PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe on Wednesday accused the
UN Security Council of wielding an “insatiable appetite for war” as
he condemned NATO’s campaign that helped topple Libya’s Muammar Gaddafi.
UN Security Council of wielding an “insatiable appetite for war” as
he condemned NATO’s campaign that helped topple Libya’s Muammar Gaddafi.
The 88-year-old firebrand critic of the West
told the UN General Assembly that NATO’s “military hegemony” in Libya
showed how the alliance’s members are “inspired by the arrogant belief
that they are the most powerful among us.”
told the UN General Assembly that NATO’s “military hegemony” in Libya
showed how the alliance’s members are “inspired by the arrogant belief
that they are the most powerful among us.”
He began by departing from his prepared speech
to respond to US President Barack Obama’s address to the UN General Assembly on
Tuesday in which he paid tribute to his slain envoy to Libya, Chris Stevens,
who was killed in a terrorist raid on the US Consulate in Benghazi on September
11.
to respond to US President Barack Obama’s address to the UN General Assembly on
Tuesday in which he paid tribute to his slain envoy to Libya, Chris Stevens,
who was killed in a terrorist raid on the US Consulate in Benghazi on September
11.
Mugabe told world leaders: “May I preface my
speech with reference to the most glowing and most moving speech we listened to
from the President of the United States, the import of which was to get us to
condemn the tragic death of the US ambassador to Libya. I’m sure we were all
moved, we agree it was a tragic death and we condemn it.
speech with reference to the most glowing and most moving speech we listened to
from the President of the United States, the import of which was to get us to
condemn the tragic death of the US ambassador to Libya. I’m sure we were all
moved, we agree it was a tragic death and we condemn it.
“But a year ago, we saw a barbaric and brutal
death of the head of state of Libya, a representative of his country, a member
of the African Union. That death occurred in the context in which NATO was
operating supposedly in order to protect civilians.
death of the head of state of Libya, a representative of his country, a member
of the African Union. That death occurred in the context in which NATO was
operating supposedly in order to protect civilians.
“As we in spirit join the United States in
condemning Stevens’ death, shall the United States also join us in condemning
that barbaric death of the head of state of Libya, Gaddafi?”
condemning Stevens’ death, shall the United States also join us in condemning
that barbaric death of the head of state of Libya, Gaddafi?”
Mugabe said Gaddafi’s death was “a great loss to Africa, a tragic
loss to Africa”.
loss to Africa”.
“The [NATO] mission was strictly to protect
civilians, but it turned out that there was a hunt, a brutal hunt for Gaddafi
and his family. They were sought; NATO caught up with them and they suffered
the brutal deaths that we know about.”
civilians, but it turned out that there was a hunt, a brutal hunt for Gaddafi
and his family. They were sought; NATO caught up with them and they suffered
the brutal deaths that we know about.”
The African Union’s peacemaking efforts in Libya were
“defied, ignored and humiliated,” he added.
“defied, ignored and humiliated,” he added.
“May we urge the international community to
collectively nip this dangerous and unwelcome development before it
festers,” he told world leaders.
collectively nip this dangerous and unwelcome development before it
festers,” he told world leaders.
NATO launched military strikes last year after the Security Council
passed two resolutions on protecting civilians from Gaddafi’s crackdown to put
down a rebellion. The new Libyan government and the West have hailed the
campaign but Russia, China and others say now that they were tricked into
accepting the action
