20 March 2011
Johannesburg — African politicians should be held accountable for their actions by their peers, Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu said on Sunday.
He hoped events in Egypt, Tunisia and Libya would see African leaders become accountable to their people and peers.
“If Africa’s leaders held their peers to account there would be no need for the people of Libya to suffer human rights violations,” he said in a statement.
“And there would be no need for United Nations sanctioned military interventions in Libya. Instead, Colonel Muammar Gaddafi has for more than 40 years honed his skills in the art of resource management to win friends and influence people. And as a result, Africa seems powerless to stop him.”
In February a revolt erupted in Libya, one of Africa’s biggest oil producers, against long-time leader Gaddafi. Thousands have fled clashes between government forces and regime opponents, that some have called a civil war. At least 1000 people have been killed. The United Nations described the situation as a “humanitarian emergency”.
Said Tutu: “The scenes of brutality being meted out with sophisticated weaponry by Libyan security forces against their own civilian population make God weep. With every blow they strike, each human rights abuse they perpetrate, they bring shame on Africa.”
In January, protests erupted in Egypt, calling for the resignation of President Hosni Mubarak who had been in power since 1981. Mubarak stepped down in mid-February, after weeks of violence during which over 600 people were killed and thousands injured.
A popular uprising in Tunisia culminated in January with long-time President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali being ousted. Over 200 people were killed.
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Africa: ‘Hold Politicians Accountable’ – Tutu