OIC condemns use of force in Libya; terms it unIslamic

Lalit K JhaWashington, Feb 24 (PTI) The Organisation of theIslamic Conference has strongly condemned excessive use offorce against civilians in Libya, terming it as a "humancatastrophe" which goes against Islamic and human values.

In a statement issued by its Permanent ObserverMission to the United Nations, the OIC said it considers the"ongoing coercion and oppression in Libya as a humanitariancatastrophe which goes against Islamic and human values."The Libyan Interior Ministry has put the death toll inover a week of violence at 300, but Italian Foreign MinisterFranco Frattini has claimed that the crackdown has killed asmany as 1,000 people.

The OIC called on the Libyan authorities to stopimmediately violence against innocent Libyans, which hasresulted in hundreds of casualties.

It emphasized the need to address their claimspeacefully and through serious dialogue instead ofassassination and blood shedding, the statement said.

The OIC expressed its condolences to the Libyan peopleand to families of the victims, wishing speedy recovery to thewounded.

In the same vein, the General Secretariat of the OICemphasized that peoples have the right to express theirlegitimate claims in a peaceful and civilized way.

The OIC is the second largest inter-governmentalorganization after the United Nations which has membership of57 states spread over four continents.