Migrante International condemns the US-led imperialist war of aggression on Libya. The ongoing air strikes and military intervention in Libya encroach upon the Libyan people’s national sovereignty and right to self-determination.
Behind the US-led imperialist war of aggression on Libya is also the ulterior motive to control Libya’s oil and natural gas reserves which Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi has refused to subject under imperialist powers over the years. The US-NATO attacks came on the very eve of the anniversary of US war of aggression on and invasion of Iraq in 2003, also justified as a “humanitarian rescue mission” but was enforced for the very same hidden agenda. Imperialist greed for oil is further exposed eight years after the invasion of Iraq as not a single weapon of mass destruction has been found since. Instead, US corporations, oligarchs and other imperialist economies have entrenched upon and exploited the Iraqi oil economy after the fall of Saddam Hussein.
As in Iraq, imperialist powers are taking advantage of the ongoing civil war in Libya through a direct interventionist war that even the people of Libya are opposing. The US, French, Britain and Italian governments are clearly in connivance with each other to topple Gaddafi and replace him with a puppet government that would willingly open up Libya’s nationalized oil industry to imperialist control. For them, the invasion of Libya is a strategic move as it is home to the 9th largest oil reserves worldwide and controls the 25th largest oil firm in the world. To topple Gaddafi and replace him with a subservient leader would greatly serve imperialist interests not only in Libya but also in other oil-rich countries in the Middle East-North Africa region.
Migrante International also condemns the blatant massacre and threat on the lives of the Libyan people and other residents, including at least 15,000 Filipinos who are still in Libya. Of the total population of Filipinos in Libya, only a little over 14,000 have been safely evacuated to nearby countries and 8,000 repatriated back to the Philippines.
Ironically, the Philippine government had set an ultimatum for the evacuation and repatriation of remaining Filipinos on the very same day the US commenced with the air strikes. Worse, the Philippine government, in resonance with imperialist forces, chooses to condone the militarist attacks and has declared all-out support for the US-led interventionist war despite the grave and serious threat on the lives of tens of thousands of Filipinos.
Migrante International strongly condemns the Philippine government’s clear betrayal and abandonment of Filipinos in Libya. None other than the Aquino administration and US-led imperialist powers should be held accountable should a single drop of Filipino blood be sacrificed in the imperialist war for oil.
Migrante International calls on overseas Filipino workers, their families and all freedom-loving Filipinos to condemn the imperialist war of aggression on Libya and the Philippine government’s tolerance of blood for oil. Migrante International also demands the immediate evacuation and repatriation of the remaining Filipinos in Libya.
No blood for oil! US, Britain, Germany, Italy, hands off Libya!
Save the lives of Filipinos in Libya!
Down with imperialism!
