I was following the recent events of Libya for the last week like many of the readers. The events are running fast while I'm writing this article. Colonel Al Gaddafi lost his credibility for sure. The horrible violence committed by Al Gaddafi government indicates that he wages a war against his own people. As David Cameron the British PM said to the British Parliament early this week: “Al Gaddafi regime must end and leave after he lost the Libyan people voice”. The situation will be settled only when he leaves the power and make room for a political dialogue. UK plays a great international role to stop violence. It is important to see the international society united for the first time to face the human rights challenge in Libya. We had pointed out that we will not disregard crimes and will not allow criminal to escape the punishment because they are unforgettable. David Cameron (the British PM) and William Hague (the Minister of Foreign Affairs) condemned the crimes against the citizens and assured that criminals must be punished. UK is doing its best to discharge Al Gaddafi, cutting off his money and decreasing his power in order to guarantee the swift justice against who mistreat Libya. As the PM said in Human Rights Council following the UN in Genève “this is a warning to anybody who is violating human rights in Libya or other countries. Judgment day is not far and the international justice is swift”. The General Assembly of the United Nations approved unanimously in the 1st of March to suspend the membership of Libya in Human Rights Council. UK made exceptional procedures as suspension of bank accounts of Al Gaddafi and his five descendants by British Minister of Finance, stopping the export of banknotes printed in UK by the Business Secretary and waiving the immunity of Al Gaddafi as a president and banning him from traveling to UK by the Minister of Foreign Affairs. UK played a great role in pressing other countries to discharge Al Gaddafi, banning travel and freezing the bank accounts of big officials in his regime. The decision asked for instant stop of violence and murder of the protestants, permitting Human Rights International Inspectors to watch the situation, providing freedom of media and internet and stopping journalists arrest. Finally the decision declared forming an international committee to investigate the events in Libya to send a message to the criminals behind these crimes against humanity that they cannot escape justice in future. So UK is cooperating with its friends to add pressure against Al Gaddafi regime, and we welcome the League of Arab States resolution to suspend Libya presence in its meetings. At the same time Iran takes advantage of the events of Egypt, Bahrain and Libya to declare false allegations. The Iranian leaders, as they said, represent the ideal political model for countries like Egypt. This is not acceptable because Iran is not a model for Egypt or any country that looking forward to a bright and better future. The false pride of Iran must be faced and challenged. The speeches of Iranian leaders are mere hypocrisy especially when speaking about people freedom, disqualified economy management and exaggerating the Iranian role (and that I am one of many who are deceived by Iranian shameless lies). The next few days will be decisive for Libya future. If Al Gaddafi and his followers really care for their people, they will make room for a real political dialogue; yet if they insist on stubbornness and continuance of suppressing people, they will realize that the world is watching and they will be punished for their crimes. * The British Ambassador in KSA.
