CNV

Brussels, 24 February 2011 - The World Organization of Workers – WOW calls on the international community to respond to the current situation in the Maghreb countries as well as the Middle East. We condemn all attacks on civilians and peaceful protestors and we encourage all who are continuing their dangerous struggle for more democracy. We express solidarity with those people who have lost loved ones and those who are faced with violence. We furthermore express our support for all workers in setting up and strengthening independent trade unions in their countries, where independent trade unions are more often than not, non-existent.

The inhumane and highly inflammable political situation in Libya is a tremendous disaster. Since the protest started on 15 February 2011, hundreds of people have lost their lives and many others have been injured and lost their livelihoods.

What started as a peaceful call for the end of the regime of President Muammar al-Gaddafi has now developed into a situation of total chaos. Demonstrators and those opposing his reign are randomly killed by mercenaries who come from outside the country.

Currently there is a gulf of protests in various countries in the Maghreb region as well as in the Middle East. Large groups of protestors call for more democracy. While protests in Tunisia and Egypt were reasonably peaceful, protest in Libya, and to a lesser extent also in Yemen, show a totally different and gruesome picture. In Libya, Gaddafi has vowed, during his hour-long speech on 22 February, to continue fighting the opposing powers "until the last drop of his blood had been spilt". No cell in his body is thinking of stepping down from office. He talks about the protesters as "rats" and has promised to hunt them down.

US President Barack Obama has warned Gaddafi that Libya may face international sanctions. Furthermore, he stressed that “the suffering and bloodshed is outrageous and it is unacceptable. So are threats and orders to shoot peaceful protesters and further punish the people of Libya. These actions violate international norms and every standard of common decency. This violence must stop.”

Additionally, Obama stated: “Like all governments, the Libyan government has a responsibility to refrain from violence, to allow humanitarian assistance to reach those in need, and to respect the rights of its people. It must be held accountable for its failure to meet those responsibilities, and face the cost of continued violations of human rights.”

The UN Security Council condemned the continuous violence in Libya, while the European Union is preparing sanctions against Libya. The latter has been made more difficult because of the openly support by Prime Minister of Italy, Silvio Berlusconi, for the regime of Gaddafi.

British foreign minister, William Hague, stated that there are "many indications of the structure of the State collapsing in Libya". Many other country-leaders have expressed great concern. Today, total anarchy and insecurity is affecting millions of people. The latest news is that there are groups of people terrorising the streets of Tripoli with guns and other weaponry. The fear is that the resurgence in Libya will result in a very bloody civil war, without the prospect of coming to a hold soon.

The World Organization of Workers – WOW would like to express solidarity with all the people in Libya as well as in all the other countries in the Maghreb region and the Middle East in their struggle for more democracy. Let us hope the situation will calm down soon.