News / Africa
Gadaffi vows to die a 'Martyr'
22 Feb 2011 at 22:04hrs | Views
Libya's beleaguered leader Moamar Gaddafi has vowed to stay in power even though mass protests are sweeping across Libya.
He, has vowed to fight on and die a "martyr", calling on his supporters to take back the streets from protesters demanding his ouster, shouting and pounding his fist in a furious speech on state TV.
He has ordered his forces to crush the uprising and has warned those he sees as enemies of the country will be executed.
Mr Gaddafi, in his speech to the people, angrily addressed protesters, saying they were "cockroaches" who deserved to die.
He said his supporters should "capture the rats" before taking to the streets to support his regime.
He ordered protesters to surrender their weapons immediately, warning there would be otherwise be a "slaughter."
He threatened to send soldiers house by house to find dissenters.
In the speech, Colonel Gadaffi defended his own role as a revolutionary who had "brought glory to Libya."
Mr Gaddafi said that he would remain the head of the revolution and would only die as a martyr in the land of his ancestors.
He threatened similar action to what had been used against insurgents in Moscow, Iraq and Beijing.
He said: "The Russian president brought tanks and bombed the Duma with the MPs inside until they snuffed the rats out, and the West did not object. Students in Beijing protested for days near a Coca Cola sign; then the tanks came and crushed them. It is high time for the march, for working, for victory. There is no going back, only forward, forward, forward."
Banging his fist on the table, he shouted: "This is my country, my country! "Revolution. Revolution. Revolution!"
Protests have been continuing in the capital Tripoli, and it has been suggested by media that anti-government groups now have control of key cities outside the capital.
Libya's ambassador to the US, Ali Suleiman Ajuli, has now resigned his post and has called on Colonel Gadaffi to leave Libya.
Mr Ajuli said: "Tripoli is now under gunfire, Tripoli is burning. All the eastern part of Libya is under the control of the people now, but Tripoli and some cities in the western part are still under the control of the regime."
He, has vowed to fight on and die a "martyr", calling on his supporters to take back the streets from protesters demanding his ouster, shouting and pounding his fist in a furious speech on state TV.
He has ordered his forces to crush the uprising and has warned those he sees as enemies of the country will be executed.
Mr Gaddafi, in his speech to the people, angrily addressed protesters, saying they were "cockroaches" who deserved to die.
He said his supporters should "capture the rats" before taking to the streets to support his regime.
He ordered protesters to surrender their weapons immediately, warning there would be otherwise be a "slaughter."
He threatened to send soldiers house by house to find dissenters.
In the speech, Colonel Gadaffi defended his own role as a revolutionary who had "brought glory to Libya."
Mr Gaddafi said that he would remain the head of the revolution and would only die as a martyr in the land of his ancestors.
He threatened similar action to what had been used against insurgents in Moscow, Iraq and Beijing.
He said: "The Russian president brought tanks and bombed the Duma with the MPs inside until they snuffed the rats out, and the West did not object. Students in Beijing protested for days near a Coca Cola sign; then the tanks came and crushed them. It is high time for the march, for working, for victory. There is no going back, only forward, forward, forward."
Banging his fist on the table, he shouted: "This is my country, my country! "Revolution. Revolution. Revolution!"
Protests have been continuing in the capital Tripoli, and it has been suggested by media that anti-government groups now have control of key cities outside the capital.
Libya's ambassador to the US, Ali Suleiman Ajuli, has now resigned his post and has called on Colonel Gadaffi to leave Libya.
Mr Ajuli said: "Tripoli is now under gunfire, Tripoli is burning. All the eastern part of Libya is under the control of the people now, but Tripoli and some cities in the western part are still under the control of the regime."
Source - Byo24NEWS
