UN chief calls on Libyans to avoid ‘revenge’ attacks

UNITED NATIONS—The death of Moammar Gadhafi marks an “historic transition” for Libya, UN leader Ban Ki-moon said Thursday while calling for all sides to avoid revenge attacks.

The UN secretary general was an early critic of Gadhafi’s crackdown on opposition protests. He had what his entourage called a “grim” telephone conversation with the Libyan strongman in February when Gadhafi said the demonstrators were “drug-addled” youths.

“Clearly this day marks an historic transition for Libya. In the coming days we will witness scenes of celebration as well as grief for those who lost so much,” Ban said at the UN headquarters.

“Let us recognize immediately that this is only the end of the beginning. The road ahead for Libya and its people will be difficult and full of challenges. Now is the time for all Libyans to come together.”

Ban said “combatants on all sides must lay down their arms in peace. This is a time for healing and rebuilding, for generosity of spirit, not for revenge.”

The UN leader said that for the transitional authorities in Libya “inclusion and pluralism must be the watchwords.”

“All Libyans must be able to recognize themselves in the nation’s government and leadership. The high hopes sustained through the long days of revolution and conflict must translate into opportunities and justice for all,” Ban said.

Without commenting on Gadhafi’s death, the UN envoy to Libya, Ian Martin said that if Gadhafi “had remained at large there would have remained a considerable sense of insecurity” in Libya.

“This is a country now which has a very strong sense of the values of human rights, democracy, accountability and transparency precisely because these are the opposite of what was experienced for so long,” Martin told reporters from Tripoli.

Ban spoke with Gadhafi for about an hour on February 21, about a week after protests started in the opposition stronghold of Benghazi. Gadhafi then said that Al-Qaeda had been providing the drugs to Libyan youths who were demonstrating, officials said.