Issued : Thursday 25 August, 2011
Labour Youth welcomes the continuing success of the popular revolution in Libya, which has ousted the decades-long dictatorship of Col. Muammar Gaddafi. The overthrow of Gaddafi’s autocratic, dictatorial regime is something that all progressive-minded people should celebrate, and we join the Libyan people in celebrating this important moment in their history.
It is our hope that the people of Libya replace the ousted Gaddafi regime with a new and inclusive republic, with political and economic democracy at its heart, which is embraced by the international community. The people of Libya have suffered under authoritarian, anti-democratic rule for four decades under Gaddafi ‘so-called “Islamic socialism”. As socialists, we argue for meaningful democracy, fair distribution of resources, and equality between people. Under Gaddafi’s regime, no such conditions existed. We hope to see these values taken up by the National Transitional Council as they prepare Libya for a new system of government.
We congratulate the people of Libya on the success of their popular uprising, and share with the world our hopes of a better future for the Libyan people
