Boycott Libya

In 2006 the State Department under the Bush Administration removed Libya from the list of state sponsors of terror. The only countries remaining on that list are Cuba, Iran, Sudan, and Syria. The next year ExxonMobil was awarded oil and gas leases by the despotic Libyan regime and the re-establishment of the Libyan subsidiary of the world's largest oil conglomerate was set forth into motion. Despite protests from the families and friends of the victims of Libyan terrorism, we were ignored by the State Department.

President Barack Obama was elected by the American people on the promise of "change." He opposed the 2003 invasion of Iraq. He has promised the American people to stand up to corporate greed and corruption. He campaigned for the Presidency of the United States on a platform of social justice and political reform.

On behalf of the families and friends of the victims of Pan Am Flight 103 and others who have suffered due to the terrorism sponsored by the Gaddafi regime, we call upon President Obama to fulfill his promise to the American people by condemning the regime of Muammar al-Gaddafi on September 23rd before the UN General Assembly. The Libyan dictator is scheduled to address the Assembly after the President has made his speech.

In light of the Libyan regime's welcoming of convicted Lockerbie terrorist bomber Abdel Baset al-Megrahi, released by the Scottish government on "compassionate grounds," as a national hero and proclaiming his innocence, we also call upon President Obama to re-list Libya as a state sponsor of terror and to take steps to prevent American corporations from doing business in Libya. It is unconscionable for the United States and any Western democracy to engage in trade relations with such a regime that has supported terrorism and violates the human rights of its own citizens.

We call upon the people of the United States to stand in solidarity with the Lockerbie victims by boycotting any American corporations doing business with Libya, particularly ExxonMobil. British Petroleum and Royal Dutch Shell are two other major oil conglomerates that are doing business in Libya and in light of recent backdoor diplomacy between the United Kingdom and Libya, are expanding their investments and operations there.

As the leader of the free world, it is the responsibility of President Obama to take a stand against corporations whose greed is matched only by their willingness to do business with tyrants and regimes that sponsor terrorism. The mistakes of past administrations must not be made again. The recent backlash against the miscarriage of justice carried out by the Scottish government should serve as a reminder that the interests of the people must always come first, not those of the oil industry and big business.

The United States must set an example for the rest of the world to follow. We call upon President Obama to take this opportunity to fulfill the promises he has made to the American people and to take a stand against the greed and corruption of the oil conglomerates. We call upon the President to put people over politics and refuse to do business with a regime that continues to embrace terrorists and violate the human rights of its own citizens. We believe that our demands are reasonable and that the vast majority of Americans support us in our belief that terrorist states must not be appeased or bargained with. Otherwise, there will have been no "change."

WHAT YOU CAN DO

Write to President Obama and make clear your opposition to trade relations between Libya and the United States and that such relations are an insult to the victims of Pan Am Flight 103 and to the people of the United States.

Write to your representatives and Senators in Congress. If your current representatives are not willing to take a stand against trade with Libya, vote them out of office during the next election.

Boycott Exxon, Esso, Mobil, BP, and Shell gas stations. ExxonMobil Libya began its first drilling operations in July 2009. It is not too late for the Obama Administration to halt these operations and put an end to ExxonMobil Libya.

A protest against the presence of Gaddafi has been scheduled for September 23rd at 8AM. Demonstrators will enter the United Nations area on 3rd Avenue at 47th Street. From there, follow 47th Street to enter Dag Hammarskjold Plaza at 47th between 1st and 2nd where the protests will be taking place. For more information, please visit American Libyan Freedom Alliance.

EXTERNAL LINKS

The Official Website of the Victims of Pan Am Flight 103

OPPRESSION OF THE GADDAFI REGIME

Wikipedia: History of the Jews in Libya

US State Department: 2008 Human Rights Report: Libya

NEWS ARTICLES

YouTube: Libyan Anti Ghadafy Protest at UN

PRESS RELEASE: Protesting Gaddafi's Presence at the United Nations on Sept 23, 2009
Quote: "Victims of Pan Am Flight 103, Inc. (VPAF103) join with the American Libyan Freedom Alliance (ALFA) to Protest Gaddafi’s Presence at the United Nations on Sept 23rd in New York City. On September 23rd 2009 at 8am families of the victims of Pan Am 103 will be joining together with the American Libyan Freedom Alliance to protest Moammar Gaddafi’s attendance at the general assembly ... The American Libyan Freedom Alliance (ALFA) is a non-profit organization founded to promote democracy, human rights, justice, accountability and the rule of law in Libya. The VPAF103 and the ALFA will stand together against tyranny, terrorism and the crimes against humanity that Gaddafi continues to commit. All demonstrators will enter the UN area on 3rd Avenue at 47th Street. They then follow 47th Street to enter Dag-hammarskjold Plaza at 47th between 1st and 2nd where the protests will be taking place.""

PRESS RELEASE: Libyan opposition group protests against Gaddafi's UN speech
Quote: "A Libyan opposition group protested on Tuesday that Libyan leader Moammer al-Gaddafi should not be allowed to hold a speech at the upcoming meeting of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly in New York. The National Front for the Salvation of Libya, which is based in London, said in a statement: "We condemn the UN for allowing a murderous dictator to take to the podium." The UN elects a new chairman annually. This year, veteran Libyan diplomat Ali Abdussalem Treki was elected, with the assembly due to start Tuesday. Gaddafi's speech is planned for next Wednesday. The UN was supposed to encourage development and defend human rights, said the statement, adding that instead people "had been tortured" in Libya under Gaddafi. The Front also accused Gaddafi, who came to power 40 years ago after leading a coup against former king Idris I, of state funded terrorism.""

GULF NEWS: Massive protest planned for Gaddafi's US visit
Quote: ""We are planning a massive demonstration in New York City when Gaddafi will arrive here. We will be joined by numerous other groups objecting to the presence of the Libyan leader on the US soil," Duggan told Gulf News. "I personally understand the motives of the US Government in trying to bring Libya into the community of peaceful nations, but that does not mean that we have to roll out the red carpet for him to strut on. He delights in rubbing salt into our wounds, and he has already misled the UN as to his intentions," said Duggan ... "On one hand, there is a worldwide firestorm of protest from those opposed to terrorism, and now this 20-year-old story ... is on the front page of virtually every paper that I know of. The people of Scotland are as angry as we US families [are], and the Scottish minister who released the bomber, certainly misunderstood the views of the citizens.""

AP: Gadhafi, planning to visit US, is slammed at rally
Quote: "More than 200 people gathered Sunday to tell Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi he's not welcome in their suburban New Jersey community, including several who lost relatives in the 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland. Gov. Jon Corzine was among those who attended the event in Englewood, where the Libyan government has been renovating a 5-acre estate ahead of Gadhafi's first U.S. visit, scheduled for next month. Gadhafi had been expected to pitch a ceremonial Bedouin-style tent on the grounds, but his representatives announced Friday that he would remain in Manhattan where he's addressing the United Nations General Assembly, after rumors of his visit to New Jersey sparked an uproar last week."

NJ STAR-LEDGER: 'Cowardly silence' on upcoming visit from Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi
Quote: "Moammar Gadhafi, the Libyan dictator, is arguably an accessory to murder -- 270 murders, the largest single number of victims residents of New Jersey -- so the argument shouldn't be whether he can set up a tent in Englewood while he's here to attend the United Nations General Assembly next month. The issue is whether he should be arrested once he sets foot on American soil -- on New Jersey soil. He should be. On the same grounds, with the same courage, that Spain bravely indicted former Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet."

NY DAILY NEWS: Contain the crud: Khadafy's New York UN visit must be as limited as possible

THE TIMES: US Senator moves to keep Colonel Gaddafi on tight leash for UN visit
Quote: "A Democratic Senator has come up with a radical solution for the unwelcome visit of the Libyan leader Colonel Muammar Gaddafi to America next month - force him to stay inside the United Nations compound."

TIME: U.S. Helping Libya With Gaddafi's U.N. Visit
Comment: The Obama Administration is not off to a good start if it's going to go out of its way to accomodate a brutal tyrant. To plant this murderer in the middle of suburban New Jersey, particularly after the sick display in Libya where Gadaffi embraced the terrorist bomber and welcomed him back home as a hero, is degrading to no end. The Obama Administration must learn the lesson that Scotland has had to pay dearly for: do not accomodate terrorists. Otherwise, the American public will not vote him back into office in 2012. The "change" promised by Obama was intended to help the American people, not bloodthirsty despots like Gadaffi who continue to sponsor terrorism despite their claims to the contrary. This accomodation of Gaddafi in New Jersey simply cannot be tolerated.

WASHINGTON POST: Possible Gaddafi Visit Stirs N.J. Town Libyan: Leader May Pitch Tent There

IRISH TIMES: DUP seeks redress in Libya for North terror victims

FOX NEWS: Mayor of New Jersey Town Vows to Fight Qaddafi Visit

UKPA: Italy joins row over Lockerbie

REUTERS: New Jersey officials tell Gaddafi to stay away

BLOOMBERG: Qaddafi Plans N.J. Encampment as Residents Pitch Fit

POLITICKER NJ: LAUTENBERG REQUESTS STATE DEPARTMENT TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS TO BLOCK QADDAFI FROM VISITING NEW JERSEY

BBC: Call for Libya to pay IRA victims

IRISH TIMES: IRA victims' relatives call for Libya compensation

THE TIMES: Vast reserves of oil and gas are Colonel Gaddafi's real weapons

THE TIMES: Berlusconi defies his critics to visit Gadaffi for independence day

ROYAL DUTCH SHELL NEWS: Shell has been stalking the Libyans ever since relations thawed