- News>
- World
Uneasy feeling about post-Gaddafi Libya: Zuma
Muammar al-Gaddafi was executed on October 20 after being captured in his hometown Sirte.
Cape Town: An "uneasy feeling" about Libya`s future exists following the execution of Muammar Gaddafi, said South African President Jacob Zuma here on Tuesday.
"It (the execution) has created an uneasy feeling about the situation in Libya," Xinhua quoted Zuma as saying when he was speaking at a business breakfast meeting in Cape Town.
Gaddafi was executed on October 20 after being captured in his hometown Sirte. It would have been better for Libyans if Gaddafi had been arrested and tried so that questions could be answered about how he had run the country for 41 years, said Zuma.
"In (the) world of human rights today there are courts to try those who are committing certain kinds of crime," the President said.
"Those pursuing him were supposed to arrest him... Unfortunately he was killed."
Zuma said he hoped Libya`s National Transitional Council (NTC) would "pull the country together". Gaddafi had responded to the Libyan uprising in a particular way which brought the situation on him, he said.
"Even when (the) situation got graver and graver he seemed to be thinking he could still defend his system," Zuma said.
He also said that Gaddafi should have been tried at the International Criminal Court (ICC).
"Given there was a warrant of arrest against Gaddafi, those who found him should have arrested him and handed him to the ICC," Zuma said.
The President also said his country was ready to assist post-Gaddafi Libya.
"Let us put the events around Gaddafi`s death behind us. Our concern is the attainment of peace. South Africa is ready to assist all the way."
IANS
"It (the execution) has created an uneasy feeling about the situation in Libya," Xinhua quoted Zuma as saying when he was speaking at a business breakfast meeting in Cape Town.
Gaddafi was executed on October 20 after being captured in his hometown Sirte. It would have been better for Libyans if Gaddafi had been arrested and tried so that questions could be answered about how he had run the country for 41 years, said Zuma.
"In (the) world of human rights today there are courts to try those who are committing certain kinds of crime," the President said.
"Those pursuing him were supposed to arrest him... Unfortunately he was killed."
Zuma said he hoped Libya`s National Transitional Council (NTC) would "pull the country together". Gaddafi had responded to the Libyan uprising in a particular way which brought the situation on him, he said.
"Even when (the) situation got graver and graver he seemed to be thinking he could still defend his system," Zuma said.
He also said that Gaddafi should have been tried at the International Criminal Court (ICC).
"Given there was a warrant of arrest against Gaddafi, those who found him should have arrested him and handed him to the ICC," Zuma said.
The President also said his country was ready to assist post-Gaddafi Libya.
"Let us put the events around Gaddafi`s death behind us. Our concern is the attainment of peace. South Africa is ready to assist all the way."
IANS