ID :
163555
Wed, 02/23/2011 - 23:29
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/163555
The shortlink copeid
Libyan Interior Minister quits
Rania
Cairo, Feb 23 (PTI) Libyan Interior Minister Abdel Fatah
Yunes and a top aide of Moammar Gaddafi's powerful son Saif
resigned on Wednesday, the latest to disown the regime of the
defiant leader who vowed to crush unprecedented protests
against his 41-year rule despite global demands for an end to
violence.
"I announce my resignation from all my duties in response
to the revolution of February 17 (against Gaddafi)," Yunes,
attired in a military uniform, said on the pan-Arabic
satellite channel Al-Jazeera.
Gen Yunes, who followed in the steps of Justice Minister
Mustapha Abdeljalil, called on the armed forces to join the
revolt and respond to the legitimate demands of the people.
Reports said that Youssef Sawani, a senior aide to Saif
al-Islam Gaddafi, one of Gaddafi's influential sons, also
resigned from his post in protest against the violence.
The resignations came a day after Abdeljalil quit in
protest over the "excessive use of violence" against
protesters, and diplomats at Libya's mission to the United
Nations called on the army to help remove "the tyrant Muammar
Gaddafi".
Libyan diplomats in several countries have either
resigned in protest over the use of force, including the
alleged firing by warplanes on civilian targets, or renounced
Gaddafi's leadership, saying they stood with the protesters.
The Libyan Interior Ministry gave the first official
death toll since the uprising began a week ago, saying 300
people had died so far -- 189 civilians and 111 soldiers.
As countries across the world started evacuating their
nationals trapped in Libya, India and 14 other members of the
powerful UN Security Council strongly condemned the use of
force against the peaceful protesters and demanded an
immediate end to violence in the country.
The Security Council "condemned the violence and use of
force against civilians, deplored the repression against
peaceful demonstrators and expressed deep regret at the deaths
of hundreds of civilians", following a closed-door meeting of
the powerful body last night.
A defiant Gaddafi refused to bow down to the massive
uprising and vowed to "die a martyr" while exhorting his
supporters to crush the anti-regime protests and take back the
streets of Libya.
As outrage grew over the bloody suppression of
anti-government protests in his country, he cursed the
elements he claimed were trying to stir unrest in the Arab
world, and raised the spectre of civil war by calling on his
supporters to take to the streets.
"Damn those who try to stir unrest in Arab countries,"
said Gaddafi, who appeared on state television for the second
time in 24 hours last night.
"Capture the rats," a fiery Gaddafi said of anti-regime
demonstrators.
In Washington, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton
expressed outrage over the use of lethal force against
peaceful protesters in Libya and asked the Gaddafi government
to take steps to end the violence.
"There is no ambivalence; there is no doubt in anyone's
mind that the violence must stop and that the government of
Libya has a responsibility to respect the universal rights of
all of its citizens and to support the exercise of those
rights," Clinton told reporters.
William Hague, British Foreign Secretary, said that there
are "many indications of the structure of the state collapsing
in Libya".
"The resignation of so many ambassadors and diplomats,
reports of ministers changing sides within Libya itself, shows
the system is in a very serious crisis," he said.
Several European Union countries, mainly Germany and
Finland, sought sanctions against Gaddafi at their talks in
Brussels.
"We are calling on the Libyan authorities to stop the
violence against their own people," German Chancellor Angela
Merkel told reporters. "If the violence does not stop ... we
will consider sanctions. Moammar Gaddafi's speech was very
scary as he has declared war on his own people."
Peru became the first nation to suspend diplomatic ties
with Libya.
"Peru is suspending all diplomatic relations with Libya
until the violence against the people ceases," its President
Alan Garcia said.
Two planes carrying French nationals from Libya arrived
in Paris on Wednesday with some 500 passengers aboard. A
Russian
plane also brought back 118 people to Moscow from Libya.
The US State Department said it had chartered a ferry to
evacuate American citizens from Libya, asking them to reach
the designated port in Tripoli as soon as possible.
The 22-member Arab League, meanwhile, barred Libya from
attending its meetings until it responds to the demands of
anti-regime protesters and guarantees the "security and
stability of its people". PTI KIM
ANJ
Cairo, Feb 23 (PTI) Libyan Interior Minister Abdel Fatah
Yunes and a top aide of Moammar Gaddafi's powerful son Saif
resigned on Wednesday, the latest to disown the regime of the
defiant leader who vowed to crush unprecedented protests
against his 41-year rule despite global demands for an end to
violence.
"I announce my resignation from all my duties in response
to the revolution of February 17 (against Gaddafi)," Yunes,
attired in a military uniform, said on the pan-Arabic
satellite channel Al-Jazeera.
Gen Yunes, who followed in the steps of Justice Minister
Mustapha Abdeljalil, called on the armed forces to join the
revolt and respond to the legitimate demands of the people.
Reports said that Youssef Sawani, a senior aide to Saif
al-Islam Gaddafi, one of Gaddafi's influential sons, also
resigned from his post in protest against the violence.
The resignations came a day after Abdeljalil quit in
protest over the "excessive use of violence" against
protesters, and diplomats at Libya's mission to the United
Nations called on the army to help remove "the tyrant Muammar
Gaddafi".
Libyan diplomats in several countries have either
resigned in protest over the use of force, including the
alleged firing by warplanes on civilian targets, or renounced
Gaddafi's leadership, saying they stood with the protesters.
The Libyan Interior Ministry gave the first official
death toll since the uprising began a week ago, saying 300
people had died so far -- 189 civilians and 111 soldiers.
As countries across the world started evacuating their
nationals trapped in Libya, India and 14 other members of the
powerful UN Security Council strongly condemned the use of
force against the peaceful protesters and demanded an
immediate end to violence in the country.
The Security Council "condemned the violence and use of
force against civilians, deplored the repression against
peaceful demonstrators and expressed deep regret at the deaths
of hundreds of civilians", following a closed-door meeting of
the powerful body last night.
A defiant Gaddafi refused to bow down to the massive
uprising and vowed to "die a martyr" while exhorting his
supporters to crush the anti-regime protests and take back the
streets of Libya.
As outrage grew over the bloody suppression of
anti-government protests in his country, he cursed the
elements he claimed were trying to stir unrest in the Arab
world, and raised the spectre of civil war by calling on his
supporters to take to the streets.
"Damn those who try to stir unrest in Arab countries,"
said Gaddafi, who appeared on state television for the second
time in 24 hours last night.
"Capture the rats," a fiery Gaddafi said of anti-regime
demonstrators.
In Washington, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton
expressed outrage over the use of lethal force against
peaceful protesters in Libya and asked the Gaddafi government
to take steps to end the violence.
"There is no ambivalence; there is no doubt in anyone's
mind that the violence must stop and that the government of
Libya has a responsibility to respect the universal rights of
all of its citizens and to support the exercise of those
rights," Clinton told reporters.
William Hague, British Foreign Secretary, said that there
are "many indications of the structure of the state collapsing
in Libya".
"The resignation of so many ambassadors and diplomats,
reports of ministers changing sides within Libya itself, shows
the system is in a very serious crisis," he said.
Several European Union countries, mainly Germany and
Finland, sought sanctions against Gaddafi at their talks in
Brussels.
"We are calling on the Libyan authorities to stop the
violence against their own people," German Chancellor Angela
Merkel told reporters. "If the violence does not stop ... we
will consider sanctions. Moammar Gaddafi's speech was very
scary as he has declared war on his own people."
Peru became the first nation to suspend diplomatic ties
with Libya.
"Peru is suspending all diplomatic relations with Libya
until the violence against the people ceases," its President
Alan Garcia said.
Two planes carrying French nationals from Libya arrived
in Paris on Wednesday with some 500 passengers aboard. A
Russian
plane also brought back 118 people to Moscow from Libya.
The US State Department said it had chartered a ferry to
evacuate American citizens from Libya, asking them to reach
the designated port in Tripoli as soon as possible.
The 22-member Arab League, meanwhile, barred Libya from
attending its meetings until it responds to the demands of
anti-regime protesters and guarantees the "security and
stability of its people". PTI KIM
ANJ
