Crackdown ‘outrageous’

US PRESIDENT Barack Obama yesterday branded Libya's crackdown and orders to shoot protesters as “outrageous” and called on the world to speak as one to hold the government accountable.

Obama, in his first televised comments on the Libya crisis, said he would send Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to Geneva for a meeting of the United Nations Human Rights Council at the weekend and for talks with allied foreign ministers.

Meanwhile, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon condemned what he called “egregious violations” of human rights yesterday as Libya tried to crush the ongoing revolt.

Ban said Gaddafi “has not heeded” calls for restraint and said the international community is examining “a broad range of options” in the crisis, but would not disclose specifics.