Libyan opposition leaders on Monday night rejected an African Union peace plan as a trap that would buy time for Col Muammar Gaddafi to consolidate his grip on power.
Mustafa Abdul-Jalil during a meeting with the visiting African Union delegation in Benghazi Photo: EPA
By Damien McElroy, Nick Meo in Benghazi and Bruno Waterfield
9:30PM BST 11 Apr 2011
Mustafa Abdul Jalil, the head of the Benghazi-based Transitional National Council, said it would not accept an proposal that betrayed its demands for Col Gaddafi to go.
"Gaddafi must leave immediately if he wants to survive," he said. "Any initiative that does not include the people's demand, the popular demand, essential demand, we cannot possibly recognise.
"We cannot negotiate with the blood of our martyrs.
A day after African leaders, including South Africa's President Jacob Zuma, proclaimed Col Gaddafi's acceptance of a five point plan in Tripoli, the mission's reception in the rebel capital was hostile.
Thousands of Benghazi protesters, waving the flag of royal Libya, chanted anti-Gaddafi slogans as the African Union leaders arrived.
The delegation was met with jeers and abuse, as rebels believe a ceasefire would allow Col Gaddafi to stay in power. Some held photographs of relatives who have died in the uprising.
Mr Jalil said the people of the east would rather die as martyrs that resubmit to Col Gaddafi's rule.
Foreign Secretary William Hague was careful to acknowledge the sincerity of the African Union's efforts to forge peace but only Col Gaddafi could take the necessary first steps by stopping attacks on the opposition and giving up power.
Mr Hague said the regime had already declared two "meaningless" ceasefires.
"I do think that a ceasefire will only work if it fulfils the conditions of those UN Security Council resolutions and truly provides for the protection of civilians," he said.
"It is impossible to see a viable future for the country or any such process taking place while he is there."
The ceasefire call was also dismissed by Anders Fogh Rasmussen, the Nato secretary general, who said the alliance would not suspend attacks until three conditions were met. He said: "It must be credible, including an effective protection of the civilian population. It must be supervised and controlled effectively. Finally, it must facilitate a political process aiming to implement the necessary political reforms to satisfy the legitimate demands of the Libyan population."
The protesters in Benghazi were furious that the delegation included African despots with a long record of collusion with Col Gaddafi.
"We want peace, but not if it means Gaddafi stays," said Hamida Muktar, a housewife. "These African leaders are not sincere, most of them are dictators like Muammar and some of them have been paid by him. We have had mercenaries sent here to kill us by the Africans.
"We are very worried about these African leaders coming here – they have not come here to help the Libyan people."
Bernard-Henri Lévy, the French philosopher credited with encouraging Nicolas Sarkozy, the French president, to launch air strikes, said the delegation's credibility was in question after handing Col Gaddafi a propaganda boost by posing outside his tent.
"I was sad to see images yesterday of the African Union embracing Gaddafi," he said. "The proposal which they are conveying here is obviously one in favour of Gaddafi."
Mr Jalil, the leader of the National Council, on Monday accused Algeria of supplying troops to suppress the uprising.
Reports emerged on Monday night that Col Gaddafi had pressed the African leaders for assurances that he would not face war crimes prosecution.
"That's what he talked to African leaders about," said Mohammad Ben Madani, editor of the Maghreb Review. "If he happened to go, he would not end up in The Hague like other war crimes leaders."
There was some respite for the rebels on the battlefield. The opposition was able to clear up the debris of fighting in the eastern town of Ajdabiyah, including charred bodies.
Opposition fighters retook control of the town after Nato destroyed 11 of Gaddafi's tanks outside its gates.
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