Arab League criticises Libyan air raids

Libya News Updates! Arab League head Amr Moussa has said he wants a rethink on air raids on Libya after what he calls 'the bombardment of civilians'.

India has become the latest member of the international community to speak out against the air strikes in Libya.

India abstained from last week's UN Security Council vote and today said it regrets the coalition attacks.

This follows comments by the head of the Arab League. After initially calling for the UN to bring in a no-fly zone, Amr Moussa criticised what he called "the bombardment of civilians".

Steve Cannane reports.

STEVE CANNANE, REPORTER: At a cemetery on the outskirts of Tripoli, hundreds of Libyan men gather to mourn and protest. Government officials claim this is the funeral of a civilian killed by coalition air strikes.

LIBYAN MAN: It is very, very sad for France and United Kingdom because to kill, to kill, kill many mans for to war, why?

STEVE CANNANE: The head of the Arab League has condemned the strikes, saying they were not a part of the no-fly zone that they had called for.

AMR MOUSSA, ARAB LEAGUE SECRETARY GENERAL: What happened differs from the no-fly zone objectives. What we want is the protection of civilians. Protection, not shelling more civilians.

STEVE CANNANE: Amr Moussa has since clarified his comments, saying he still supports the UN resolution and will continue to work to protect civilians.

Support from the Arab League was critical in convincing other nations to back a no-fly zone.

The coalition insists it's acting within the parameters of the UN resolution.

LIAM FOX, UK DEFENCE SECRETARY: We're using some very specific types of weaponry designed to minimise, obviously, any civilian casualties or other collateral damage. Of course we're extremely careful in that targeting process. Today we'll make a better assessment of where that is. If necessary we will carry out further attacks to ensure that the regime cannot carry out the sort of attacks that we've seen in recent days on their people.

STEVE CANNANE: Visiting Brazil, the US president avoided any direct comment on the mission in Libya.

BARACK OBAMA, US PRESIDENT: We've seen the people of Libya take a courageous stand against a regime determined to brutalize its own citizens. Across the region, we've seen young people rise up.

STEVE CANNANE: But it won't be the US taking the lead to help them. That responsibility is likely to fall on Europe.

ROBERT GATES, US SECRETARY OF DEFENCE: And then we expected in a matter of days to be able to turn over the primary responsibility to others. We will continue to support the coalition. We will be a member of the coalition. We will have a military role in the coalition, but we will not have the pre-eminent role.

STEVE CANNANE: It seems the US does not have the appetite to lead another campaign with no end in sight.

MIKE MULLEN, CHAIRMAN, US JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF: In terms of - the mission is very clear. Right now, it's to focus on getting this no-fly zone in place and to support the UN objectives of no humanitarian crisis and humanitarian support. Protecting Libyan civilians.

JOURNALIST: So, it's possible that we could have, like Iraq, a 12 year no-fly zone with the strongman still in place?

MIKE MULLEN: Well, again, I think circumstances will drive where this goes in the future. I wouldn't speculate in terms of length at this particular point in time.

STEVE CANNANE: But at this early stage, coalition forces believe the no-fly zone is working.

Libya crisis

London teenager drops Wii for gun to join rebels

Sam shifts nervously from foot to foot, his hands gently chopping the air as if to emphasise what motivated him to quit his marketing degree in London, leave his friends behind and head to the front lines in the Libyan Desert.

"I just couldn't sit there and watch the news, I was going mad. I felt I had to do something, you know whatta mean?" he said in a London accent full of glottal stops and double negatives.

After getting his parents' approval last week, Sam left for Egypt, where he joined a middle-aged businessman and an older doctor – each with their own past – to cross the border into eastern Libya, get some military training and join the fight.

"I just hope they show me how to use a gun," said the London teenager as he prepared to join rebels in his native Libya fighting to overthrow strongman Muammar Gaddafi.

"I have no idea how to use a gun. My only experience with a gun has been on a Wii," the video game console, Sam said, letting out a giggle.

The stocky 19-year-old, who loves football, grew up in London "not speaking a word of Arabic."

He spent a year in Libya in his early teenage years to learn the language and to familiarise himself with Libyan culture and traditions.

Sam is one of thousands of Libyans who were scattered across the globe after Gaddafi, who came to power in 1969, began a slow campaign to crush dissent.

But as anti-regime protests which erupted on February 15 turned into a full-scale war pitting the regime against rebels trying to overthrow him, the second generation exiles began to mobilise through Facebook and other social networking sites.

From Valletta to Cairo, Atlanta to Manchester, young Libyans – many of whom had never been to Libya – pooled their resources to organise demonstrations, humanitarian aid convoys, and raise awareness about the country they knew so little of first hand.

"It's kind of strange to see all the Libyans come together like this. When we were younger, we all tried to avoid other Libyans, because no one knew who was pro-regime and who was opposition," said one young Libyan in Cairo.

In 1977, as a young leader, Gaddafi introduced his "state of the masses," which in theory vested power in the people, but in practice saw more power concentrated in his hands, freedom of speech curbed and human rights abused.

Opponents were silenced, jailed, disappeared or killed.

A 2006 Human Rights Watch report, based on the watchdog's first ever trip to Libya, highlighted the regime's intolerance of dissent.

"Government critics are arrested and detained in violation of Libyan and international law, and the fate of many political prisoners remains unknown. Interrogators sometimes use torture to extract a confession," HRW said.

"The fear among ordinary Libyan citizens was palpable and intense, and even government officials were sometimes nervous to discuss the sensitive issue of human rights," it said.

The regime's campaign to crush dissent stretched beyond Libya's borders, culminating in a series of assassinations of prominent exiles – whom Gaddafi labelled "stray dogs" – in Western Europe in the 1980s.

Another, Youcif, came from the United States to the Sallum border post to help get medical equipment into the country, with reports that the fighting has left at least 6,000 dead and scores more injured, according to human rights groups.

"We all want to help in our own way, some by raising money, some by demonstrating and some by fighting," said the Libyan in Cairo.

Slinging a backpack over one shoulder, Sam flashed a big smile and a victory sign as he said goodbye to friends before heading into Libya.

"Inshallah (God willing), when I'm back, we'll have a giant get-together in Tripoli, yeah?" he told friends as he walked out the door. "Pray for us."

Indian killed while fleeing Libya

As an Indian died while trying to escape from strife-torn Libya, New Delhi on Tuesday said it was finalizing plans to evacuate all 18,000 Indians from the country.

"Arrangements for air and sea evacuation of our nationals from Libya are being finalized," foreign secretary Nirupama Rao said after a meeting of senior officials from various ministries late on Tuesday.

Foreign ministry sources said approval was being sought from Libyan authorities for evacuation. They said the preferred evacuation point would be Tripoli and Benghazi could be considered only if conditions permitted. The government was also looking at the possibility of using the land route to Egypt.

Foreign minister S M Krishna said, "Whatever needs to be done will be done. The situation is being closely monitored by the external affairs ministry and we are in constant touch with the ambassador there. I am happy to inform that all Indians are safe in Libya."

Earlier, the death of a worker from Tamil Nadu on Monday had sparked off panic. A resident of Tirunelveli, Murugaiah (42), who worked with an automobile company, was said to have been shot dead by protesters but it was later found that he had actually died after the car he was travelling in collided with another vehicle.

Murugaiah and two other Indians were trying to cross over into Egypt in the car when the accident took place. One of his colleagues, Ashok Kumar, was also seriously injured in the mishap.

According to the Indian embassy in Tripoli, reports about Murugaiah's death being a result of firing appeared to be incorrect.

Apart from the three Indians, there were also two Egyptians in the car. The foreign ministry said they were trying to cross over to Egypt from Tobruk (city in northeastern Libya). "Their car met with a head-on collision resulting in all three Indians receiving serious injuries," it said in a statement.

The victims were admitted to Al Vatnam Medical Centre in Tobruk. "A number of Indian nurses are also working at the Centre," the foreign ministry said in its statement. Murugaiah's family members had earlier said that he had been shot by protesters.

Earlier in the day, foreign secretary Rao had suggested that evacuation may not be the most convenient option as of now. "Saw on Stratfor that Turkish Air flight to evacuate their citizens from Benghazi denied permission to land. Returned to Turkey... Please understand that we have 18,000 Indians there. It is not a question of evacuating a few hundred people... Situation Room numbers: +91-11-23015300, 23012113, 23018179. Email: controlroom@mea. gov.in," Rao said on Twitter.

In view of prevailing conditions in the Gulf, West Asian and North African regions, the foreign ministry has set up a situation room to provide necessary facilitation to members of the Indian community.