On the outskirts of the Libyan capital of Tripoli, Gadhafi forces used deadly force to disperse hundreds of protesters as they marched from a nearby mosque. Witnesses said at least 18 people were killed there and civilians are living in fear of being attacked and killed. Reports from Independent Television News state that major Libyan cities are on lock down while thousands of Libyans are fleeing to neighboring countries. Early last week 200,000 Libyans passed through the border gates to Tunisia in one day but now the refugee population is at a standstill. Satellite images are being analyzed for holding camps on the Libyan side of the border. Many refugees who made it to Tunisia tell accounts of beatings and attacks carried out by those loyal to the Gadhafi regime. With the flow of refugees coming to a halt, Tunisian authorities have been able to avoid a humanitarian crisis. An international airlift continues to provide aid into refugee camps including loads of blankets, water and other relief supplies. Quotes "I am prepared to die to get my freedom." Libyan Man "Well, I'm very concerned, because it didn't slow down, so it's an artificial and abrupt stop. We have no idea why that is. We're trying to find out, but, at any moment, the number could increase very substantially." Andrew Mitchell, International Development Secretary. "Because the number of people coming through this border dropped off, it meant the Tunisian authorities were able to avoid the predicted humanitarian crisis. But there is a real fear on the part of the international community that there is another humanitarian crisis unfolding just a short distance down the road behind me." Emma Murphy, INT Warm Up Questions 1.What part of the world is Libya? 2.What is a refugee camp? 3.What is a rebellion? Discussion Questions 1.Why do you think Gadhafi’s regime is using deadly force against protesters? 2.Discuss historical and contemporary examples of non-violent protests. Why were some protests successful and others not? 3.What is a humanitarian crisis? How can they be prevented? Additional Resources Video transcript Download this Video