Comment:
"I don't understand, why did the people not appreciate my decades of efforts that bring the country to great prosperity and progress?" [That's what ALL dictators say to themselves and to their people, when things get really wrong, or when a coup happens. What these dictators don't see (or are too disillusion to see) are how the people saw them as 'Decades of fright, and fear, and no freedom of press, or speech, and when these dictators leave the countries, tons of gold and diamonds, and petrol dollars (of the people wealth) are wired to international bank accounts overseas. The atrocities and plunders just never stop. And IF the people are lucky, only a hand full of these dictators will make it to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for trial].
http://au.news.yahoo.com/world/a/-/world/8895775/egyptians-flee-libya-as-gaddafi-vows-to-end-revolt/
Egyptians flee Libya as Gaddafi vows to end revolt
Tom Pfeiffer, Reuters February 24, 2011, 6:16 am
SALUM, Egypt (Reuters) - Minibuses packed with Egyptian workers and belongings piled high on the roof-racks crossed into Egypt from Libya on Wednesday after a revolt that triggered political and economic turmoil in the oil producer. Some Egyptians fled for fear of more bloodshed after Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, in power since 1969, vowed to crush a revolt that may have left as many as 1,000 people dead, according to Italy's estimate of the death toll.
"I fled. Gaddafi is killing the people, why should I stay? We will die if we stay. He gave the people 24 hours to stop the protesters," said Mahmoud Hadiya, 28, a builder who has been working for 18 months in the OPEC member. "I packed my bags as soon as his speech was over. To die in our country is better than to die there. I will try to find a job in Egypt," he said, referring to Gaddafi's defiant speech on Tuesday evening.
Some 17,000 Egyptians fleeing the violence arrived in the Egyptian border town of Salum on Tuesday and Wednesday, said Mohamed Abdel-Hakam, consular affairs assistant to Egypt's Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit. The minister has said 1-1.5 million Egyptians live in Libya.
Abdel-Hakem told reporters in Cairo that two Egyptians had been shot dead in the violence.
NO ONE IN CHARGE
Gaddafi has lost control of a chunk of the country, at least from Egypt's border to Benghazi, more than 500 km (310 miles) away. Libya's oil comes mostly from south of Benghazi. On the Libyan side of the border, no one appeared to be in charge. Young men armed with kalashnikovs and dressed in battle fatigues dashed around directing the migrants. Passport checks were hurried and cursory. Men barked orders at each other.
On the wall of one building was scrawled "down crazy Gaddafi." Egypt has sent military and civilian planes to Libya to evacuate its citizens. Abdel-Hakem said a total of eight flights each brought about 320 Egyptians home on Tuesday and Wednesday. "I never saw anything like this in my life. I saw so much terrible violence, so much blood since Thursday. I saw hundreds of dead. If you go to the hospital you will not believe your eyes," said Ali Ahmed Ali, 53, an Egyptian construction worker who had been employed in Benghazi.
Egypt, where about 40 percent of the population live on $2 or less a day, relies heavily on remittances from its nationals working abroad, particularly those working in Arab oil producing countries such as Libya and the Gulf states.
"After the protests, the owners of the companies and engineers left. Thieves came to steal the company cars and they began beating us. I worked three months and I've not been paid as the company was closed," said Ali, who is from Assiut in southern Egypt. "Last night there was the sound of shooting across Benghazi after Gaddafi's speech," he said. "I left at 3 a.m., taking nothing with me, no money, no belongings."
The U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees called on Wednesday for Tunisia and Egypt to maintain open borders for people fleeing the Libyan violence. "Given the continued reports of violence and human rights abuses inside Libya it is imperative that people fleeing the country are able to reach safety," it said in a statement.
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http://au.news.yahoo.com/world/a/-/world/8895775/egyptians-flee-libya-as-gaddafi-vows-to-end-revolt/
Egyptians flee Libya as Gaddafi vows to end revolt
Tom Pfeiffer, Reuters February 24, 2011, 6:16 am
SALUM, Egypt (Reuters) - Minibuses packed with Egyptian workers and belongings piled high on the roof-racks crossed into Egypt from Libya on Wednesday after a revolt that triggered political and economic turmoil in the oil producer. Some Egyptians fled for fear of more bloodshed after Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, in power since 1969, vowed to crush a revolt that may have left as many as 1,000 people dead, according to Italy's estimate of the death toll.
"I fled. Gaddafi is killing the people, why should I stay? We will die if we stay. He gave the people 24 hours to stop the protesters," said Mahmoud Hadiya, 28, a builder who has been working for 18 months in the OPEC member. "I packed my bags as soon as his speech was over. To die in our country is better than to die there. I will try to find a job in Egypt," he said, referring to Gaddafi's defiant speech on Tuesday evening.
Some 17,000 Egyptians fleeing the violence arrived in the Egyptian border town of Salum on Tuesday and Wednesday, said Mohamed Abdel-Hakam, consular affairs assistant to Egypt's Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit. The minister has said 1-1.5 million Egyptians live in Libya.
Abdel-Hakem told reporters in Cairo that two Egyptians had been shot dead in the violence.
NO ONE IN CHARGE
Gaddafi has lost control of a chunk of the country, at least from Egypt's border to Benghazi, more than 500 km (310 miles) away. Libya's oil comes mostly from south of Benghazi. On the Libyan side of the border, no one appeared to be in charge. Young men armed with kalashnikovs and dressed in battle fatigues dashed around directing the migrants. Passport checks were hurried and cursory. Men barked orders at each other.
On the wall of one building was scrawled "down crazy Gaddafi." Egypt has sent military and civilian planes to Libya to evacuate its citizens. Abdel-Hakem said a total of eight flights each brought about 320 Egyptians home on Tuesday and Wednesday. "I never saw anything like this in my life. I saw so much terrible violence, so much blood since Thursday. I saw hundreds of dead. If you go to the hospital you will not believe your eyes," said Ali Ahmed Ali, 53, an Egyptian construction worker who had been employed in Benghazi.
Egypt, where about 40 percent of the population live on $2 or less a day, relies heavily on remittances from its nationals working abroad, particularly those working in Arab oil producing countries such as Libya and the Gulf states.
"After the protests, the owners of the companies and engineers left. Thieves came to steal the company cars and they began beating us. I worked three months and I've not been paid as the company was closed," said Ali, who is from Assiut in southern Egypt. "Last night there was the sound of shooting across Benghazi after Gaddafi's speech," he said. "I left at 3 a.m., taking nothing with me, no money, no belongings."
The U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees called on Wednesday for Tunisia and Egypt to maintain open borders for people fleeing the Libyan violence. "Given the continued reports of violence and human rights abuses inside Libya it is imperative that people fleeing the country are able to reach safety," it said in a statement.
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