UN panel finds Libya forces committed war crimes.

[elleng]

Source: AP

A United Nations panel said Wednesday that Libyan government forces have committed crimes against humanity and war crimes, apparently as a result of orders given by Moammar Gadhafi and other senior officials.

The U.N. investigators said they have received estimates of 10,000-15,000 people killed since February and added there is evidence that opposition forces also committed "some acts which would constitute war crimes." . .

It concluded that government forces committed murder, torture and sexual abuses "as part of a widespread or systematic attack against a civilian population" before and during the conflict that started in February.

"Such acts fall within the meaning of 'crimes against humanity,'" the panel said.





Read more: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iSKhbDOWzBxTeyrOUB_lSf3JM5nQ?docId=56b7066e80b54723a2f71441b726d7dc

[ZombieHorde]

1. We don't care about war crimes, we want to know if they are taking recreational drugs! nt

[defendandprotect]

2. kr

[Arctic Dave]

3. This thing is still in it's infancy and the have a panel saying there war crimes committed.

Bush on the other hand, is walking free today.

[joshcryer]

4. ICC can go after Bush, even with a non-signatory. Just have the UNSC do it...

...and then have a President with the compunction not to veto it. Then send the US marshals down to arrest the asshole.

[WatsonT]

5. Naturally, and as they OKed the war with Gaddafi

they are entirely unbiased.

[joshcryer]

6. That would be arguable if they didn't admonish the rebels for their crimes.

The rebels certainly aren't free and clear of acting poorly (there's no doubt in my mind that black Africans were persecuted, and some even killed, especially early on during the chaos).

edit: I'm not saying the UN is perfect, but I want the UN to have some level of legitimacy in the world, and I want them to get it right.

[WatsonT]

10. I have an issue with their objectivity

considering this is necessary to justify their past actions.

It's like if the judge sentencing your and your defense attorney were the same person.

Slight conflict of interest.

[Turborama]

7. K&R thanks for posting n/t

[dipsydoodle]

8. UN panel finds rebel forces committed war crimes too.

The UN mission also said opposition forces were guilty of abuses that would constitute war crimes, although they were not as numerous.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-13622965

War crimes are war crimes - not measured by number.

[Turborama]

9. There is a difference between 'war crimes' and 'crimes against humanity', though

As well as what's in the OP, there's also this later in http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iSKhbDOWzBxTeyrOUB_lSf3JM5nQ?docId=56b7066e80b54723a2f71441b726d7dc">the article...

It concluded that government forces committed murder, torture and sexual abuses "as part of a widespread or systematic attack against a civilian population" before and during the conflict that started in February.

"Such acts fall within the meaning of 'crimes against humanity,'" the panel said.

=snip=

The panel's 92-page report, commissioned in February by the U.N. Human Rights Council, also found that rebel forces committed "some acts which would constitute war crimes."

"The commission is not of the view that the violations committed by the opposition armed forces were part of any 'widespread or systematic attack' against a civilian population such as to amount to crimes against humanity," it added.

(emphasis mine)