Author: alannahpriestley

Death and Destruction in Libya

UPDATE: The regime is collapsing. The minister of interior Gen. Abdulfatah Younis, whom Gaddafi praised in his speech, has just resigned and joined the revolution.

Al Jazeera’s Jamal Elshayyal reaches the Egyptian side of the border with Libya and begins to receive reports from those fleeing the country in revolt.

Civilians have rushed to the Al Jazeera team with memory sticks, telling him they contain images of “horrific scenes”: planes and helicopter gunships firing indiscriminately, and mercenaries breaking into homes and “slaughtering” people.

 

Libyan forces attack protesters

Al Jazeera is reporting that live ammuntion is being used against protesters marching on the compound of Muammar Gaddafi. Other reports suggest that the protesters are also being strafed by the Libyan airforce. Meanwhile Ben Ghazi seems to have fallen to the protesters, who have also prevailed in at least two other cities. Some military personnel have escaped to Malta. (There is also a false rumour circulating that Gaddafi has fled to Venezuela.)

Following is a report about earlier clashes in Tripoli:

 

When Revolution Becomes the Only Choice

by Ali Jawad

New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof has graphically chronicled the heart-wrenching realities that have shrouded over Manama in recent days. Whilst there may be criticisms of a sometimes de-contextualised narrative, his articles are nevertheless sufficient to shed light on the fundamental grievances that have spurred the popular protests across Bahrain. There is more than enough in his articles to evoke the deepest emotion and sympathy for unarmed civilians being systematically crushed under the juggernaut of a western-armed foreign mercenary force doggedly determined to maintain the vestiges of a brutally authoritarian regime.

Officials at the Pentagon have surely read some of Kristof’s reports by now, and have no doubt made note of the striking similarities between the Al-Khalifa regime and its ousted Tunisian and Egyptian counterparts. The intelligence services and their head, Leon Panetta, are also acutely aware – no doubt – of the voluminous grievances held by the vast majority of Bahrainis towards a ruling monarchy that is increasingly acquiring the “illegitimate” prefix; this in addition to a growing view amongst Bahrainis equating the Al-Khalifa regime as the prime obstacle to serious democratic change. In spite of this however, the placid petulance that has characterised the statements of the US Secretary of State has served to further underline to the lay Arab citizen that despite its mendacious, last-minute attempts to embrace the Tunisian and Egyptian revolutions, the US remains firmly committed to the vocation of bolstering tyrants and dictators – only opting to disown them as the latter partake in their final rites.

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Death toll rises in Libyan unrest

In a rambling and incoherent speech Gaddafi’s son Saif el Islam has issued a threat of further violence. As the regime was already inflicting massive casualties, this betrays the first sign of weakness. The protests have finally spread to Tripoli, gaining momentum along the way. The initiative now lies with the protesters. Might we be seeing the end of another moth-eaten dictatorship?

Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi is confronting the most serious challenge to his rule in 42 years.

Here is another report from yesterday:

Continue reading “Death toll rises in Libyan unrest”

The Fall of The People

Our friend in Tripoli reports.

A new morning with more horrific news. Yesterday in Benghazi Qaddafi henchmen fired at mourners of the dead – and during the burial services of more than 80 martyrs – with machine guns. The families burying their beloved heroes were all shot in the cemetery – الله أكبر (Allahu akbar!) Qaddafi is taking out his lunatic rage against the people of Libya!

Benghazi confirmed the death of 200 in one hospital. There is no question now it was a massacre in Libya. And this morning, the heroes of Benghazi are burying more than 216 martyrs. Reports are informing me that the total death toll is over 400 by now.

Last night in Tripoli, they released many prisoners of ‘’Jdayda’’ (most of them are criminals or illegal/homeless immigrants from different African countries) to terrorize people, attack protestors and steal houses. They kept only prisoners that belong to ward 9 (which contains the most deadly dangerous criminals). Gaddafi also released the female section of the prison and now Tripoli city is filled with thugs and criminals everywhere and it has become unsafe to go out alone. It’s obvious that Qaddafi wants the fall of the people (a play on The People Want The Fall of the Regime).

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Fisk on Bahrain

From Manama’s Pearl Roundabout, Robert Fisk, Middle East Correspondent for the UK’s Independent newspaper talks to Al Jazeera about the situation in Bahrain and the wider region.

Bahrain Uprising

Press TV: Bahrain has been the latest country to feel, what can safely be described as, the domino effect of Tunisia’s revolution. Egypt received so much attention, as it was followed second by second. We have seen less focus on the uprising in other regional countries in the mainstream media, including Bahrain. This small country, a cluster of 33 tiny islands, is geo-strategically important and a neighbor to Saudi Arabia, it is home to the US navy’s 5th fleet. But right now it has been hit by protests, and has responded with a violent crackdown.

To discuss Bahrain uprising, Nargess Moballeghi is joined by Rania al-Masri, Christopher Walker and Nabeel Rajab.

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The fall of Mubarak

Final installment of Al Jazeera’s excellent Egypt Burning series.

As the calls for regime change move into their third week, Egyptians have broken down the barrier of fear. Cracks between the protesters have started to show, but resolute protesters are standing firm on their call for the president to resign.

US vetoes UN resolution on Israeli settlements

Al Jazeera English — Despite receiving the backing of 14 out of 15 members of the United Nations’ security council, an Arab-sponsored UN resolution branding Israeli settlements illegal was vetoed by the United States.

Meanwhile AIPAC is pleased with the Obama administration’s budget proposal for the next fiscal year which slates 5.6 billion US tax dollars for Israel, 3.1 billion of which will be military aid.

That same budget proposal continues US military aid for Egypt, but with room for alterations depending on developments…

Latest from Libya

Our friend in Tripoli reports:
It was only one day and it has already witnessed the burial service of 30 martyrs in Hawari cemetery in Benghazi. A source from al-Jalaa hospital in Benghazi confirmed that most of the dead people are between the ages of 13 to 36 years old, including 40 to 50 injured people. The number of martyrs and injured people are growing all around the cities of east Libya and hospitals in Benghazi issued urgent calls for all types of blood.

Today I believe things are getting worse, Gaddafi’s regime has cut all means of communication (land lines, cell phones, internet), water, electricity and gas services from Benghazi, Darna, Zentan, and several cities in east Libya, yet Benghazi is winning by keeping its highly increased courageous spirits and the determination to put an end to the 42 years of oppression.

Today some people from different corners of Tripoli (like Fashloom & Joumhouriya Street) are repeatedly trying to go on demonstrations against the regime but they were immediately oppressed by the backbones of Gaddafi’s regime, who are paid and armed to stop by all means any chance of peaceful demonstrations.

Not forget to mention that on the 16th of February, the night before the Day of Rage’ in Libya, the Libyana company, a Libyan mobile phone company owned by Saif El Islam (one of Geddafi‘s sons) circulated messages to people’s cell phones warning them against crossing ” The Four Red Lines”:

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