Gaddafi’s son says regime will survive

As Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi shows no sign of relinquishing his power despite weeks of protests, the world waited Sunday to see whether the threat of sanctions will have any effect on a country where the death toll has reportedly topped 1,000.

The United Nations Security Council voted 15-0 Saturday night on a draft resolution that includes an arms embargo, asset freeze and travel bans for Gadhafi and several of his family members and associates.

The draft resolution also refers the situation unfolding in Libya to the International Criminal Court, and Gadhafi and others could face an investigation for potential war crimes.

“This resolution will be a signal (to) put an end to the fascist regime that is still in existence,” said Abdurrahman Mohamed Shalgham, Libyan ambassador to the United Nations. Earlier Saturday, he renounced support for Gadhafi, calling him “a leader who loves nobody but himself.”

Military and security forces loyal to Gadhafi have killed more than 1,000 people, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has estimated.

But early Sunday, Saif al-Islam Gadhafi — one of Moammar Gadhafi’s sons and a prominent member of his government — told CNN’s Nic Robertson that he was confident the regime could survive the unrest and ultimately reunite Libya. Saif Gadhafi added that he wanted this reunification to be accomplished without violence.

Earlier Saturday, Libya’s foreign minister told Robertson that possible U.N. sanctions on the country would be hasty.

“It is unjust for the Security Council to rush and make decisions,” Musa Kasa said. “The Security Council should be more responsible to begin with and confirm what’s happening on the ground first. Our door’s wide open to the scenario, and everyone who is interested, we welcome them to come to Libya and see what’s going on.”

Hours before the Security Council’s vote, Libya’s budding opposition picked a former top official as its interim leader.

Libya’s deputy ambassador to the world body, Ibrahim Dabbashi, indicated Saturday that he and fellow diplomats “support … in principle” a caretaker administration to lead Libya under the direction of former Justice Minister Mustafa Abdul Jalil.

City councils in areas no longer loyal to Gadhafi chose Jalil to head an interim government that would represent all of Libya and ultimately be based in Tripoli, according to Amal Bogagies, a member of the coalition of the February 17 Uprising, and a separate Libyan opposition source. Both are based in Benghazi, the eastern city that is under the control of the opposition.

Jalil was in Gadhafi’s government through Monday, when he quit to protest the “bloody situation” and “use of excessive force” against unarmed protesters, according to Libyan newspaper Quryna.

Days later, he told a Swedish newspaper he had evidence that Gadhafi ordered the 1988 bombing of a jet over Lockerbie, Scotland, that killed 270 people.

Protests began February 15 in Benghazi, Libya’s second largest. At least several other cities are now thought to be under opposition control, according to eyewitnesses. There have been numerous reports of widespread violence — some of it perpetrated by foreign mercenaries and security forces loyal to Gadhafi, and some by protesters.

While CNN has staff in some cities, the network could not independently confirm reports for many areas in Libya. But CNN has compiled information through telephone interviews with witnesses.

Tripoli itself was noticeably tense but largely quiet overnight Saturday — with many streets barren except for police, armed men in civilian clothing and young people with sticks.

One man, who is not named for safety reasons, described an “eerie feeling” around the capital, even as fear of violence led many people to hunker down in their homes.

“You can feel the tension and the anticipation that something big is going to happen,” he said. “Everyone is waiting for it.”

At the main airport, about 20 miles south of Tripoli, several thousand people camped outside in makeshift tents, waiting for the chance to leave the violence-wracked country.

“We fear we may be witnessing the calm before the storm,” said a statement from more than 200 Arab organizations and a group of 30 prominent intellectuals from across the Middle East and North Africa. “The window of opportunity to prevent further atrocities from occurring is closing fast. The people of Libya need you to act quickly and decisively.”

In some of his strongest wording to date, U.S. President Barack Obama said Saturday, “When a leader’s only means of staying in power is to use mass violence against his own people, he has lost the legitimacy to rule and needs to do what is right for his country by leaving now.”

Later, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton issued a statement urging Gadhafi to step down.

“Moammar Gadhafi has lost the confidence of his people, and he should go without further bloodshed and violence,” Clinton said. “The Libyan people deserve a government that is responsive to their aspirations and that protects their universally recognized human rights.”

Frightened residents said they stayed indoors Saturday, though unable to ignore the sound of gunfire or the words of Gadhafi in a public address the day before in which he vowed to keep unleashing force.

“We can destroy any assault with the people’s will, with the armed people,” he said on state television Friday. “And when it is necessary, the weapons depots will be open to all the Libyan people to be armed.”

Libya’s prime minister announced on state television Saturday that every family would receive 500 Libyan dinars ($406) from the government.

The humanitarian group Doctors Without Borders said in a statement Saturday one of its teams was in Benghazi. Their arrival, and a promise of future aid, marked one of the first humanitarian inroads into Libya in recent weeks.

Operations at several embassies — including those of Great Britain and the United States — in Tripoli have been effectively shuttered for the safety of their personnel. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said he planned to speak with Obama in Washington on Monday.

The advocacy group Human Rights Watch said Saturday the situation was worse in Zawiya — about 55 kilometers (35 miles) west of Tripoli and the epicenter of violent protests Thursday.

“West of Tripoli in Zawiya city, government security forces firing on demonstrators are causing bloodshed and chaos,” Sarah Leah Whitson, the group’s Middle East and North Africa director.

For now, Libyans themselves are left to wait to see what happens next.

“We wait and see what tomorrow will bring,” a Tripoli man said Sunday. “We pray for a quick ending to this nightmare, with minimum bloodshed. No one is naive, however, to believe that Gadhafi is going to go easily.”

Source: CNN