In the light of what is currently happening in Libya, and after having listened to Muammar Gaddafi for a mere few minutes, I can’t help but wonder how our government ever believed, even for one second, that the illegal immigrants that we sent back to Libya were treated humanely?
And don’t tell me that they went ‘voluntarily’ because none of us ever believed that. Nor does it matter that Italy did the same, unless of course you are ready to admit that Berlusconi and Gonzi are made out of the same cookie cutter.
A few minutes listening to this maverick, is enough for anyone with at least one lonely brain cell, to conclude that he would turn against anyone who dared contradict him or cost him money.
After 42 years in power, Gaddafi cannot fathom the idea of being criticized or opposed in any way. Last year, ten Libyan journalists – six male and four females - who worked for a news agency controlled by his somewhat rebellious son, were arrested by Gaddafi’s security forces for speaking out against the dictator.
Now tell me….if a government does not give two hoots about going on record for punishing journalists, for nothing more than criticising him, how can anyone possibly trust him with the basic care of vulnerable immigrants who have no assets to offer and no state to claim them?
Last August, which was around the same time that we were sending immigrants back to Libya, or conveniently waiting until they were picked up by Libyan boats, Gaddafi publically said that “Islam should become the religion of all of Europe.” He didn’t consider that this statement might have exposed his much hated fundamentalist mentality, and he did not worry about spreading crazy fear and Islamophobia.
And if this was not enough to convince us that we cannot trust this man with the lives of people who had already fled their country tormented, he also went on to ask Europe for disgusting amounts of money in order to avoid being invaded by “black and ignorant Africans”.
What else do we need to know about this man to convince us that sending immigrants back to Libya is SO wrong, that no amount of Church-going and divorce-opposing will ever wash clean the blood on our hands?