The 2011 Uprisings

Gramaisc

Forum O. G.
article-0-09E4EA7D000005DC-234_468x329.jpg
 

joshua

Well-Known Forumite
Sorry for length
Update from Agence France Presse via Al Arabiya:
Protesters in the Libyan capital Tripoli sacked state broadcast offices and set branches of the People's Committees that are the mainstay of the regime ablaze overnight, witnesses told AFP on Monday, as the European Union said it would start to evacuate its citizens.

"The headquarters of al-Jamahiriya 2 TV and al-Shababia radio have been sacked," one witness told AFP by telephone on condition of anonymity.

Broadcasts on both channels were interrupted on Sunday evening but resumed on Monday morning.

A government building in the Libyan capital is on fire, a Reuters reporter said on Monday.

"I can see the People's Hall is on fire, there are firefighters there trying to put it out," the reporter said.

The building is where the General People's Congress, or parliament, meets when it is in session in Tripoli.

A number of witnesses said protesters had torched public buildings in the capital overnight, not only People's Committee offices but also police stations.

HRW & Arab League
Human Rights Watch said on Monday that at least 233 people have been killed since Thursday in a crackdown in Libya on protests inspired by the uprisings in Libya's neighbors Egypt and Tunisia.

The head of the Arab League called for an end to violence in Libya on Monday, saying the demands of Arab people for change are legitimate.

Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa said the bloodshed in Libya, where violent unrest has spread to the capital Tripoli, must stop, Egyptian state news agency MENA reported.

"The demands of the Arab peoples for reform, development and change are legitimate and ... the feelings of all the (Arab) nations are joined in this decisive moment in history," MENA cited Moussa as saying.

Citizen evacuation
An image grab from Libya's state TV shows a televised address by Gaddafi's son, Saif al-Islam The European Union is envisaging evacuating its citizens from Libya, particularly from the eastern opposition stronghold of Benghazi, Spain's Foreign Minister Trinidad Jimenez said Monday.

"We are extremely concerned, we are coordinating the possible evacuation of EU citizens coming from Libya especially from Benghazi," Jimenez said on arrival for a second day of talks among EU counterparts on the Arab reform movement.

The change in tone, from pre-planned talks on redrawing aid conditions to the region followed the spread of unrest from the flashpoint second city of Benghazi and gunfire ringing out in the capital, after Libyan leader Moammar Gaddaffi's son Saif al-Islam Gaddafi warned that "rivers of blood will run through Libya."

An NGO has claimed hundreds of deaths in a violent state crackdown -- with 60 just on Sunday in Benghazi.

However, French European Affairs Minister Laurent Wauquiez was more cautious, saying earlier that "for the moment, there are no direct threats" requiring the repatriation of some 750 French citizens in Libya.

Oil firms
British energy giant BP was meanwhile making preparations to evacuate some of its staff from Libya amid escalating unrest in the country, a spokesman said.

"We're just monitoring the situation and making preparations to evacuate some of the families, and some non-essential staff in the next day or two," said the spokesman.

The company has about 140 staff in the country, about 40 of whom are expatriates, he said.

Some of those being prepared for evacuation were crew making drilling preparations in the west of the country in Ghadames, and as a result these preparations were being suspended.

"We are many years away from production, we haven't drilled a single well there yet," added the spokesman.

Austrian oil and gas group OMV also said none of its operations in Libya had been affected by the unrest there but added it was withdrawing expatriate staff from the country.

"Due to the current situation, we reduce our personnel to the business essential staff. All other OMV expatriates and the families will be withdrawn from the country," company spokeswoman Michaela Huber said in a statement, adding that OMV's operations and production there were unaffected.

Libya is one of OMV's most important oil suppliers and provides around 34,000 barrels per day.

French-run schools
A supporter of Libyan leader Gaddafi holds his picture during a pro-government rally in Tripoli France, meanwhile, said it was closing French-run schools in Libya and urging its citizens there to return home, European Affairs Minister Laurent Wauquiez said on Monday, after anti-government protests spread to the capital Tripoli.

Wauquiez said around 30 French nationals had been brought out of the city of Benghazi, where there has been a fierce crackdown on protests for the past few days, and flown to Tripoli.

"We are trying to organize things so that French schools close now and are encouraging French citizens and families in Tripoli and Libya in general to come back to France," Wauquiez said on Europe 1 radio.

About 750 French people live in Libya, he said, adding: "For the moment there's no direct threat (to them)."

The Libyan uprising is one of series of revolts that have raced like wildfire across the Arab world since December, toppling the long-time rulers of Tunisia and Egypt and threatening entrenched dynasties from Bahrain to Yemen. The West has watched with alarm as long-time allies and old foes have come under threat, appealing for reform and urging restraint.

Libya is Africa's fourth biggest oil exporter, producing 1.6 million barrels of oil a day.

Oil jumped by more than $1 a barrel to $103.5 a barrel on fears the unrest could disrupt supplies
 

joshua

Well-Known Forumite
According to the BBC's live stream things are getting really loved up. Naval gun fire has been called in on residentual areas in Tripoli, military aircraft are firing upon Green Square and mercenaries are driving through the streets shooting at anyone gathered in groups. Gadaffi means buisness.

And apparently the entire Libyan delegation to the UN is calling on the UN to stop the 'genocide of the Libyan people' by the Gadaffi regime. Couple that with military defections, as well as defections by some from within the Regime and I think this can be called a full blown civil war.
 

Gramaisc

Forum O. G.
Let's hope that we've learnt from 1989 - and really help those who want to move in the right direction..
 

joshua

Well-Known Forumite
Is the Islamic world melting down?

governments in place populated by muslims are collapsing yes, But largely because they dislike the despots in power.
I havent seen a Mullah of a "classic" Devotee Muslim in the riots. The clips from Bahrain and Egypt all appeared to show your standard western haircut stlyish beard Muslims.

Yes the old world is falling apart, But one cannot leap to the predictions made in Revelation or anywhere else just yet. In 15 years time, for all anyone knows now we could just as easily have a north African alliance of democratic states. Whilst these places have not experienced democracy properly in their history, they have sat there and watched it and seen it practiced enough to have a fair crack at getting it right if they so choose.
 

joshua

Well-Known Forumite
Holly Pattenden, head of oil and gas analysis at Business Monitor International, she says investors are worried about the protests spreading. "It's certainly worrying investors an awful lot and traders," she told the BBC. "The worry is that export facilities could be affected. Both Libya and Algeria have exported about a million barrels a day each so this could have a big effect on the supply side of the oil market and that's why traders are adding this big risk premium."
 

John Marwood

I ♥ cryptic crosswords
Petrol rationing plans in full ...


Erm, you cant have any

At all

Thats it

Oh,

sorry - didnt see the gun... yeh of course helpyaself....
 

Astro Boy

Pocket Rocket
Brother Gaddafi, You're Going Down

The beginning of the end for Muammar Gaddafi was classic Arab dictator stuff as he left his "modernizing" son Saif to threaten and infuriate the masses by saying they risked igniting a civil war in which Libya's oil wealth "will be burned". There will be more blood after the Libyan despot turned helicopter gunships on his own people, but "Brother" Gaddafi is going down. Pepe Escobar
 

United57

Well-Known Forumite
I've heard it on good authority that Berlusconi has said he will personally look after Gaddafi's female bodyguards. He was quoted as saying " Muammar no need to worry, hey whats 40 virgins amongst friends, I'll even take the 6 foot Ukranian nurse, I'm in the sh*t anyway "
 

toooldtorock

Well-Known Forumite
My mate in Malta tells me at least half the Libyan airforce has now landed there. Hope it doesn;t mess up my holiday in the summer!
 

Gramaisc

Forum O. G.
toooldtorock said:
My mate in Malta tells me at least half the Libyan airforce has now landed there. Hope it doesn;t mess up my holiday in the summer!
My early life was spent at Luqa - is Hal Far still active?..
 

John Marwood

I ♥ cryptic crosswords
Gramaisc said:
toooldtorock said:
My mate in Malta tells me at least half the Libyan airforce has now landed there. Hope it doesn;t mess up my holiday in the summer!
My early life was spent at Luqa - is Hal Far still active?..
Is this what 'they' call 'chatter'...?

Ref:Spooks
 

toooldtorock

Well-Known Forumite
I'm not sure there is a disused old Airbase on the south west of the island, is that it? I think the Maltese Air Force use their own bit of Luqa
 

Gramaisc

Forum O. G.
toooldtorock said:
I'm not sure there is a disused old Airbase on the south west of the island, is that it? I think the Maltese Air Force use their own bit of Luqa
It would be more South East, I think. It's remains are still visible on Google Earth, though one of the runways now seems to be in use as a road.
 

Astro Boy

Pocket Rocket
Iran Embarks On New Voyage Of Discovery

The sight of Iranian warships sailing through the Suez Canal for the first time in more than 30 years has raised many alarm bells, particularly in Israel. The sea voyage certainly marks Iran's newfound ties with Egypt, and amply illustrates how the Iran-led bloc that includes Syria, Lebanon's Hezbollah and Hamas in Gaza has unique momentum to harvest a great deal of (geo) political gain at the expense of the United States.
- Kaveh L Afrasiabi

"The Americans try hard to not be the target of these huge popular uprisings, but will fail because people have realized that the policies of Americans and their cronies are the causes of humiliation and division among nations. As a result, the key to resolving people's problems rests on ending America's arrangement in the region."
- Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei
 

John Marwood

I ♥ cryptic crosswords
joshua said:
It will be interesting to see how the political map of North Africa and the Middle East looks in 6 months time though. It's possible that we may be approaching a tipping point of sorts for regimes across the mid-east now that Libyans and Iranians have taken to the streets. These are arguably the two most repressive regimes in the region. It will be interesting to see what happens next in say Syria or Saudi Arabia (both equally equally repressive/reactionary) or even Jordan, one of the more 'enlightened' mid-east countries. Personally, I am not expecting much to happen in any of these, though they all have the same underlying problems; a very young population, high youth unemployment, corruption etc.

PS it take's some balls to still come out on the streets when all you have is rocks facing goons with MG's and sniper rifles shooting from helicopters..
My paper is indicating the Saudis are bricking it and are throwing $30,000,0000,000 at the people to keep them from revolting

Including 15 per cent pay rises for all public sector workers and cash to students

This is one regime that should be crushed but money can make people do the strangest things..
 
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