Saturday, February 19, 2011

U.S. President Barack Obama condemned Friday the use of force against protesters in Bahrain, Libya and Yemen after government forces brutally sought to crush the latest wave of Middle East violence.
“The United States condemns the use of violence by governments against peaceful protesters in those countries and wherever else it may occur,” Obama said. He also urged these governments “to show restraint in responding to peaceful protests and to respect the rights of their people.”
The administration said it would speak out everywhere in favor of the universal values of peaceful protest and free assembly.
Democratic Senator Richard Leahy asked the State Department to look into whether a law which prohibits aid to foreign security forces that violate human rights could be invoked against Bahrain.

“To a watching world, the vicious and orchestrated attacks on civilian protestors and journalists in Bahrain, Libya, Iran and elsewhere in the region are repugnant,” Leahy said. “They deserve condemnation by other governments and official actions that are appropriate to these deplorable offenses against commonly held principles.”
The U.N.’s top human rights official has condemned Friday the violence used by security forces in Libya, Bahrain and Yemen against anti-government protesters. U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay said security forces responded in an “illegal and excessively heavy-handed” manner against peaceful demonstrators.
She condemned the use of live ammunition against protesters in Libya, the use of electric tasers and batons in Yemen, and the use of military-grade shotguns in Bahrain.

Britain said Friday it was revoking more than 50 arms export licenses for Bahrain and Libya where security forces have cracked down on protests and several people have been killed.

The revoked licenses cover items such as tear gas and ammunition that could be used to suppress protests.
Britain’s coalition government said it had “taken a decision to revoke 24 individual licenses and 20 open licenses” for the Persian Gulf state.
It also revoked eight individual licenses for Libya. A review of export licenses to the wider region, including Yemen, was continuing, it said.

France announced Friday it had suspended exports of security equipment to Libya and Bahrain.
“Authorizations for the export of security equipment bound for Bahrain and Libya were suspended yesterday [Thursday],” Foreign Ministry spokesman Bernard Valero said.
French authorities “expect the authorities in Bahrain to translate the promises they have made into action.”
Foreign ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council, composed of Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, affirmed their political, economic, security and defense support for Bahrain, at a meeting in Manama Thursday.

Turkey voiced concern Friday over a deadly crackdown on anti-regime protests in Bahrain and urged respect for basic freedoms in efforts to end the turmoil. – Agencies