Category Archives: Libya Conflict

The death of Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi on Oct. 20 was greeted with relief in the capital cities of NATO nations. His demise meant the war was all but over. In Ottawa, officials in the Prime Minister’s Office and the Privy Council Office went to work planning the largest military victory parade the country had seen in decades. The Conservative government wanted a major event: a flypast of CF-18 fighter jets and other aircraft, a parade, a choir and a feting of hundreds of military personnel in the Senate chambers. The emphasis was on portraying all those who had taken part in the Libyan mission — from cooks to clerks … Continue reading →

By Robert Asketill A person much in the news now is the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. This is Navanethem (Navi) Pillay, of South Africa. As a member of a non-white minority in apartheid South Africa, and as a front-line, grassroots lawyer who acted as a defense attorney for many anti-apartheid campaigners and trades unionists, Ms. Pillay has direct personal experience of many of the issues that a High Commissioner for Human Rights covers under her mandate. She has also been very active in supporting women’s rights, and was one of the co-founders of the international NGO, Equality Now, which campaigns for women’s rights. She has been involved … Continue reading →

By Simba Russeau As African Union and NATO leaders push for a political solution to the Libyan crisis, many of the thousands of refugees and migrants stranded on the Libyan- Tunisian border say their plight continues to fall on deaf ears. Sitting outside her makeshift tent with her daughter and grandson, 63-year-old Somali refugee Hawiyeh Awal tries to find a bit of shelter from the scorching sun on the Tunisian desert. “I’m so scared that I’m going to die in this hot desert,” she says. “I have diabetes and I’ve lost more than eight kilos since coming here because of the hot weather.” Before arriving in Tunisia by bus several … Continue reading →