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Steadily losing his grip on power - Qaddafi. Photo: DPA

Merkel hails sanctions against Qaddafi

Published: 27 Feb 11 11:24 CET | Print version
Online: http://www.thelocal.de/politics/20110227-33379.html

Chancellor Angela Merkel on Sunday welcomed the decision by the United Nations to impose a row of sanctions on the Qaddafi regime in Libya.

“The unanimous decision of the UN Security Council is a strong signal to Colonel Qaddafi and other despots that abuses of human rights will not remain unpunished,” she said on Sunday in Berlin.

Merkel called on Qaddafi to step down, saying the unanimous vote of the UN demonstrated the determination of the international community in its condemnation of Qaddafis crimes in attacking protesters.

“It is high time for him to go,” she said.

She spoke after 133 Germans and other Europeans were evacuated from southern Libya on Saturday night. It is thought around 100 more Germans are still in the country and efforts are being made to help them leave.

The sanctions against the Libyan regime include a travel ban on Qaddafi and his clan as well as the freezing of all his and his associates’ foreign bank accounts. The wheels were also set in motion for investigations to begin into the Libyan regime with a view to prosecutions for systematic abuse of human rights at the International Criminal Court at the Hague.

A group of Libyan opposition politicians have founded what they are calling a temporary government headed by former Justice Minister Mustafa Mohammed Abd al-Jalil. It was recognised as legitimate overnight by the Libyan ambassador to the US, Ali Audshali.

The Libyan deputy ambassador to the UN Ibrahim Dabbashi called on army officers to split from Qaddafi and defend their own people instead. He said at least 2,000 people had been killed during the violence against demonstrators.

Although Qaddafi’s militia still largely controls the capital Tripoli, it has lost power in several other areas and at least two other cities.

Thousands of foreign workers are being evacuated from Libya in ferries and planes.

DPA/DAPD/hc

What do you think? Leave your comment below.


Your comments about this article:

12:31 February 27, 2011 by Landmine
"travel ban on Qaddafi and his clan"????

A clan is a very old word that usually is attributed to a tribe. Better word might be followers.
13:21 February 27, 2011 by Frenemy
Qaddafi's literal clan/"tribe" IS in fact an issue...
16:18 February 27, 2011 by anangryman.com
Who in their right mind would think Gadhafi is going to just step down out of power. The US doesn't give Gadhafi any kind of aid, so basically Obama's talking into the breeze. Now Obama and the UN are putting sanctions on Libya, like that's going to do something, the US goverment better realize that this has a domino effect, as Mubarak fell, that eventually went to Libya, and when Libya is toppled it will eventually go to Saudi Arabia, and when that happens you'll really see oil shoot up. Then what do you think will happen to the world economies when gas is is double what it is now.....more at anangryman.com
16:28 February 27, 2011 by catjones
@angryboy....since your vision of the future is so clear, where will the DOW be on Monday at 3pm EST? Too foreign for you? How about the DAX?
16:50 February 27, 2011 by wood artist
@frenemy

You may well be correct, however, I saw a story last night that featured some leaders of his "tribe" publicly denouncing what he's become. Assuming that was reasonably accurate, perhaps the tribe is beginning to re-think his membership, and THAT might well be a real tipping point in this whole battle, not because he cares, but because his ultimate allegiance group has turned on him.

wa
17:31 February 27, 2011 by cheeba
Yesterday on television I heard Obama calling for him to step down and leave the country immediately. This one day after they slapped a travel ban on him and his entourage. !!??
23:19 February 27, 2011 by Surferjoe
I love this photo of Gadhafi. The uniform looks like a costume straight out of MGM's wardrobe. And the hat! What a buffoon this guy is.
01:16 February 28, 2011 by temanaroa
@cheeba

There is no travel ban to hell!
03:33 February 28, 2011 by John Beck
Amazing how many hypocrites are in this country. For the last 42 years, the world in general and this Germany in particular have been treating Qaddafi with kids gloves, welcoming him with open arms everywhere he goes and most importantly buying his oil and selling him arms he is using right now to commit genocide against his people. Now all of a sudden, Angie and the rest of the world are jumping ship. Why didn¦#39;t you all denounce this mad man before the Arab world¦#39;s awakening? How about this, let all stop using Arab countries as our personal gas stations and show some respect. How can the world respect the US if we do not respect ourselves?
09:56 February 28, 2011 by moistvelvet
Ooh sanctions, does that mean Germany can no longer sell arms to Libya? Also surely the travel ban is only valid or applicable to countries which he will not want to travel to anyway. Can't see him wanting to fly to the US, London or Paris, but Venezuela or another part of the axis of evil as defined by western governments perhaps.
10:25 February 28, 2011 by munchingmuschiinmünchen
Funny how people debate about a madman. This guy is definitely not mentally stable and does not really care what he does.

@ John Beck- which world were you living in? For the last 42 years, nobody has been trating Qadafi with kids gloves. Save for the past 4-5 years, the guy has been totally isolated by the international community. It is just after G-Dubya invaded Iraq that the guy saw it fit to change his ways for fear of being the next target.

Isolation is nothing new to the Brotherly Leader and Guide of the First of September Great Revolution of the Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya.
11:16 February 28, 2011 by michael4096
John Beck does have a point. The west consistently has, and still does, install and support governments for their perceived value to the west and not for their value to their own people.

@moistvelvet - only one government has an 'axis of evil'. Few other peoples are so absolute in their good / evil debates. However, I don't think Venezuela was ever a member anyway.
12:16 February 28, 2011 by moistvelvet
@michael4096 perhaps so but I'd be surprised if Venezuela is agreeing to this Western led travel ban since it is the biggest ally to one of the countries that was on the "axis of evil" list - Cuba.

But I suppose it depends on who is using the phrase "axis of evil", to Chavez the New Latin left in South America is the "axis of good" and all other allies of Washington are "axis of evil". In any case I doubt Gadaffi is packing clothes for a norhtern hemisphere climate.
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