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Zimbabwe opposition makes UN plea UN split on Zimbabwe party plea
(about 6 hours later)
Zimbabwe's opposition has called for help from the UN as the Security Council meets for its first discussion of the country's post-election crisis. The UN Security Council is divided over Zimbabwe, following its first discussion of the post-election crisis.
A senior opposition official said African diplomacy had failed. Senior opposition figure Tendai Biti had travelled to New York to lobby the Security Council members to send aid and a special envoy to Zimbabwe.
In Zimbabwe, police freed more than 180 opposition activists without charge four days after their arrest. This was backed by the US and UK but opposed by countries including China and South Africa, the council's chair.
The move came as a Zimbabwean human rights group accused the government of using violence in rural areas to rig a possible presidential run-off. Meanwhile, Human Rights Watch has accused Zimbabwe's army of leading the crackdown on opposition supporters.
Allies of President Robert Mugabe say the violence is being exaggerated. More than a month after the 29 March elections, the presidential results have not been released.
Mbeki has fully and squarely placed himself against the people of Zimbabwe Tendai Biti, MDC
Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader Morgan Tsvangirai says he defeated President Robert Mugabe.
But independent observers and Mr Mugabe's allies say a run-off may be needed as no candidate gained more than 50% of the vote.
'Political weapon'
The MDC says its supporters are being attacked ahead of the run-off but the ruling party says the scale of the violence is being exaggerated, while blaming it on MDC activists.
A BBC contributor in the southern town of Masvingo reports that the bodies of two opposition activists have been found after they were abducted.A BBC contributor in the southern town of Masvingo reports that the bodies of two opposition activists have been found after they were abducted.
Another BBC contributor, in the eastern town of Mutare, reports that opposition activists are starting to take revenge on ruling party militants. class="" href="/1/hi/world/africa/7373557.stm">Blogs dismiss recount class="" href="/1/hi/world/africa/7349166.stm">Why Mugabe is deaf to the West
He says they burnt down a militant base in Odzi, just north of Mutare on Monday, while the state-owned Herald newspaper says an army training camp was attacked. In New York, UN Under-Secretary for Political Affairs Lynn Pascoe told the Security Council that Zimbabwe was in the midst of its worst humanitarian crisis since independence.
George W Bush says Zimbabwe's leader has 'failed the country'
In New York, the UN Security Council was briefed on the situation in Zimbabwe.
The UN's Under-Secretary for Political Affairs, Lynn Pascoe, told the council that Zimbabwe was in the midst of its worst humanitarian crisis since independence.
He expressed concern about a very high level of political intimidation and violence, and the "use of food as a political weapon".He expressed concern about a very high level of political intimidation and violence, and the "use of food as a political weapon".
Tendai Biti, Secretary-General of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), said he hoped the meeting would lead to a resolution of the country's crisis. But council members could not agree on whether to take any action.
"We're also hoping that as soon as possible the Secretary General can dispatch an envoy to Zimbabwe," he told Reuters news agency. US deputy ambassador Alejandro Wolff said they could not agree on sending extra humanitarian assistance, as requested by the MDC, reports the AP news agency.
He criticised South Africa for "defending the status quo" and Mr Mugabe's regime. South Africa currently heads the Security Council and is also the lead negotiator between Zimbabwe's ruling Zanu-PF and the MDC.
George W Bush says Zimbabwe's leader has 'failed the country'
The MDC wants South African President Thabo Mbeki to be replaced in that role.
"Mbeki has fully and squarely placed himself against the people of Zimbabwe," Mr Biti told the BBC's Network Africa programme.
South Africa's UN Ambassador Dumisani Kumalo said: "The only thing that the members seemed to agree with is that [Southern African Development Community] SADC should work with the Zimbabweans, especially their independent Electoral Commission, to make sure the results are coming out."
In other developments:In other developments:
• Foreign ministers in the European Union, which has a ban on the sale of arms to Zimbabwe, have called on other countries to impose a similar policy.• Foreign ministers in the European Union, which has a ban on the sale of arms to Zimbabwe, have called on other countries to impose a similar policy.
• A teachers' union reports that teachers are fleeing rural areas after being accused of helping the opposition when they worked as election officials.• A teachers' union reports that teachers are fleeing rural areas after being accused of helping the opposition when they worked as election officials.
• US President George Bush has accused Mr Mugabe of "failing" and now "intimidating" the people of Zimbabwe.• US President George Bush has accused Mr Mugabe of "failing" and now "intimidating" the people of Zimbabwe.
• Earlier, Zimbabwe's ambassador to the UN told the BBC that whoever won the presidential race would have to form a government of national unity.• Earlier, Zimbabwe's ambassador to the UN told the BBC that whoever won the presidential race would have to form a government of national unity.
• The final five results from a partial parliamentary recount are expected.• The final five results from a partial parliamentary recount are expected.
• State radio reports that the verification of presidential votes will start on Thursday and could take several days to complete.• State radio reports that the verification of presidential votes will start on Thursday and could take several days to complete.
'Angry' • Some 180 opposition activists arrested last Friday were freed without charge.
The MDC on Monday won a High Court order that its activists should be either released or charged on Monday. 'Targeted'
"The police had no basis to hold them for this long. I am angry because they need not have been arrested at all," Alec Muchadehama told Reuters.
Blogs dismiss recount
The police said the arrests at the MDC headquarters in Harare were in connection with political violence but the MDC said most of those detained were the victims of such violence, and had fled their homes in rural areas.
Masvingo police chief Mhekia Tanyanyiwa has confirmed the deaths of the two MDC supporters, our contributor says.Masvingo police chief Mhekia Tanyanyiwa has confirmed the deaths of the two MDC supporters, our contributor says.
Police sources say Zvidzai Mapurisa was abducted from his home on Saturday and beaten, before his body was found floating in a dam.Police sources say Zvidzai Mapurisa was abducted from his home on Saturday and beaten, before his body was found floating in a dam.
Morgan Tsvangirai says he won the election and Mugabe should step down
Cathrine Mukwenje was attacked by suspected ruling party militants, who gouged out one of her eyes.Cathrine Mukwenje was attacked by suspected ruling party militants, who gouged out one of her eyes.
She later died from her injuries.She later died from her injuries.
Human Rights Watch said Zimbabwe's army was given weapons and transport to ruling party supporters and self-styled "war veterans" who are leading such assaults.
"According to scores of victims and eyewitnesses interviewed by Human Rights Watch, Zanu-PF supporters and "war veterans" are drawing up lists of MDC activists who are then systematically targeted for abuse," the group said.
Kucaca Phulu, chairman of the Zimbabwe Human Rights Association (Zimrights), said such assaults were "a form of rigging".Kucaca Phulu, chairman of the Zimbabwe Human Rights Association (Zimrights), said such assaults were "a form of rigging".
He said hundreds of people had been forced from their homes.He said hundreds of people had been forced from their homes.
The MDC says this has often been in rural areas which Zanu-PF lost in the parliamentary elections.The MDC says this has often been in rural areas which Zanu-PF lost in the parliamentary elections.
"If there is a run-off, what is of grave concern to us is that all these displaced people will not be able to go back to their home areas to vote," Mr Phulu said, according to the AFP news agency.
'Unacceptable'
But Zimbabwe's ambassador to the UN, Boniface Chidyausiku, dismissed as "totally false" the argument that the delay was to give Zanu-PF time to rig the outcome.But Zimbabwe's ambassador to the UN, Boniface Chidyausiku, dismissed as "totally false" the argument that the delay was to give Zanu-PF time to rig the outcome.
He pointed out that similar claims were made when the electoral commission said it was recounting 23 parliamentary results.He pointed out that similar claims were made when the electoral commission said it was recounting 23 parliamentary results.
President Bush says Robert Mugabe has "failed his people"
Eighteen of these results were announced at the weekend and were unchanged from those originally announced, meaning the opposition has a majority in parliament for the first time in Zimbabwe's history.Eighteen of these results were announced at the weekend and were unchanged from those originally announced, meaning the opposition has a majority in parliament for the first time in Zimbabwe's history.
MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai says he also won the presidential race outright but independent monitors say he may have fallen short of the 50% needed to avoid a run-off. But following the reports of revenge attacks by opposition supporters, Mr Mugabe's spokesman George Charamba said the security services would use any force needed to "discourage acts that could lead to anarchy".
Our Mutare contributor reports that rival political activists have been engaged in running battles in the poor Sakubva district, following reports that two houses have been burnt down. Mr Biti and Mr Chidyausiku both said that a government of national unity should be formed to end the impasse.
He also quotes an official from the Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) as saying that 9,000 teachers are afraid of reporting for duty at the start of the new term, following attacks by ruling party supporters. But Zanu-PF spokesman Bright Matonga dismissed this suggestion.
Teachers at two schools in the western Lupane districts have also refused to work, while soldiers are using their schools as bases for attacking opposition supporters, a BBC contributor in the area says.
President Bush said: "The violence and intimidation is simply unacceptable" and called on Zimbabwe's neighbours to increase pressure on Mr Mugabe.
But following the reports of revenge attacks by Zanu-PF supporters, Mr Mugabe's spokesman George Charamba said the security services would use any force needed to "discourage acts that could lead to anarchy".