DA welcomes ICC Libya arrest warrants

2011-06-27 18:40

Cape Town - The Democratic Alliance on Monday welcomed the announcement that the International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued warrants of arrest for Libya's top leadership.

The ICC has issued the warrants for leader Muammar Gaddafi, his son Saif al-Islam and the country' intelligence head Abdullah al-Sanussi.

All three have been charged with crimes against humanity, including the murder and persecution of civilians during the initial days of the pro-democracy uprising in Libya which began in February this year.

"The DA calls on the African Union and the South African government to support the ICC's decision in this regard, particularly as South Africa's Constitution recognises the validity of international law," DA spokesperson Stevens Mokgalapa said in a statement.

South Africa could not sit by and allow the dire humanitarian situation in Libya to deteriorate any further. Those responsible for the atrocities committed in Libya should be held to account, he said.

The ICC's decision followed Sunday's meeting of the AU's high-level ad hoc committee on Libya in Pretoria.

The AU's subsequent announcement that Gaddafi had agreed not to participate in the peace negotiation process was a positive development, and an important step towards bringing greater stability to Libya.

Gaddafi had lost all legitimacy as leader of Libya, and nothing less than his arrest and prosecution would pave the way for democratic reform and peace in that country, Mokgalapa said.

- SAPA