The phone line is full of static, and Sara is barely audible on the other end. The sounds of chaos and violence echo through the headset. This is what has become of Libya and the government of Muammar Gaddafi. People are scared, the 24-year-old British university student of Libyan decent told Bikya Masr on Monday evening. “We can't leave, we can't go anywhere because it is too dangerous,” she said. “I am with family, we are safe, but we can hear the violence and the war crimes in the distance. The world must help us.” This was a prevailing sentiment on Monday evening as Gaddafi and 42-years in power attempts to hold on for a 43rd year through the use of murder, violence and instability in the North African country. His military, what's left of those loyal to the Libyan leader, are waging a war against anti-government protesters, who according to CNN's Ben Wedermen in Eastern Libya, have taken over a number of towns. Where Sara and her family are in Tripoli, the sounds of war come through on the line. She said planes were sent in to bomb the protesters. “It is crazy. A government cannot do this to its own people,” she continued. “People are dying.” Gunfire met residents of the capital Tripoli on Monday and more deaths were reported. According to human rights organizations, over 300 people and possibly more, have been killed in the daily attacks from the government. As protests enter their second week, the situation on the ground is tense, dangerous and uncertain. “We are not going anywhere right now. We want Gaddafi gone now,” said Sara's cousin Tarek, who is in his final year of university. “The people have spoken with their feet, their voices and their deaths. What more can we do?” By Tuesday morning, the violence was becoming more apparent. Eye witnesses on the ground reported to Al Jazeera that fighter jets had bombed parts of the city in new attacks. Sara's family said it was unsafe to go out on the streets. They and others reported mercenaries were firing on civilians. “Residents of the Tajura neighborhood, east of Tripoli, said that dead bodies are still lying on the streets from earlier violence. At least 61 people were killed in the capital on Monday, witnesses told Al Jazeeera,” the network reported. The international community has largely condemned the violence, calling on the government to end its attacks on the population. But Gaddafi isn't listening. He went on state television on Monday to tell the country he remained in Libya. a number of Libyan diplomats and military personnel have resigned in protest over their government's response. Two Libyan air force pilots landed their jets in Malta and asked for political asylum, according to news reports, saying they would not participate in the killing of Libyan citizens. Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi's son Seif al-Islam on Sunday evening told the country's anti-government demonstrators that there would be “rivers of blood” and a possible civil war if the protests continue. The son and heir apparent to the 42-year rule of Col. Gaddafi said that the government would fight to the bitter end and would not give up power. “Our spirits are high and the leader Muammar Gaddafi is leading the battle in Tripoli, and we are behind him as is the Libyan army,” he said. “We will keep fighting until the last man standing, even to the last woman standing…We will not leave Libya to the Italians or the Turks.” His comments came as anti-government demonstrators apparently took control of the country's second city, Benghazi, after three days of police clashed with protesters that have left over at least 200 people dead and thousands wounded, human rights organizations said. The protesters were able to force out the police, even as they fire on the demonstrators calling for an end to the Gaddafi regime. Anti-aircraft artillery has been reported by eye witnesses on the ground. In the capital Tripoli, one protester told the al-Jazeera network they were chanting at the leader: “Where are you? Where are you? Come out if you're a man.” “This is an opposition movement, a separatist movement which threatens the unity of Libya,” said Seif al-Islam, who has long been seen by Western governments as a moderate pro-democracy supporter. “We will take up arms, we will fight to the last bullet. We will destroy seditious elements. If everybody is armed, it is civil war, we will kill each other.” Seif al-Islam also claimed that the “revolt” was a Tunisian and Egyptian effort to undermine the country's oil wealth. Protesters have vehemently denied such accusations, saying they are on the streets and have taken over a number of towns, in order to push out the Gaddafi family from power. Rumors have circulated that the Libyan government has hired foreign mercenaries to battle the protesters. The move led to the resignation of Libya's ambassador to India Ali al-Essawi, who told the BBC that he would not support his government's crackdown on demonstrators. For Sara and her family, they want the world to intervene to stop the “crimes against humanity.” She added that “if the world stands by and allows so many people to die when they could intervene, what does that say of our planet?” BM
