4th March 2011, Geneva;The Maldives delegation at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva today used a debate on the deteriorating human rights situation in Libya to call for robust international intervention, including through the imposition of the UN no-fly zone across the country, in order to prevent ongoing gross and systematic human rights violations by Muammar Gadaffi and the Libyan authorities. The Maldives has played a leading role at the Human Rights Council in the latter's efforts to hold the Gadaffi regime accountable for such violations including be cosponsoring an emergency session of the Council in February.
Speaking on behalf of the Maldives, Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva, Ms. Liusha Zahir, acknowledged that despite strong initial responses by the UN Human Rights Council and Security Council, "the Libyan authorities have intensified their attacks against their own people - people who have asked nothing more than the right to choose their own government, speak their mind, and determine their own future".
The Maldives thus called for immediate international intervention to protect the human rights, including the right to life, of the Libyan people.
"Let us be very frank, the Libyan authorities have reneged on their primary responsibility to protect their own people. It is therefore beholden on us, the international community, to immediately intervene and fulfill our duty to protect.
If the international community does not, there can be no doubt that Muammar Gadaffi will use his superior military forces to snuff-out the flame of democracy in Libya and unleash terrible retribution against those who dared to oppose him. Are we really ready to stand by and watch another Rwanda, another Bosnia, unfold on our TV screens?" asked Ms. Zahir.
The Maldives thus urged world's major powers to abandon their "wait and see" policy and to immediately act to protect the civilian population. "In particular we urge the Security Council to show leadership and immediately impose a no-fly zone over Libya in line with the request of the Arab League".
"Through its own actions, the Gadaffi government has lost its legitimacy and its right to govern. The international community, led by the UN, must therefore immediately open channels of communication, on a humanitarian basis, with the Transitional National Council", concluded
Ms. Zahir.
ENDS
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Fathulla Jameel Building, Malé, 20077, Republic of Maldives, | Tel Number: 00960 332-3400 | Emergency Contact: 00960 798-3400