USA Africa Dialogue Series - Halifa Sallah proposes a solution to the Libya crisis

http://thepoint.gm/africa/gambia/article/halifa-sallah-takes-issue-with-govt-on-libya

Monday, May 16, 2011"

" In my view, there is a fundamental flaw in the way the Libyan
situation is being handled. Ghaddafi made the first blunder which
confirms that he has never been clear on what his role is in Libyan
history. The same flaw is being made by most African leaders," Sallah
said.
In an exclusive interview with The Point at the weekend, Sallah opined
that all African leaders should recognise that the right to self
determination and independence calls for both a Nationalist Revolution
to establish independent states and a Democratic Revolution for
sovereignty to reside in the people, and for that sovereignty to be
asserted through  the exercise of the right to freedom of expression
and association, including the right to form political parties and
seek the mandate of the people through free and fair elections.
"Ghaddafi failed to recognise the second phase of the national
liberation struggle, which is the democratic phase that makes the
people sovereign. As soon as the protests started, the African Union
should have intervened to convince Ghaddafi to call for a National
Conference to determine a transitional arrangement towards the
attainment of the democratic revolution, before any atrocities were
committed," he stated.
Instead, he added, Ghadaffi chose the route to civil war by promising
to crush those who are opposed to his leadership, instead of opening
the democratic space for them to promote the emergence of a new Libya,
which is their sovereign right.
According to him, it is this vicious assault on the sovereign Libyan
people which compelled the UN to intervene to establish a no-fly zone,
and protect those who do not share Ghaddaffi's concept of how Libya
should be governed.
"There is now an armed opposition and an armed fragment of Ghadaffi's
state power.
"Now, no government exists in Libya which can protect its sovereignty,
territorial integrity, political independence and national unity. The
task now is how to establish a government in Libya that will have the
legitimacy to govern," he noted.
The renowned politician cum sociologist proposed that the African
Union should guide the UN to hold a UN Conference on Libya through
which representatives of the armed opposition, Ghadaffi's faction,
prominent intellectuals, religious and civic leaders would be brought
together under the auspices of the United Nations in partnership with
the AU  to develop a National Transitional government and programme,
which the vast majority of Libyans could recognise and respect as the 
peaceful way forward for the country.

This, he added, is the way forward for Libya. "

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