Ban Ki-moon, United Nations Secretary-General, spoke over the phone on Sunday with Gabon President re-elected Ali Bongo and Jean Ping, presidential candidate of the Démocratie Nouvelle party, urging an end to violence in the west African country.

Protests erupted in Gabon following the announcement on Wednesday of Bongo’s re-election.  Bongo had narrowly defeated his challenger Jean Ping in a nationwide vote.

“The Secretary-General deplored the loss of life that occurred during the demonstrations in the aftermath of the presidential election. He expressed concern about the continuing inflammatory messages being disseminated and called for an immediate end to all acts of violence in the country,” according to a statement from Ban Ki-moon’s office.

The unrest began following official results that show Bongo with 49.8 percent of the vote and challenger Ping with 48.2 percent.

Interior Minister Pacome Moubelet Boubeya said more than 1,000 people have been arrested nationwide, including as many as 800 in the capital. He confirmed three deaths in the violence.

The U.N. Secretary General also requested that his Special Representative for Central Africa, Abdoulaye Bathily, continue to work with the parties in order to defuse tensions.

“Ban Ki-moon reiterated his call to President Bongo to impress upon the government the need to show restraint. He also urged 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 statement read.

According to reports, 27 people who were detained in Ping’s headquarters campaign have been released.

Ban Ki-moon, however, stressed the importance of peaceful and legal means to seek a resolution in the outcome of the presidential election.

Ping is disputing the results showing he lost by about 5,000 votes. He said his campaign has evidence of election rigging, which he plans to present to Gabon’s constitutional court.
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