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African observers report 'horrendous' political violence in Zimbabwe
Angus Shaw, Associated Press
June 18, 2008

http://www.zwnews.com/issuefull.cfm?ArticleID=18996

Harare - Election observers from across Africa have heard "horrendous" accounts of political violence in Zimbabwe, their spokesperson has said, singling out President Robert Mugabe for criticism. Marwick Khumalo, head of a 64-member Pan-African Parliament observer mission, said his team had spent several days investigating reports of election violence. His is among the first observer missions at work for a June 27 presidential run-off between Mugabe and opposition MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai. Independent human rights observers say Mugabe's police, soldiers and party militants have orchestrated widespread violence aimed at ensuring Mugabe wins after coming second to Tsvangirai in March. In recent days, Mugabe has turned up the rhetoric, saying he would go to war before accepting defeat at the polls. "Beating the drums of war is not acceptable in any situation," Khumalo said. He said his observers had seen the grave of a woman "who was chopped up". Other independent observers said the woman had been the wife of an opposition leader and died at the hands of supporters of Mugabe. "We have heard so many horrendous stories," Khumalo said.

Mugabe, campaigning in the central Kadoma district, accused Tsvangirai and other leaders of the MDC of orchestrating violence. He said opposition leaders faced arrest. Independent observers have noted some retaliatory attacks, but say the opposition violence does not approach the state-sponsored violence in scale. In South Africa, the Nelson Mandela Foundation has joined leaders and groups across Africa calling "for an end to the violence and intimidation, and the restoration of full access for humanitarian and aid agencies". Anglican Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu and former United Nations secretary-general Kofi Annan are among those who have signed the call. Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga, in speaking to reporters in Washington yesterday, urged world leaders to put pressure on Mugabe to step down. He described the run-off as a "complete sham" and Zimbabwe as "an eyesore, an embarrassment to the African continent". Mugabe aide Emmerson Mnangagwa, visiting Maputo yesterday, was asked by reporters about Mugabe's recent comments suggesting he would not accept defeat. "The election will dictate" who governed said Mnangagwa. "We are going to accept the outcome of the results."

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