Zimbabwe

Government slams UN condemnation

Article published on the 2008-06-24 Latest update 2008-06-24 10:45 TU

Police raid MDC headquarters on Monday
(Photo: Reuters)

Zimbabwe's ambassador to the United Nations, Boniface Chidyausiku, has slammed the international body's condemnation of his country's presidential election as "out of order". Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai, who has taken refuge in the Dutch embassy, says that the UN does not have the power to prevent the election taking place.

Tsvangirai and his Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) have decided to boycott the run-off presidential vote, due to take place on Friday. But he told the French news agency, AFP, that the UN "can only  recommend" and that it does not have the "jurisdiction" to postpone the election.

Tsvangirai also said that he will leave the Dutch embassy, where he has been holed up for nearly two days, when he feels confident of his security.

On Monday the UN Security Council unanimously declared that a free and fair run-off election was "impossible" because of violence and restrictions on the opposition.

The adoption of the non-binding statement by the 15-nation Security Council, which includes South Africa, China and Russia, was its first formal action on the crisis in the southern African country.

Zimbabwean representative Chidyausiku accused UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon of "grandstanding", after Ban said that he "strongly discourage" the government from going ahead.

President Robert Mugabe pledged to press ahead with Friday's vote.

Brian Raftopoulos director of research for Solidarity Peace Trust told RFI that the international community needs to act against Mugabe.

"I think the world needs to take a strong unequivical position...that if Mugabe is not prepared to enter negotiation..this regime must be effectively and actively isolated

Tsvangirai won the first round of the presidential election on 29 March 29, but on Sunday announced that he would not take part in the second round, accusing Mugabe's supporters of violence and intimidation.