Says In Election Year Blacks Must Hold Obama Accountable
Nation of Islam leader Minister Louis Farrakhan delivered a scathing indictment of the relentless bombing of Libya by NATO forces at a press conference held June 15 at United Nations Plaza, Hotel Millennium in New York.
Farrakhan's acute analysis of the situation in Libya and international politics was insightful and informative. The press conference had a live link to Libya and South Africa, and will be translated into Arabic for the Libyan people.
Brief statements were also given by Viola Plummer of the December 12th Movement, former U.S. Rep. Cynthia McKinney (speaking from Libya via telephone), and former U.S. Attorney General Ramsey Clark.
"I am here to discuss the current state of affairs in Libya, and the actions taken by the United Nations with respect to Security Council Resolution 1973, passed on the 17th of March 2011," Farrakhan said. "I am addressing my remarks to the United Nations and all of those who have joined to destroy Brother Leader Col. Moammar Gadhafi and the Libyan Jamahiriya."
Farrakhan named the United States, United Kingdom, France, Canada, and Italy, as well as Germany, China and Russia, all three of whom abstained from the vote on U.N. Resolution 1973.
"If the Security Council passed Resolution 1973 to protect the people of Libya from the so called 'evil intentions' of the leader," he observed, "why then is NATO now using Resolution 1973 as a pretext to assassinate Moammar Gadhafi and create regime change?" he asked.
Farrakhan questioned the U.N.'s fostering of armed rebellion and civil war, rather than humanitarian concerns.
"They say that he has lost the moral authority to lead because he has killed his own people. But they have not proved that charge," he added.
He then compared the historic record of mass killings throughout the world by Western nations to the record of Libya. He cited America's decimation of the indigenous people of the U.S., the transatlantic slave trade, atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and the war on Iraq based on lies and concocted "evidence" causing the deaths of thousands of U.S. soldiers and hundreds of thousands of Iraqis; and England's abuse of the people of Asia, Africa, the Caribbean, and all the places that they ruled.
Farrakhan then compared the conditions of the people of Libya to the people of the West, particularly the U.S., with its poverty, homelessness, lack of health care coverage, decaying infrastructure, crime, and illiteracy. He said such woes are virtually unknown to the Libyan people. The massive profits from their nationalized oil reserves are shared with the people.
Development of the country has been phenomenal under the leadership of Gadhafi, he said. Libya transformed the desert into farmland through massive irrigation projects. While the people of the U.S. are burdened with a $62 trillion national debt, Libya is debt free, Farrakhan said.
Further, "NATO and America are trying to re-colonize Africa through AFRICOM," he added, referring to the African Command. "My question to African leaders is, will you allow it? Out of fear of the so-called power of the West, will you bow down and act against the interest of African people worldwide?
"Look at the arrogance of Hillary Clinton, the Secretary of State, speaking in Addis Ababa, the capital of the African Union," he continued, referring to Clinton's June 6 trip to Africa. "That's some gall, to go right to us and tell us like children, what she wants us to do."
Farrakhan then quoted Clinton's speech, noting that she had said, "'It is true over many years Gadhafi played a major role in providing financial support for many African nations and institutions including the African Union. But it becomes clearer by the day that he has lost his legitimacy to rule and we are long past time where he can and should remain in power.'"
Farrakhan then explained: "Clinton urged them to call for a genuine cease-fire and call for Gadhafi to step aside. Further, Clinton urged them to suspend operations of Gadhafi's embassies in their countries, expel all pro-Gadhafi diplomats and increase support for the transitional national council."
Some African leaders, including South Africa's Jacob Zuma, have condemned NATO's war on Libya and aggressive attempt at regime change at any cost, including assassination. And Gadhafi has been a principal advocate and organizer for a United States of Africa.
Farrakhan said, "The West fears an African Union. It threatens the international power structure."
Farrakhan also reiterated plans laid out by Viola Plummer, who called for a Harlem Millions March to protest the attack on Africa—Libya and Zimbabwe—as well as what she called Mayor Michael Bloomberg's attack on black people in New York City. The march will take place on Saturday, Aug. 13 in Harlem.
Farrakhan gave his full support to the march and explained the "importance of black people in the U.S. to exert their collective influence over U.S. policy during this election year.
"Black elected officials including President Barack Obama must be held accountable, and we must push them to stand up in the interest of African people worldwide," he said.
For more information on the upcoming Harlem Millions March to End the Bombing of Libya, Illegal Sanctions in Zimbabwe, and Bloomberg's Destruction of Education, Housing, Health Care, call (718) 398-1766. "Speaking Truth To Empower."
