The U.N.'s top human rights official said Friday that reports of mass killings of thousands in Libya should spur the international community to "step in vigorously" to end the crackdown against anti-government protesters in the North African country. U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay urged the U.N. Human Rights Council to use all means possible to establish an independent panel to investigate the alleged abuses by Libyan security forces and hold those responsible to account. European nations were leading the effort to condemn the crackdown ordered by Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi's regime, order a U.N.-led investigation into possible crimes against humanity and propose suspending Libya from the council.
"The crackdown in Libya of peaceful demonstrations is escalating alarmingly with reported mass killings, arbitrary arrests, detention and torture of protesters," Pillay told the U.N.'s top human rights body. "Tanks, helicopters and military aircraft have reportedly been used indiscriminately to attack the protesters. According to some sources, thousands may have been killed or injured." It was only last May that the former U.S. enemy was elected to the 47-nation Human Rights Council as part of a series of attempts at political rehabilitation on the world stage. Gadhafi, who has ruled for 42 years, now appears to have lost control of large parts of the country. Pillay reminded the council that Gadhafi had urged his supporters to battle protesters and "attack them in their lairs," which she called a possible crime against humanity.
She said "any official, at any level, ordering or carrying out atrocities and attacks can be held criminally accountable." It is the first time that the Geneva-based council has held a special session to scrutinize one of its members. Libya's ambassador did not attend. Nigeria's ambassador, Charles Nduka Onianwa, said for the African group of council members that "it is obvious ... that the indiscriminate use of force against peaceful protesters should be condemned." Pakistan's ambassador, Zamir Akram, said the 57 members of the Organization of The Islamic Conference "strongly condemn the excessive use of force" in Libya. "Muslims will no longer tolerate inequalities and injustice," he told the council. "A new dawn has come. The rules of the game have changed. Those who do not embrace it will be swept away."
Gadhafi's response to the uprising in his country has been the harshest by any Arab leader in the wave of protests that has swept the Middle East recently, toppling the presidents of Libya's neighbors Egypt and Tunisia. But observers of the Human Rights Council say African and Asian nations are wary of setting too strong a precedent that could be used against other human rights abusing regimes in future.
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Like that's gonna happen.
