Muslim Council of Montreal calls on Canada to condemn bloody crackdown on peaceful protestors in Libya

February 21, 2011
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Montreal, Quebec, February 21st, 2011- The Muslim Council of Montreal (MCM) called on the Canadian government to strongly condemn the recent brutal crackdown on anti-government protestors by Libyan leader Muammar al-Gaddafi.

“Gaddafi’s security forces and foreign mercenaries are using unwarranted lethal force against the peaceful protestors and have clearly been directed to shoot to kill,” stated Salam Elmenyawi, president of MCM. “Canada and the international community must pressure Gaddafi to immediately halt this atrocity, before the situation escalates any further and more innocent lives are lost.”

Protestors began demonstrating against Gaddafi’s 41-year repressive regime six days ago. The death toll has now surpassed 200, with hundreds more injured. Security forces have shot at the unarmed protestors with live ammunition, resulting in bullet wounds to the head, chest and neck.

“Gaddafi is using brutal force to silence the dissent in Libya and is violating the basic human rights of the Libyans who are attempting to achieve justice and freedom peacefully,” Elmenyawi said. “The world must stand up in defense of these peaceful demonstrators who have committed no crime and yet are being targeted with catastrophic lethal weaponry. It must be made clear that this is wholly unacceptable and those responsible for these abuses will be held accountable and will have nowhere to hide.”

MCM also calls on all conscious-minded people to pray for the safety and security of the Libyan protestors, as well as for all those killed and injured in the demonstrations and for the success of their mission to establish a just state in their nation, bringing Gaddafi’s threat to trigger a civil war to a complete failure. “We pray for peace and stability in the Middle East and all around the world, and for the human rights, freedoms and dignity of all people to be protected and secured,” Elmenyawi said.

 

CONTACT: 

Salam Elmenyawi

Muslim Council of Montreal (MCM)

Ph.: (514) 748-8427

E-mail: info@muslimcouncil.org

Website: http://www.muslimcouncil.org

 

The Muslim Council of Montreal (MCM) is an umbrella organization representing a number of Islamic institutions in the Montreal region. There are over 225,000 Muslims in Montreal, about 1,000,000 in Canada and 1.9 billion worldwide.

 

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