“Selfishness is not living as one wishes to live, it is asking others to live as one wishes to live.”− Oscar Wilde
“We are also watching the situation in the Arab lands with alarm!” Haven’t we been hearing this ad nauseam from the US administration and all European countries? But maybe ours is a different and more honest concern.
We must be able to see the two main reasons that have resulted in the unrest in most Arab countries, as well as in others for that matter. And both these reasons can be traced to the greed and rapacity of the Western capitalist countries.
In one case, it is our endorsed support for repressive regimes that have tugged along according to our diktats and been obedient servants to our demands to the detriment of their own people.
On another note, but identical in its selfish and avaricious interests of our comforts, we have constantly agitated, instigated, sanctioned and even condoned violence against any other country that failed to toe the line. How much longer must Western countries continue promoting and supporting dissidents in sovereign countries for disobeying their capitalist dictates before we say ‘enough is enough’?
The case of Libya irrefutably falls in the latter category. As would also fall China, Cuba, Russia, Iran, Venezuela and so many other countries.
Have we all forgotten the US bombing of Libya in 1986 when the 15-month-old daughter of Muammar Ghaddafi was killed and the 1996 plot for the assassination of Ghaddafi, with the alleged involvement of the M16 British Secret Service, when a great number of his bodyguards were killed in the attack?
The West’s support of any anti-government coup rests on the belief that a better deal for their country can be obtained. Just listen to the reports of the Libyan crisis and note how mostly dwell on the repercussions of the outcome on one’s own country, or explicitly close-mouthed for fear of being on the wrong side of a closing gate.
We are no saints and neither is Muammar Ghaddafi! However, have we ever stopped to note and think about what Libya was before Ghaddafi and what gains its people have achieved since then? If the excuses for the uprising are poverty, unemployment, corruption and repression, what do accusers know of Libya’s earlier colonial times?
Is that where they are heading? No, we only know and care what WE got out of Libya!
Shame on us for our hypocrisy!!
The condemnation of excess violence, coming from whatever side, must be strongly declared and articulated but we must not miss equally condemning any local or foreign instigation for violent uprisings hiding ulterior motives.
There must be no equivocation in our regret for the loss of life resulting from this sad event together with our strong admonishment against any form of revengeful action consequent to any possible outcome.
May human reason prevail!
Joseph M. Cachia
VITTORIOSA