UN chief calls for "immediate end to all acts of violence" in post-poll Gabon

UN Secretary-Generl Ban Ki-moon on Sunday deplored the loss of life during demonstrations in the aftermath of Gabon's presidential elections, and called for "an immediate end to all acts of violence in the country."

Ban, who is in Hangzhou in east China to attend a summit of the Group of 20 (G20), made the appeal when he spoke by phone to Ali Bongo Ondimba, the Gabonese president, and Jean Ping, presidential candidate of the Democratie Nouvelle party, Ban's spokesman told reporters here.

"The secretary-general deplored the loss of life that occurred during the demonstrations in the aftermath of the presidential election," the spokesman said in a note message emailed to the press here.

"He expressed concern about the continuing inflammatory messages being disseminated and called for an immediate end to all acts of violence in the country."

The secretary-general welcomed the release of the 27 opposition members that were detained in Ping's campaign headquarters, said the spokesman. "However, he reiterated his call to President Bongo Ondimba to impress upon the government the need to show restraint."

"He also urged Mr. Ping to issue a clear message to his followers calling on them to refrain from any acts of violence in the interest of the country and of national unity," the spokesman said.

"The secretary-general stressed the importance of employing exclusively peaceful and legal means to seek redress in all dispute related to the outcome of the presidential election," the spokesman said.

Ban has requested his special representative for Central Africa, Abdoulaye Bathily, to continue to work with the parties in order to defuse tensions, said the spokesman.

On the sidelines of the G20 summit in Hangzhou, the secretary-general also met with Idriss Deby Itno, president of Chad and current chairperson of the African Union, the spokesman said.

"The secretary-general welcomed the engagement of the African Union in facilitating a peaceful resolution of the current crisis in Gabon."

Tension has eased in Libreville, the capital of Gabon, after days of deadly rioting triggered by an announcement that president Bongo narrowly won re-election in a vote the opposition said was stolen, reports said.

Massive protests have sparked in the streets of Libreville late Wednesday after the announcement of the election result.

The protesters attacked the parliament building and clashed with police, leaving 1,000 arrested, local media reported. Endit