It is just as well that India went along with the UN Security Council’s decision late Saturday night to impose fairly stringent sanctions on Libya. This is the first major international crisis that the UNSC has been forced to deal with on an emergency basis since India joined the Council as a non-permanent member on January 1 this
year. Some might have expected New Delhi to take a somewhat noncommittal stand in line with its traditional disposition to waver when faced with tricky situations involving so-called “nonaligned” countries. That it did not do so is to be welcomed. The vote in the 15-member body was unanimous. The sanctions are essentially targeted against that country’s brutal dictator, Col. Muammar Gaddafi, who ordered the shooting of his own people, as well as some of his closest advisers. An arms embargo has also been imposed to prevent the regime getting weapons illegally, which could be placed in the hands of international mercenaries for use against the thousands protesting in the streets. There were reportedly some doubts that the UNSC seeking a war crimes investigation into “widespread and systematic attacks” against Libyan citizens, and referring the Gaddafi government to the International Criminal Court for prosecution, might be scuppered by China, a permanent member of the UNSC, wielding a veto. However, with the Libyan delegation at the UN defecting to the Opposition and calling the Gaddafi regime “fascist”, the Chinese probably had second thoughts if indeed they had contemplated opposing the ICC referral. It is not entirely clear that this country was uncomfortable with the idea of the referral. Perhaps more on the subject will be known in due course. For now, it is good to know that the Indian stance has been to oppose the Gaddafi regime on account of its military attacks against its own protesting citizens.
The political situation in Libya is evolving and the time may come for the UN to assume the responsibility to protect its people from the regime. In that event too, New Delhi would do well to go along with the idea, which is consistent with stopping Col. Gaddafi in his bloodied tracks. The issue of an outright civil war in Libya and the division of the country are still in the realm of speculation and will call for deliberations based on the facts of the situation as it emerges. Nevertheless, as a UNSC member, New Delhi needs to keep a close watch on Libyan developments based on its own reporting, rather than rely wholly on the information channels of others.
Despatching Indian warships to Libya to bring back our citizens stranded there and flying out hundreds of Indians from that North African country on an immediate basis shows that we acted with despatch. Indian ships of war do not have a history of venturing out other than to tackle piracy in the Horn of Africa under international aegis, or for the purposes of naval diplomacy. The last time they left their anchorage of their own accord to enter foreign waters was to help neighbours in the Indian Ocean deal with the aftereffects of the 2004 tsunami. This brought India much international attention and acclaim. The sending of warships to Libya to evacuate Indians can act as a demonstration that we have the capability to deploy well beyond our shores when that becomes necessary in the national interest. Libya is a country with which we have had traditional friendly ties. We also source petroleum from there. Long-term instability in Libya and the prospect of disruption of oil supplies hurts Indian interests. In the event, it will be within the definition of responsible behaviour if New Delhi can begin to engage the various political elements in Libya, even if they appear amorphous at this stage.