Libyan regime guilty for ‘crimes against humanity’

Mussa Ibrahim,the Libyan government spokesman had last week called upon “all armed groups in Misrata to lay down their weapons in exchange for an amnesty” by Tuesday. The rebels had promptly rejected it,saying they were ready to die while fighting.

Amid an intense battle for the airport in the besieged city,215 kms east of the capital Tripoli,the Libyan military targeted the port to prevent the supply of badly needed aid to the civilians in the town,which has been under siege by Gaddafi’s troops for over seven weeks.

The rebels are entirely dependent on supply by sea as the airport was in the hands of the Libyan regime.

The prosecutors of the International Criminal Court (ICC) have found evidence that the Gaddafi’s forces committed crimes against humanity in the Libyan conflict.

“The available information provides reasonable grounds to believe that crimes against humanity have been committed and continue being committed in Libya,including murder…,” said Luis Moreno-Ocampo,the court’s chief prosecutor.

The prosecutor said that “the shooting at peaceful protesters was systematic” and the “persecution appears to be also systematic and implemented in different cities.”

The prosecutor,who was mandated by the UN Security Council to probe alleged abuses in Libya,underlined that there were credible estimates of between 500 and 700 people killed in February alone. He will brief the Security Council on his findings today.

Amid warnings of a stalemate in the Libyan conflict,the rebels have sought a fresh financial lifeline for their campaign to overthrow Gaddafi as world power are set to in Rome to take stock of the over six weeks military operation.

The rebels,who have failed to hold their ground despite the heavy bombardments against the Libyan forces by NATO fighter jets,have expressed fears that their economy may not be able to last beyond few weeks with their present resources.

“The liquidity that we have domestically most likely will carry us through three weeks,at the most four weeks,” Ali Tarhoni,a rebel leader was quoted as saying in the media.

“I think if we get lines of credit from our friends in France,Italy and the United States we will be fine,” he said in the rebel ‘capital’ Benghazi,adding that “we need two to three billion dollars.”

World leaders,including US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton are set to discuss the ongoing implementation of UN Security Council Resolutions 1970 and 1973 at a meeting of the Libya Contact Group in Rome today.

Luis blamed the Libyan regime of committing war crimes “as a matter of policy”.

On February 26,the UN Security Council slapped sanctions on the regime,including an arms embargo,an asset freeze and travel ban on Gaddafi and his loyalists,and a referral to the Hague-based International Criminal Court.

The report said that the prosecutor will submit its first application for an arrest warrant in the next weeks.

Gaddafi’s forces have also been accused of sexual assaults and rape against women in Libya.

Al Jazeera earlier quoted women as saying that they were taken to the desert in groups. Others said they were raped in front of their families. Rebels have accused the regime of distributing Viagra pills to troops to carry out mass rape.

The Libyan regime has dismissed the ICC allegations. Deputy Foreign Minister Khalid Kaim was quoted as saying in the media that Moreno-Ocampo’s report paints a partial picture.

International human right groups have warned of a humanitarian disaster in Misurata,amid fears that over 1000 people have been killed following the violence and the siege for the last two months.

Media reports quoting the International Organisation for Migration said a ship to deliver supplies and evacuate some 1,000 foreigners and wounded Libyans had managed to dock in Misurata today.

The office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said the crisis in Libya has forced thousands to flee the country. It said more than 665,000 people have now fled strife-torn Libya.

The crisis has forced the UN to explore ways to get back into the Libyan capital after it evacuated 12 international staffers from Tripoli due to unrest following the killing of Gaddafi’s youngest son Saif al-Arab and his grandchildren.

“The UN is exploring ways to re-enter the Libyan capital as soon as possible,” UN spokesperson Martin Nesirky said in New York earlier this week.

The international coalition led by the US began air strikes in Libya on March 19 following the UNSC mandate to protect civilians. NATO took command of military campaign on March 31.

The bombing by NATO has brought to focus the growing division among the international community over the military campaign in Libya.

China has called for a ceasefire in Libya and underlined the need for NATO to abide by UNSC mandate to protect civilians.

Describing the air strikes as being outside the mandate of UNSC resolution,Russia has accused NATO of a “disproportionate use of force”.

France,which recognises the rebels’ Transitional National Council based in its eastern ‘capital’ Benghazi,has as been calling on world powers to do more to force Gaddafi to quit.

Earlier,French President Nicolas Sarkozy said he planned to hold a meet of “friends of Libya” to work on political transition in the country.

“Our aim is not to kill Gaddafi,” but to weaken the embattled regime,French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe was quoted as saying by news channel France 24 ahead of May 4-5 Rome meet.