THE Federal Executive Council (FEC) yesterday asked the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Odein Ajumogobia, to expedite action on the directive of President Goodluck Jonathan to immediately evacuate stranded Nigerians in Benghazi and Tripoli, Libya following violent crackdown on protesters by Muammar Gaddafi’s administration.
Meanwhile, the Arab League has barred Libya from attending meetings of the bloc until it ends its crackdown on protesters, which it said involved violations of human rights and international laws.
At its yesterday’s meeting presided over by Vice President Namadi Sambo, the FEC also “deplored the violence and the disproportional use of force to disperse protesters” by Libyan authorities. The Council noted that “the crisis can and should be resolved through dialogue in those countries.”
President Jonathan was in Niger and Imo states for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) campaign tours.
Minister of Information and Communications, Mr. Labaran Maku told journalists at the end of the Council session that the condition of Nigerians in the Middle East, which is facing civil revolt is of great concern to the President-in-Council.
According to Maku, “specifically, Council discussed and reviewed the situation in Libya and some Middle East countries where the wind of discontent has led to protests. The condition of Nigerians in these countries was particularly discussed.”
He added: “The Minister of Foreign Affairs briefed Council on the directives given by the President and the preparations made to evacuate Nigerians. The situation in the Middle East countries as it affects Nigerians is being monitored closely by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. We are in close contact with our envoys in those countries. Already, Mr. President has directed that stranded passengers in Tripoli and Bengazi, who are Nigerians, should be evacuated and steps are being taken as we did in Cairo to evacuate these Nigerians to their respective homes.
“I want to assure Nigerians that the President is committed to ensuring the safety and security of our citizens. I want to also assure that whatever measures are necessary, including evacuating them if the need arises, would be taken to ensure their safety and security. The standard procedure is that whenever there are conflicts in any country, we advise our envoys to evacuate their families to safety so that the officers who are manning our missions can concentrate on the work at hand to ensure that they give attention to and consider diplomatic issues on ground.”
The Arab League’s move against Libya came as Italy’s Foreign Minister Franco Frattini said Gaddafi’s increasingly desperate attempts to crush a revolt against his four-decade rule have killed as many as 1,000 people and split Libya.
Also, Peru’s government has suspended diplomatic relations with Libya to protest the violence unleashed by Gaddafi against his people.
A statement released by President Alan Garcia’s office on its website said Peru would ask the United Nations (UN) Security Council to establish an exclusion zone in Libyan airspace “to prevent the use of that country’s warplanes against (its) population.“ It quoted Garcia as saying the suspension of relations would not end “until the violence against the people ceases.” Garcia noted that Libya’s government “has been led for 40 years by the same person.”
The 22-member Arab group met on Tuesday in Cairo to discuss the escalating showdown between protesters and Libya’s ruler of 42 years , Gaddafi.
A League statement read out by Secretary-General Amr Moussa strongly condemned what it called crimes against civilians, the recruiting of foreign mercenaries and the use of live ammunition and heavy weapons by Libyan forces. Its censure did not amount to a suspension of Libya’s membership in the organisation.
Gaddafi’s crackdown has already been the harshest in the Arab world to the wave of anti-government protests sweeping the Middle East. Nearly 300 people have been killed, according to a partial count by the New York-based Human Rights Watch.
The Arab League said the use of military forces against protesters was “a grave violation of the human rights and the international laws.”
Moussa said the ban on Libya’s participation at League meetings will remain in place until it “meets Arab demands to immediately stop all violence, by all forms and launch dialogue to guarantee the Libyan people’s security and stability.”
The League also urged Libya to lift all restrictions on media and communications and ensure that medical aid is provided to the wounded.
Abdel-Moneim al-Houni, who resigned Sunday as Libya’s ambassador to the Arab League, did not attend the meeting. In a statement on Monday, al-Houni demanded that Gaddafi and his commanders and aides be put on trial for “the mass killings in Libya.”
The Guardian
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