Tsvangirai: Mbeki alone not good
2008-07-03 07:23
Special Report
The High Court judge in Zimbabwean politician Roy Bennett's terrorism trial has refused to step aside.
Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe says he doesn't expect the US sanctions on his country to be lifted soon.
Donna Bryson
Johannesburg - Zimbabwe opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai has rejected an African Union decision to keep South Africa's president alone in charge of efforts to resolve Zimbabwe's political crisis.
Speaking to reporters at his home in Harare, Zimbabwe's capital, Tsvangirai said on Wednesday that his group would not participate in talks about forming a governing accord with President Robert Mugabe's government unless an additional mediator was appointed.
The opposition leader's comments came a day after an AU summit reconfirmed South Africa President Thabo Mbeki as mediator.
"Our reservations about the mediation process under President Mbeki are well known," said Tsvangirai, head of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change. "Unless the mediation team is expanded ... and the mediation mechanism is changed, no meaningful progress can be made toward resolving the Zimbabwe crisis."
Mugabe extols Mbeki's role
Tsvangirai said: "If this does not happen, then the MDC will not be part of the mediation process."
Tsvangirai had repeatedly called on Mbeki to step down from his mediation role, saying Mbeki's refusal to publicly criticise Mugabe amounted to appeasement. Mugabe had extolled Mbeki's role.
The opposition "as the winner of the last credible elections on March 29 2008, should be recognised as the legitimate government of Zimbabwe," Tsvangirai said. "While the MDC remains committed to negotiations, these must be based on the March 29 results and must move towards a transitional agreement."
Tsvangirai said violence against Mugabe critics had continued, with at least nine supporters killed and hundreds beaten and forced to flee since a one-candidate presidential run-off held on Friday.
Violence getting worse
The United States ambassador to Zimbabwe, James McGee, said a Zimbabwean driver for the embassy disappeared three days ago, emerging on Wednesday to say he had been accosted by unknown assailants, blindfolded and taken to a small room where he was questioned and denied food or water.
The incident appeared to be an attempt to intimidate people connected with the US embassy, which had been a vocal critic of Mugabe.
"The violence seems to be at least at the same level (as before the run-off). It may even be getting worse," McGee said in an interview. "We've heard stories, unconfirmed, of hit lists. But we do know for a fact that people are being murdered. People continue to disappear."
Tsvangirai came in first in a field of four in the first round of presidential voting in March. Electoral officials said Tsvangirai did not win the simple majority and scheduled a run-off against second-place finisher Mugabe.
State-supported violence against opposition members forced Tsvangirai to withdraw days before Friday's run-off.
Mugabe held the vote anyway, despite international condemnation. He was declared the overwhelming winner on Sunday and immediately held an inauguration ceremony.
- AP