GADDAFI DEFENDS SOMALI PIRATES!

By ARGAW ASHINE, NATION Correspondent,
February 5 2009
ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA

"AU chairman says groups are fighting against greedy and capitalist West"

AU chairman Muammar Gaddafi has said that his priority will be to claim colonial compensation and to limit the power of Western nations

The Libyan leader further said he believed that piracy was a way of counter defence against the greedy Western nations.

Col Gaddafi expressed the sentiments Thursday morning when he paid his first day official visit to African Union head quarter in Addis Ababa. He addressed AU officials and staff.

Col Gaddafi wore a colourful shirt decorated with Africa Union founding fathers portraits including Tanzanian Julius Nyerere, Ethiopian Haile Selassie, Kenyan Jomo Kenyatta, and Ghanaian Kwame Nkrumah.

During the inaugural tour, Col Gaddafi revealed his plan for the next seasons, saying he doesn’t believe that Somalia piracy was a crime.

“It is a response to greedy Western nations, who invade and exploit Somalia’s water resources illegally,’’ he said.

“It is not a piracy, it is self defence. It is defending the Somalia children’s food,” Col Gaddafi argued.

He pointed out that some countries, particularly Western nations, were penetrating into a Somalia’s sovereign water territory, against the international law .

European, the US and China fleets are entering in the sovereign Somalia territory, because Africa doesn’t have strong and modern defence to push them back, Col Gaddafi said.

Nowadays, Somalis are reacting for justice and trying to defend their country against the unfair exploitation of resources, but Western countries have labelled it as piracy, Gaddafi explained.

The long-serving Libyan leader said he planned to convince other African leaders to claim compensation from colonial masters for their crimes and exploitation during the colonial era.

He disclosed that Libya will this week be claiming quarter billion dollars per year for the next 20 years compensation from Italy.

He said it was a time to ask Western world to pay for Africa’s past suffering and exploitation.

Italian parliament has agreed to pay the money to Libya, he said

Col Gaddafi has refused any invitation from Italy for official visit for the past 40 years as part of his protest and claim.

During my term in AU, I will initiate an organised compensation claim for Africa and I will fight for a greater voice for Africa in the United Nations Security Council.

“If they (Western nations) do not want to live with us fairly, it is our planet and they can go to other planet,” Gaddafi added.

Earlier Col Gaddafi asked for the support and ‘wisdom’ of Tanzanian president Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, his predecessor, on how to handle the 53-member group’s day-to- day affairs.

Col Gaddafi, who was elected on Monday as a chairman of AU for the next one year, said as the group’s 12th summit ended: “I need the support of my son Kikwete from his wide experience on how to handle AU issues.’’

President Kikwete, who retired from the chairmanship of the AU on Monday, headed the group at one of the most turbulent times during which he played a key role in mediating an end to the post-election violence in Kenya and the election dispute in Zimbabwe.

Had been picked

At the same time, Colonel Gaddafi said he would also seek the advice of former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo on how to deal with the continent’s matters. Col Gaddafi said that Obasanjo was in Addis to meet him.

Earlier, AU chairman Jean Ping said former South African president Thabo Mbeki had been picked by the AU to coordinate its legal matters like the threatened ICC indictment against Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir.

At the press conference, Mr Ping was asked by journalists about his impression about the capability of Col Gaddafi, who took power through a coup close to 40 years ago, to lead a continent where coups are rampant.

Mr Ping said Col Gaddafi was “Elected democratically representing North Africa and it’s a decision of the assembly” .

Submitted by wuod_aketch
Posted February 07, 2009

The pirates should continue to keep the East African coast clean from Chinese, Japanese and European trawlers from overfishing in our territories. Africa's disorganization and wars are what is saving us from greedy colonizers with Chinese, Japanese, Western/European faces. Don't you see that Africa has escaped the economic meltdown. Europeans/Americans, Chinese and Japanese are going to borrow many billions to keep their economies afloat. It will take their grand children several centuries to reimburse all this money. This is the beginning of the end of the industrialized countries.

Submitted by 1nyoike
Posted February 07, 2009

Gaddafi is no god, nor saint. He may blow the hot air we need and wanna hear as liberating but it remains just that; hot air. Ideally he has a point, but he's totally the wrong man for the moment and the job. Lord have mercy on Africa for the next 12 months!

Submitted by gathoni
Posted February 06, 2009

Our leaders are the problem; they are living proof that one can be a university graduate, yet be shockingly uncivilized, inhumane, unreasonable, disrespectful, shallow-minded, uncultured.. They need to reform, there´s yet hope.

Submitted by pat2007asc
Posted February 06, 2009

United States of Africa! Thats kool man. I fully support Col Gadaffi's ideals. The West must respect Africa and its people for there to be meaningful peace and prosperity in the world.Compensation for atrocities commited 2 Africans by colonial masters is imminent. Lets all support the Unification of Africa for prosperity and posterity. We are superior too like the Mzungus thats why we rule America and the world today today!! Go Africa Fire!

Submitted by assadmd
Posted February 06, 2009 07:42 PM

Gaddafi's support for the Somali pirates is absurd. He is condoning terrorism and kidnapping in the name of "defending the Somalia children’s food,”. Will be interesting to see where new AU leader will take Africa

Submitted by BinDahman
Posted February 06, 2009

"Bobcat" where did Gaddaf say he believes all Africans should be muslims? The guy is speaking for Africa representing Africa. Why do you start to bring your racist comments thats why we dont move forward in Africa because of people like you. I cannot condone what he said about the pirates. They (pirates) claim because West dumps toxic material (even proved by Italian journalists) in the Somali seas which render the fishing industry difficult to pursue leading to job losses;and the media blames the pirates for their actions. So which side to take? Thats up to you to decide.

Submitted by GitaaNyasani
Posted February 06, 2009

The good old debate of why Africa is and continues to be underdeveloped never ceases to amaze me. Yes Africa may be disadvantaged in certain ways but my question is, What have we achieved since independence? Most African countries are worse off now. What happened to the Asian tigers at per with most African countries at independence? The blame squarely lies on us.

Submitted by jaukakathevillager
Posted February 06, 2009

What is Gaddafi up to? Moi would have asked 'Hii Gaddafi nataka nini? Watch Gaddafi closely.He is good, but he is upto no good.Thro' investments in many African countries, Libya will soon have a great say in matters African.Grand regency is now Laico.More to follow soon.

Submitted by Squeezed
Posted February 06, 2009

Gaddafi is correct in the context that the whole pirate phenomenon was brought about by economic distress. Somalia has not had a central government since 1989-90 (?) consequent to which there has been no economy to speak of. When the West and Asian countries like Japan started encroaching on Somali territorial waters with impugnity (no government in Somalia) and super high-tech fishing gear, the results were disastrous for the poor Somalis who at the time only had their fishing as a means of livelihood.

Submitted by syindumyaki
Posted February 06, 2009

Seablue, the information on pirates was also featured on this online nation. I beg to differ with Gaddafi; piracy is a crime. If Somalia wants to defend its continental waters, let them do so peacefully and observe public international law.

Submitted by wangalambusi
Posted February 06, 2009

I can't believe any human being under planet earth would rally behind a mad man like Gaddafi. People are dying in Zimbabwe. We are doomed with Gadafi in EU leadership

Submitted by maziwa_lala
Posted February 06, 2009

The compensation stuff is pure nonsense and it will not work. Africans have received billion of dollars in Aid and has not improved the lives of people a single bit.In any case the former colonial powers will refuse to pay and there is nothing we can do about it. We should not delude ourselves we should concentrate in building our nations ourselves. Gaddafi is crazy dictator the kind of which Africa is ailing from

Submitted by ogosha
Posted February 06, 2009

Col Gaddafi could have had his bad days but this man is speaking the only truth and way foward for the AFRICAN countries. Please African leaders work with this man and you will deal with the Western nations as business partners rather than their ECONOMIC slaves

Submitted by ngongi1
Posted February 06, 2009

Which court shall Col Gaddafi use to have our case heard? The problem today is not mzungu, the problem today in Africa is our greedy leaders..begining with Kenya

Submitted by seablue
Posted February 06, 2009

"Naliweliwako" please think before you air your views because in reality where do you actually get your information that the Somalis were pirates? , The Western media of cause. You try and step just one hairs breadth into any Western countries territory and see what will happen to you, including being labeled terrorist. Get your mind out of the West’s rear gutter ideological propaganda and think for yourself for once at least. Always take what comes out of the West with a pinch of salt. History belongs to the victors.

Submitted by bobcat
Posted February 06, 2009

Populism is meant 2 appeal to basest human instincts,not the mind.All the guys on his shirt were total failures and demagogues jus like him.Gaddafi believes all Africans should bcome Moslems,no respect 4 personal freedoms.He wants 2 be king,yet he overthrew a king;he thinks Mugabe has a right to stay in power,his forces pushed Nigerias into desert to die yet he wants to lead Africans,who is delusional enuff 2 take him serious?

Submitted by Kollosh
Posted February 06, 2009

What the frak!!! This is the leader of our union for the next 12 months. God help us all. This man is so out of touch with what ails the African continent; it's a shame that he is going to be avoice of the continent.

Submitted by naliweliwalo
Posted February 05, 2009 1

Gaddafi's populist statements cannot work in a modern Africa. How can he defend pirates. Do two wrongs make a right? If he seeks a united Africa, let him be the first to relinquish his post!

Submitted by elgon
Posted February 05, 2009

That is my man! But please sir, use your opportunity at the helm of the AU to spearhead the unification of Africa. For this is the only way we know how, that Africa can use her mineral wealth to gain a voice in the operations of the world economy. We know, for example that without Africa's vast mineral wealth "western" developed countries CANNOT manufacture jumbo jets, cell phones, computers or have fish in their super markets etc. Congratulations sir! PLEASE UNITE AFRICA!

Submitted by wuod_aketch
Posted February 05, 2009

Kenya should reclaim compensation from the British.

Submitted by Jossseph
Posted February 05, 2009

Whoa! Col Gaddafi does not waste time, does he? I'd like to see him deal with Zimbabwe with the same urgency. Maybe he is what Africa has needed for ages.

Submitted by manmanu
Posted February 05, 2009

Gadaffi maybe wrong about piracy but l agree with him about colonial powers compensating African nations who were looted and are still being looted. The best way is to wipe away all debts and give more grants