I have been keeping up with the Human Rights Watch details through BBC for the past week and a half or so, and the details are pretty disturbing. What worries me is that there have been no answers as to who has been committing these atrocities. There were 200 plus bodies found in the Abu Salim Hospital were abandoned by the staff, due to fighting in the area, but there is still doubt if that really was the case, and if orders were given to leave the wounded. But there is no link yet as to who gave the orders. What I feel is the real news in the past week is that the 32nd Brigade, or "Khamis Brigade," headed by Col. Gaddafi's son was using a warehouse as a temporary prison, where they executed at least 47 prisoners. This evidence actually points at someone who can be convicted of war crimes. Up to this point in the Libyan conflict there has been no clear cut culprit to specific crimes, and now we have evidence of a specific name that goes with a specific crime. Human Rights Watch has witnesses that can testify what happened there as there are 20 some escapees. What is more disturbing, is that pro-Gaddafi forces are not the only ones who have allegedly committed crimes. Outside of Bab al-Aziziya, there were pro-Gaddafi forces found dead, most wearing the loyalist green, some with their hands tied, and bullet wounds to the head. I find it hard to believe that loyalists would kill other loyalists execution style. This points to war crimes committed by the rebels. The question now is if HRW puts members of the regime on trial, they cannot go without putting the rebels on trial. These investigations are no where near over, but I feel as though there will be many of these instances where there is no ultimate resolution or conviction of the people holding decision-making power.
Ben Bernard (9am Friday)
