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'Mugabe needs psychiatric help'
27/03/2007 17:03 - (SA)
Harare - Zimbabwe opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai has chosen to forgive veteran President Robert Mugabe on Tuesday, saying he is a dictator who needed psychiatric help.
"We don't hate Mugabe. In fact, I think he needs psychiatric help," Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader Tsvangirai said at his first public address since he was arrested and then assaulted while trying to attend a rally on March 11.
"We must remember the scriptures which state that 'forgive them for they know not what they are doing,'" he said at a memorial service held at a church in commemoration of MDC activist Gift Tandare, who was shot on the same day.
MDC determined to restore democracy
With his right eye still bloodshot, Tsvangirai told the service attended by more than 500 people in Harare's upmarket suburb of Borrowdale, that the opposition was determined to restore democracy.
"We are not talking of overthrow of a government, as Zimbabweans we have a constitutional ... right to deserve democracy," he told the crowd which included diplomats from Australia, Britain, Germany and the American embassies in Harare.
"There is no dictator in this world who has succeeded to oppress the people forever."
Mugabe has accused the MDC of serving as puppets of Western governments, which imposed sanctions over accusations that Mugabe, rigged the 2002 presidential election when he defeated Tsvangirai.
Dozens of other MDC supporters were also assaulted while in custody after the March 11 rally was crushed.
- AFP
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Zimbabwe Special Report
