Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)

Ní úsáidfidh mé iad go léir. Libya, Egypt, Tunisia and the entire African continent suffered for centuries as a consequence of colonialism and imperialism, when the west carved up territories and pillaged their resources. In recent times, the need for oil has resulted in the west supporting despotic regimes in a number of countries in the region. The region has also been militarised to an extent that has not been witnessed previously. In particular, during the Cold War era, the west and the Soviet Union played one country off another by arming groups and setting them against each other in pursuit of the natural resources in the region. When it suited western powers, they turned a blind eye - they continue to do so - to the excesses of those in charge against their civilian populations or against the members of particular groups and religions in their countries. It is hypocritical that the western powers are willing to impose a no fly zone on Libya, yet when the Israeli regime was bombing the hell out of Gaza not so long ago, there was no move by them to impose a no fly zone on the Palestinian territories to prevent the Israelis from bombing civilian targets.

We need to be careful when endorsing no fly zones to ensure they are not one-sided and to ensure the signal goes out to all other regimes in the region that the UN and the west will not stand by and will impose the same restrictions they are imposing on Libya on any regime willing to target civilians.

Tacaím leis an cinneadh chun pobal neamhurchóideach Libya a chosaint. Tacaím chomh maith leis an cinneadh go gcuirfear aon ghníomh atá ag teacht salach ar dhlithe idirnáisiúnta i leith chosaint saoránach in am an chogaidh os comhair an Chúirt Idirnáisiúnta agus go gcúiseofar siúd atá i gceannas nó atá tar éis an ghnímh sin a dhéanamh amach anseo. Sa deireadh thiar thall, séard atá i gceist againn agus á phlé againn anseo ná cearta daonna, cearta gnáth saoránaiogh atá faoi ionsaí ag fórsaí Rialtais Libya. Sa deireadh thiar thall, níl áit ar bith sa domhan gur féidir le aon duine seasamh i bhfábhar a leithéid. Tá sé ceart go bhfuil an cosaint sin á thabhairt do saoránaigh. Caithfidh muid a dhéanamh cinnte de go bhfuil an daonlathas chun cinn sa cheantar. Ach ag an am céanna, caithfimid tuiscint a bheith againn ar stair agus ar chultúr an réigiúin agus a thuiscint nach féidir linne a rá go díreach conas mar a gcuirfear an daonlathas sin i bhfeidhm chomh fada agus go bhfuil cothroime do chách taobh thiar den daonlathas sin.

Tacaíonn siúd atá taobh thiar den chinneadh a rinneadh na Náisiúin Aontaithe le déanaí le Rialtas Saudi Arabia, Rialtas Kuwait agus rialtais tíortha eile sa réigiún sin nach bhfuil meas madra acu ar chearta daonna, tíortha nach dtuigeadh riamh cad atá i gceist le cothroime. Mar sin, caithfidh an éileamh ar dhaonlathas sa cheantar seo seasamh don cheantar ar fad seachas do thír amháin thar tír eile. Caithfidh muid cruthú chomh maith dóibh siúd sna tíortha seo nach ar bhonn cosaint ar ola nó achmhainní nádúrtha eile atá an seasamh seo á ghlacadh againn, ach go bhfuil muid ag déanamh iarrachta cosaint a dhéanamh ar saoránaigh agus go bhfuil muid ag iarraidh tacú leo seachas tacú le regime amháin thar regime eile.

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