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From: B-Haile (eritrea.lave@comhem.se)
Date: Thu Feb 24 2011 - 22:30:06 EST
"Some protesters had been shot dead from the military barracks, said to accommodate Ethiopian and Somali mercenaries."
Business Day - South Africa
UK calls on world to condemn Gaddafi for killings
Witnesses put death toll at 200 with about 800 injured
FOREIGN STAFF
Published: 2011/02/21 07:12:57 AM
BRITAIN yesterday condemned attacks on protesters by security forces in Libya's second-biggest city, Benghazi, and called for international opprobrium of Muammar Gaddafi, who has dominated the country for 41 years.
"There are reports of the use of artillery and anti-aircraft weapons" in Benghazi, UK Foreign Minister William Hague said in London. "The UK condemns what the Libyan government has been doing and we call on other governments to do the same."
Analysts said it was unusual that there had been no call yet for a United Nations Security Council emergency session as the violent upheaval sweeping the Arab world entered its fifth week.
Witnesses put the death toll at more than 200 yesterday, with about 800 injured. New York-based Human Rights Watch said yesterday at least 173 people had died since last Wednesday.
Libya has the largest crude oil reserves in Africa.
Internet footage showed protesters being shot by security forces, and a doctor in Benghazi told Al-Jazeera the victims were arriving at the hospital "in waves". He said he had seen up to 20 deaths a day since Friday. The youngest was 13 years old.
Some protesters had been shot dead from the military barracks, said to accommodate Ethiopian and Somali mercenaries.
Mr Hague contrasted the "terrifying response" in Libya with that of Bahrain's crown prince, who "is trying to embark on a real dialogue with the opposition".
Libya has moved centre-stage after violence flared in Yemen, Djibouti and Bahrain as governments sought to crack down on calls for political change sparked by Egypt and Tunisia.
Persian Gulf shares slumped, sending Dubai's benchmark stock index down the most this month. The US issued a travel warning for Libya yesterday, citing "violent clashes" in six eastern cities. Britain will discuss the violence with fellow European Union foreign ministers, who were to meet in Brussels, Mr Hague said.
In Bahrain, home to the US Navy's Fifth Fleet, seven opposition groups were drawing up demands to put to the government as they discuss its call for dialogue, said the National Democratic Action Society.
Thousands of protesters stayed in the central square that has become the focus of protest in the capital, Manama, yesterday after tanks, armoured personnel carriers and riot police withdrew on the orders of Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa.
US President Barack Obama had told King Hamad Bin Isa Al Khalifa on Friday that the government had to show restraint in dealing with peaceful protests and hold accountable those responsible for violence, according to a statement in Washington.
Fitch Ratings put Bahrain on rating-watch negative last week.
There were reports yesterday of protests in Morocco, Algeria, Yemen, Djibouti and Iran. In Beijing, China a gathering of protesters was quickly suppressed. There were protests in Kuwait, Jordan and Algeria on Saturday.
In Yemen, gunfire broke out in the capital Sanaa on Saturday, leaving one man dead after he was shot by government supporters. The crowds are demanding an end to the rule of Ali Abdullah Saleh, president for 32 years.
Also yesterday Yemen's main opposition group rejected an offer for dialogue with the government as long as protesters were being attacked by security forces.
Swap contracts for Saudi Arabia, used as a measure of confidence although the country has no debt to insure, jumped 11,5 basis points to 138 last week, the highest since July 2009, on concern the unrest may spread to the world's biggest oil exporter, which has a Shiite minority in the east, where most of its oil is produced. Bloomberg, Staff Writer
http://www.businessday.co.za/articles/Content.aspx?id=134910
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