Libyan UN Deputy Ambassador Fears Genocide In Western Libya Has Begun

As the Security Council late today released a statement calling on the government of Libya to stop the violence against its people, the country’s Deputy Ambassador to the United Nations said he had hoped for a stronger message from the international community and warned against a surge in violence. 

“I have received information today, that after the statement by Col. Gaddafi today, the attack on people have started in the Western parts of Libya. ” said Deputy Ambassador Ibrahim Dabbashi ” I hope the information I get is not accurate, but if its right, it will be a real genocide.”

Yesterday, Dabbashi said he could no longer support the Gaddafi regime for its attacks against the Libyan people and requested the Security Council action. 

 Dabbashi’s statements seem to be at odds with those of  Libya’s top Ambassador at the UN, Mohamed Shalgham, who reiterated his support for Gaddafi this morning, but failed to meet the press after the Security Council issued its statement.

Libya’s diplomatic corps have been increasingly vocal in their response to the reports of violence in Tripoli and Benghazi. Libya’s Ambassador in Washington DC, Ali Suleiman Aujali, also called today for Gaddafi to step down, joining the country’s Ambassadors to Malaysia and India, and permanent representative to the Arab league in denouncing the regimes response to protests.

Gaddafi gave a long and at times confusing speech on Libyan state television earlier today, threatening to step up the violent crackdown on protesters and calling on Libya’s youth to take to the streets and fight those who oppose the regime. Gaddafi is well known for his long speeches. Speaking before the UN General Assembly in 2009, the Libyan strongman went over his allotted 15 minute speaking time by nearly an hour and a half. Today’s address was punctuated by long pauses and occasional outbursts, seeming more like an impromptu rant than a prepared speech. 

“The Gaddafi statement was just a code for his collaborators to start the genocide against the Libyan people” Dabbashi told reporters.

United Nations Under Secretary for Political Affairs Lynn Pascoe, who briefed Security Council members on the situation in Libya earlier this afternoon, told reporters he was also very concerned by Gaddafi’s speech. 

“Anyone who is inciting populations against themselves, asking some people to attack other people, particularly if some of those people are peaceful demonstrators,  is a very dangerous thing.” said Pascoe “I was quite concerned about threats and various kinds of retaliation that was in that speech.”

 Earlier in the day the Secretary General’s spokesperson Martin Nesirky told reporters the UN chief spoke to Gaddafi for over 40 minutes on Monday. Nesirky said Gaddafi’s comments to the Secretary General were similar to those he made in his televised appearance and that Ban Ki Moon had again urged the Libyan leader to put an end to the violence that has claimed the lives of more than 230 people, according to the latest incomplete figures released by Human Rights Watch.