QADDAFI: BUYING PEACE

Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi spoke in the Italian Senate in his first keynote address. Italy is the former colonial ruler of Libya. Gaddafi could not address the chamber of the Senate because of protests led by opposition Senators. He was provided podium in an adjacent hall. One opposition party, Italy of Values, boycotted the address. The Libyan leader devoted much of his speech to immigration, a hot topic since Libya agreed to take back migrants rescued by Italy at sea under the terms of a $5 million deal on colonial reparations. Addressing humanitarian critics of the controversial new policy, he said: “Let the Italian government stop defending you from immigration, let millions of people in, and then you’ll need a dictator to protect you.” Human rights organisations have criticised Libya for not providing adequate facilities to process pleas from asylum seekers fleeing conflicts in Africa. It appears that after buying peace with the United States Gaddafi is trying to rope in European Union in face saving, rather face lifting exercise.