It has been more than three months since NATO began bombarding Libya. Bombs and missiles have blasted the soil of a sovereign country, killing thousands of civilians, and demolishing homes and workplaces. Libyans, to say the least, are living in horror.

I am pained by the brutal NATO attack and the misery of the Libyan people. I appeal to people across the world to unite against NATO's action and join the efforts to restore peace in Libya.

Led by France, the United Kingdom and the United States, NATO's military action against Libya is nothing but a terrorist attack. It is no different from the attack masterminded by Osama bin Laden against the US and its allies.

The bombardment of Libya on the pretext of restoring peace and justice has claimed thousands of innocent lives. The NATO attacks have killed not only Libyan government forces and rebel army members, but also civilians.

On May 23, for example, NATO carried out 21 air strikes on Tripoli, capital of Libya, killing and injuring many civilians. The NATO air raids have caused more than 20,000 casualties. NATO member states have committed a war crime and should be punished for their action.

The NATO air strikes have devastated Libya, traumatized Libyans and horrified people across the globe. NATO needs to realize that this open aggression will stir Libyans against the West and prompt righteous people around the world, including those in NATO member states, to hate it.

Every bomb and missile that has landed on Libyan soil is like a seed of hatred, which will sprout sooner than later. The hands of NATO leaders are covered with blood.

To promote world peace, countries trying to solve international problems should adhere to the principles of equality, sovereignty, territorial integrity, non-aggression and non-interference in other nation's internal affairs, and peaceful coexistence.

Libya's internal affairs are for the Libyan people to decide and no country has the right to interfere. If NATO member states assume the right to interfere in Libya's matters, then Libya is also entitled to do the same in their affairs. But that would make war inevitable and result in the death of more innocent people, making global peace a mirage.

I appeal to all freedom-loving people across the world to oppose NATO's military action against Libya and restore peace and save innocent lives.

Shi Qingli in Beijing, via e-mail

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(China Daily 06/28/2011 page9)