The Arab European Forum is appealing to pharmaceutical companies to donate medicines that would be sent where needed, maintaining that basic necessities are lacking in Libya.

Contacts are being established with medical centres in the North African country to compile a list of their requirements. So far, the indication is they include antibiotics, anaesthetics, analgaesics and other ITU medication, forum president Mokhtar Aziz said.

Medical supplies would be sent to Benghazi, Tripoli and wherever needed, Dr Aziz said, pointing out there was “no east and west” when it came to humanitarian aid, which it has kick-started.

Storage for the collected items had been organised and the plan, so far, was to fly out the medicines, he said, not envisaging any problems as regards transportation.

The forum for development and dialogue, set up less than a year ago and is a Maltese-registered NGO composed of scholars and intellectuals from the Arab world in Malta, issued a statement earlier this week “greeting” the uprising of the Libyans “against corruption and the totalitarian regime, led by a ruling family that has manipulated the truth for the last decades”.

It is taking concrete steps to assist those “at the bottom of the heap” and, apart from aid, is also seeking to help Libyans stuck in Malta and wanting to return. The forum has no statistics on such Libyans but it set up a committee on Monday evening to start dealing with them, facilitating flights back home, offering temporary accommodation and whatever they need.

Dr Aziz said they might be in transit and were willing to go back, adding the Libyan national carrier was flying daily to Malta.

He was hoping for feedback from local and international companies and trusted in the generosity of the Maltese, who have been expressing moral support throughout the Libyan crisis.

Dr Aziz, who is originally from Tripoli and has been living in Malta for 25 years, said he was hoping to see an end to the unrest as soon as possible “to save more Libyan blood”.

The forum expressed its support for the reinforcement of the rights of the Libyans to decide their future, while saluting the martyrs, slaughtered by the militia and mercenaries, who “actively participated in the genocide against humanity that has occurred on Libyan soil”.

It welcomed the Security Council resolution and pleaded with the United Nations and religious organisations to protect the civilians from the crimes they were being exposed to.

The forum plans to collaborate with humanitarian aid organisations, representing various faiths, to alleviate the Libyan sufferings.

It was set up to encourage dialogue between Arabs and Europeans on issues of common interest and challenges between them, with the aim of building on their long history of friendship and recognising respect for all cultures.

More information can be obtained from the Arab European Forum in Guardamangia on 2137 7944 or arabeuroforum@gmail.com.