Gorton's Kaufmann calls for reconciliation not revenge in Libya

He may be 80 plus but Gorton's MP Gerald Kaufmann never fails to enhance the chamber.

As a Member who voted for the implementation of Security Council resolution 1973, and who as shadow Foreign Secretary refused to meet Gaddafi when he invited me to go to Libya to collect financial compensation—blood money—for the family of WPC Fletcher, may I state my disgust and revulsion at the murder, and the nature of the killing, of Gaddafi? May I ask the Prime Minister to emphasise to the national transitional council that the future for democracy in Libya lies in reconciliation, not revenge?

And Cameron's reply

The right hon. Gentleman makes an important point, and I can announce to the House that Chairman Jalil, leader of the national transitional council, has announced today that there will be an inquiry into the circumstances of Colonel Gaddafi’s death. Clearly, we wanted him to face justice. That is what should have happened, and it is important that that inquiry goes ahead. However, I do not stand back for one second from what I said in my statement—that because the Gaddafi era is over and he is gone, the Libyan people, who genuinely feared that as long as there was a prospect of his coming back there was a difficulty in building their future, can now get on with that future.

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Mad dog meets his end

Well the news from Sirte is overshadowing all else this afternoon.

Lots of rumour but it appears that the Libyan dictator died of wounds suffered in his capture near his hometown earlier today.

Pictures of his alleged body being dragged behind a car will not be featuring on this blog.

It appears that he was wounded in both legs at dawn as he tried to flee in a convoy which Nato warplanes attacked.

David Cameron has greeted the news by calling on people to remember "the many, many Libyans who died at the hands of this brutal dictator and his regime"

It is now believed that Nato are to meet tomorrow in order to bring the war in Libya to an end.

The fall of Sirte means the end of any effective resistance in Libya.Some reports suggest that Gaddafi's son Mutasim has also been found dead.

For the West it brings an end to a 40 year old problem in North Africa.Prior to 9/11 he was shipped arms to the IRA during the Troubles in Northern Ireland and his regime has accepted responsibility for the Lockerbie bombing.

Peace was agreed after former Prime Minister Tony Blair used his influence as a bulwark against Al Qaeda,a decision that with hindsight appears a bad one especially after being inspired by the the Arab Spring,his people rose against him only to be brutally put down.

Tuaregs to the peace table

Reuters is reporting that

Niger's Tuareg rebel leader Aghaly ag Alambo said his fighters would lay
down their arms from Monday and, together with neighbouring Mali's Tuareg
rebellion, submit to mediation by Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.

Probably not many people are aware of this continuing conflict in the Sahara desert.The eruptions flared up last year,rebel leaders in both Mali and Libya seeking greater autonomy over their affairs.In particular they have complained of unequal distribution of wealth in what is an oil-rich Saharan region and poor representation in government and the army.

Last year Tuareg rebels hit a U.S. military plane with small arms fire and attacked a remote Mali army garrison near the border with Algeria.

the Tuareg are a nomadic people whose ancestral lands stretch across large parts of the Saharan desert.They were victims of the colonial carve up of territory at the end of the 19th century and found themselves distributed across a number of sovereign countries