AU Press Release on Libya
Suggested By Biko Agozino
Whereas the conflict in Libya arose over the legitimate demand for increased democratization of the country in line with the mainly peaceful democratic revolutions sweeping across the world, it was quickly hijacked by an armed gang of rebels and metamorphosed into a civil war with the help of NATO countries that took military action in support of their sponsored UN resolutions 1970 and 1973 supposedly to protect civilian lives but inevitably killing Libyans and drowning hundreds of fleeing African refugees;
The African Union hereby orders an immediate stop to the bombing of any African country by NATO forces or there will be a complete break in diplomatic relations with all the countries participating in the military aggression against Africa. If the bombing does not cease by the weekend, all members of the African Union are hereby directed to recall their diplomats from the offending NATO countries and expel their diplomats from Africa until further notice.
Since the NATO forces claim to be acting on behalf of UN resolutions, we have resolved to remain in the UN to voice our opposition to this neo-imperialist aggression against Africa. The arrogance with which the NATO countries are bombing Africa would not be tolerated by any other region of the world and neither would the African Union stomach such a naked grab for the natural resources of Africa in the guise of humanitarian intervention.
NATO forces have continued to bomb the African State of Libya for more than three months in total disregard of the reasonable call for a cease-fire by the African Union Commission, using the excuse of a resolution by the Arab League as an additional justification. We call on African Union members of the Arab League to immediately break ties with that unrepresentative and unaccountable organization which has never called for the bombing of any repressive Arab country outside Africa and which remained silent when black African citizens of Libya were being murdered by racist rebels who dubbed them mercenaries.
Rather than rush to join NATO neocolonialist in recognizing an unelected band of rebels hired and equipped by aggressive NATO countries as the only legitimate representatives of the proud people of Libya, the African Union hereby calls on the rebels to lay down their foreign arms and engage in the African philosophy of non-violence as the best way to resolve the crisis in Libya.
We demand that the NATO countries that are bombing Libya must bear the full cost of reparations for the people assassinated and for the reconstruction of the homes and infrastructure destroyed in the country as a precondition before any renewal of diplomatic relations between those countries and member states of the African Union.
It is a fact that Libya is the African country ranked highest on the Human Development Index of the UNDP for decades and it is true that Gaddafi has been the most vocal advocate for African Union government. Now, the NATO imperialists are taking pride in bragging about degrading the infrastructure of the country, with the greedy wish that their own companies would be awarded oil contracts and contracts for the reconstruction of the country. We condemn such violent greed and hold the NATO countries accountable for the damage being done on African soil.
The African Union reiterates the call for a comprehensive cease-fire by NATO forces, the rebels and by the Libyan army to enable political negotiations by the people of Libya on the way forward for their country under the supervision of AU Peacekeepers. The NATO forces claim that they will continue to bomb Africa until Gaddafi steps down but as Africans, we cannot accept such an imperialist ultimatum any longer. It is not up to a gang of imperialist bullies to determine when any leader steps down in an African state; only the citizens should decide that through a peaceful democratic process.
We call on our brother leader, Gaddafi, to heed the call for change in Libya by initiating a process of transition, starting with a national constituent assembly to draw up a multi-party constitution which would provide for equal representation of men and women in all arms of government, give all Africans at home and abroad the right of citizenship in the state of Libya as a model for the African Union Government, allow elections to be held before the end of the year and allow a new leadership to transition in the country peacefully.
We call on all members of the African Union to witness the ongoing fantasy of re-colonization being performed by NATO war-mongers and therefore speed up the process of reconstituting the people of Africa into the People’s Republic of Africa United Democratically (PRAUD). That is the only guarantee we will have that no small ants, foreign or native, will ever again attempt to swallow the African elephant without thinking twice.
When we are reunited as the African republic, citizens at home and in the Diaspora can move to any state of their choice and settle without fear, state governors and the president of Africa will have term limits, we will pool our resources together to provide decent living for Africans and we will be able to demand successfully for the countries that enslaved and colonized Africa for centuries to pay reparations to Africa.
This will be a win-win for the entire world because a united Africa will be able to buy more from and sell more to the rest of the world with our convertible common currency – the Afro, save resources by ending the duplication of foreign embassies and armies by the fifty-four states, reduce corruption, prevent civil wars, deter foreign invasions, provide additional internal revenues for poorer states and foreign aid for poor countries in other parts of the world, and ‘defossilize’ the genius that made Africa the origin of civilization for the benefit of all humanity.
Do not agonize; organize!
Dr. Biko Agozino is a Professor of Sociology and Director of Africana Studies Program, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, Agozino@vt.edu
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