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'Mugabe has started a war'
03/04/2008 22:14 - (SA)
Harare - President Robert Mugabe's government raided the offices of the main opposition movement and rounded up foreign journalists on Thursday in an ominous indication that he may use intimidation and violence to keep his grip on power.
Police raided a hotel used by the opposition Movement for Democratic Change and ransacked some of the rooms. Riot police also surrounded another hotel housing foreign journalists, and took away several of them, according to a man who answered the phone there.
The New York Times said that its correspondent Barry Bearak was taken into custody by police.
"We do not know where he is being held, or what, if any, charges have been made against him," said Bill Keller, executive editor of the Times.
"We are making every effort to ascertain his status, to assure that he is safe and being well treated, and to secure his prompt release."
The MDC's UK spokesperson says that three members of the party have been arrested during the raid and that others have gone into hiding, Sky News reports.
"Mugabe has started a crackdown," Movement for Democratic Change secretary-general Tendai Biti told The Associated Press. "It is quite clear he has unleashed a war."
Certain people 'targeted'
Biti said the raid at the Meikles Hotel targeted "certain people ... including myself." Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai was "safe" but cancelled plans for a news conference, he said.
Biti said Thursday's clampdown was a sign of worse to follow but that the opposition would not go into hiding.
"You can't hide away from fascism. Zimbabwe is a small country. So we are not going into hiding. We are just going to have to be extra cautious," he said.
Independent observers say their own projection based on results posted at a representative sample of polling stations showed that Tsvangirai won the most votes in Saturday's election, but not enough to avoid a runoff.
Mugabe's Deputy Information Minister Bright Matonga said Mugabe was ready for a runoff, dashing hopes that he would bow quietly off the national stage he has dominated for 28 years.
"President Mugabe is going to fight. He is not going anywhere. He has not lost," Matonga told the BBC. "We are going to go hard and fight and get the majority required."
More ballot boxes
On Thursday, Mugabe was shown on state television meeting African Union election observers, his first public appearance since the elections.
A commission member indicated presidential results would be announced on Friday, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to the media. But that was before the commission announced that Thursday's expected announcement of senate results was delayed because of "logistical problems".
The commission said it still was receiving ballot boxes from the provinces, raising questions about where those votes had been since Saturday's elections amid charges of a plot to rig the results. Western election observers have accused Mugabe of stealing previous elections.
'Do the right thing'
Former UN chief Kofi Annan said the continuing delays were dangerous. He urged the government and the electoral commission to scrupulously observe the electoral law and "to declare the election results faithfully and accurately."
"We live in an open world today and indeed the eyes of the world are on Zimbabwe, on its Electoral Commission, on its president. I urge them to do the right thing, to respect the Constitution and to obey the electoral laws. The election results should be released now," he said.
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