Botswana is the only African country with a freely elected decent government. Their action against Libya is an example of their moral decency.
(CNN) — Botswana’s foreign affairs ministry said in a statement, “In light of the massive and disproportionate force visited upon peaceful protesters by the Libyan security forces, the government of Botswana summoned the Libyan Representative in Gaborone and expressed its revulsion at the Libyan government’s response to peaceful protesters and called for restraint in dealing with the situation.”
Peru and Botswana both announced they were breaking diplomatic ties with Libya. Peruvian President Alan Garcia said his country suspended diplomatic relations after condemning “the repression unleashed by Gadhafi.”
The statement added that Botswana was joining “the international community which is calling for action to be taken against those persons who have committed crimes against humanity in the continuing conflict in Libya and hopes that such persons shall be referred to the International Criminal Court to account for their deeds.”
ICC Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo noted that Libya is not a party to the Rome Statute, which set up the court. “Intervention by the ICC on the alleged crimes committed in Libya can occur only if the Libyan authorities accept the jurisdiction of the Court,” his statement said. “In the absence of such step, the United Nations Security Council can decide to refer the situation to the Court. The Office of the Prosecutor will act only after either decision is taken.”
French President Nicolas Sarkozy called for prompt European Union sanctions against Libya on Wednesday, such as “a ban on access to EU territory and financial monitoring.”
(Bloomberg) — German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Nicolas Sarkozy led calls for European Union sanctions against Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi as political unrest continued in the North African nation.
Merkel said that Qaddafi’s televised speech yesterday in which he threatened his own people with civil war was “alarming.” Sarkozy said today that France may suspend economic and commercial relations with Libya, according to an e- mailed statement in Paris.
The European Union in Brussels is suspending negotiations with the Libyan government on an EU-Libya Framework Agreement and said the 27-nation bloc “is ready to take further measures.” EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said “those responsible for the brutal aggression and violence against civilians will be held to account.”
(VOA) — The U.S. State Department says it is considering sanctions against Libya in response to the government’s violent crackdown on protesters.
Spokesman P.J. Crowley said Wednesday the United States has a number of options for taking action against Libya including bilateral or multilateral sanctions. He said it is important that any steps the U.S. takes should be coordinated with the international community.
3 thoughts on “Botswana joins Peru in breaking diplomatic ties with Libya”
It is a fact how a democratically elected government to that of self appointed so called democrat blood sucking leaders differ from one another. I am sure, if such a thing had happened in Ethiopia, without any doubt Melese and his wife with special force of Agazie would have unleashed to whip out anyone who will stand in their way from the “goose that lay the golden egg” for them to stash away in foreign banks.
Look at what Melese id doing in one hand he selling a vast acreage of land to whom ever give him dollar and Euros and on the other hand, he is begging for hand out to feed the very same people, he now took away their lands. That is a true commentary on Ethiopia
Important lessons for Meles Seitanawi (Zenawi) to learn from the sweeping Arab Revolutions:
1. Sleep no more, thinking there will be a lasting peace in Ethiopia while the majority of Ethiopians are suffering under your regime.
2. Diminish your unwavering trust in the might of your army.
3. Put no more confidence on the Ethiopian ambassadors serving in various countries.
4. End the hope of hiring foreign mercenaries to fight for you your dirty wars.
5. Distribute among the Ethiopians all the money you and your wife have stolen.
6. Free all the political prisoners before the Ethiopian Revolution get them free.
7. Get rid of all the documents you have signed to sell lands to the foreigners.
8. Stop dividing Ethiopians on tribal lines; it doesn’t seem working in Libya.
9. Avoid using force on the Ethiopian peaceful demonstrators; if you choose to do so, the whole world will condemn you, including your closest allies – the United States and the European nations.
10. Convene the parliament and put forward your resignation peacefully.
Follow my advice and find a place to live in Ethiopia like Sharm el-sheik, where Hosni Mubarak is now residing happily with his family.
Thank you Botswana!! If I have power, my task will be to dissolve AU. What is the use of AU if it is not the first to condemn a government killing its own citizens?