and which, despite having the largest oil reserves in Africa, continues to allow two-thirds of its citizens to live below the poverty line. It is also a country that cannot boast of long ties with Europe and the west, having only in the last few years made amends with its neighbours across the Mediterranean after years of US- and UN-imposed sanctions.
After "coming in from the cold" in 2004, European ties with Libya developed rapidly. As it stands Libya is the third biggest supplier of oil to Europe, having recently surpassed Saudi Arabia. Its proximity to Europe, its unexplored terrain and its relative lack of foreign investment made Libya a gem worth cultivating to the oil-dependent economies of the west. The fact that its leader may publicly hang dissident students was of no great concern as long as his philosophy of intolerance extended to, and adequately suppressed, the supposed extreme "threat" of Islamism.
However, the events of the last few days have forced world leaders to re-examine their relationship with the crumbling regime. Accounts of unprovoked sniper attacks on peaceful demonstrators, the use of violent foreign mercenaries as a means of crowd control, live ammunition being shot into crowds of protesters, and the media blackout that tried (unsuccessfully) to prevent the world from finding out, has brought about new focus and attention to the plight of the Libyan people and to the reaction of their inhumane leader.
As he addressed the nation, Saif's feebly masked threats were received angrily by protesters in the streets. His claims that the celebrations of the people of Benghazi, Darnah and al-Bayda had been brought about by drunk and drugged youths led to furious chanting and jeering against Gaddafi and his son. His warnings of the possibility of separatism and civil war evoked slogans emphasising the unity of the Libyan people and their intention to support each other till they had achieved victory. >>> Mohamed Abdul Malek | Monday, February 21, 2011
