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No resolution in sight on eve of "historic" Zimbabwe summit
Published in Saudi Press Agency on 11 - 04 - 2008


Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe and
the Movement for Democratic Change of Morgan Tsvangirai remained at
loggerheads Friday a day ahead of an emergency regional summit on the
country's post-election standoff, according to dpa.
Tsvangirai on Friday again objected to taking part in a runoff
presidential vote against Mugabe - as called for if no candidate
takes more than 50 per cent of the vote - and reissued calls for
Mugabe to step down.
In a statement the MDC leader said Saturday's meeting of the 14-
nation Southern African Development Community (SADC) was "an historic
moment for SADC and a defining moment for Africa."
"We can show the world that we, Africa, can solve our own problems
and safeguard democracy and the rule of law," Tsvangirai said in a
challenge to SADC members to break with their traditionally steadfast
support for Mugabe.
"He (Mugabe) should recognize that he has lost and let me get on
with making our great country great once more," Tsvangirai said.
Meanwhile, Mugabe's attendance at the summit appeared in doubt
with state radio saying at the last minute he would not be in
attendance.
In a sign of growing state defiance Zimbabwean authorities also
banned political rallies, claiming they did not have the manpower to
police them, state radio reported.
Thirteen days after Zimbabwe's elections the secrecy surrounding
the official presidential results are fuelling tensions. The MDC
claims Tsvangirai won outright. Mugabe's party says a runoff is
needed.
In a BBC interview Tsvangirai said he could not be expected to
partake in a runoff given that the electoral environment was not free
or fair.
"In the provinces, in the districts, people are being beaten up,"
said Tsvangira, accusing Mugabe of deploying the military against
opposition supporters and of interfering with the work of the
Zimbabwe Electoral Commission.
Several ZEC officials have been arrested after being accused by
Mugabe's party of rigging the vote in Tsvangirai's favour and the
national election centre has reportedly been moved to a secret
location.
Yet, Tsvangirai also appeared to leave the door open to a runoff,
saying: "What we would expect is for SADC (the 14-nation to create
conditions for that election to be conducted."
The 56-year-old former labour leader was speaking after his
meeting Thursday with South African President Thabo Mbeki, SADC's
mediator in Zimbabwe.
"It was a routine exercise of consulting and exchanging notes.
Obviously they talked about the elections but that was not the
purpose of the meeting," MDC spokesperson Nelson Chamisa told
Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa.
But another MDC source, who did not wish to be named, said Mbeki
wanted to know what Tsvangirai expected from the SADC meeting.
Both Mbeki and Tsvangirai are expected at the meeting. Mugabe had
been also expected to attend but state radio reports and remarks by
deputy information minister Bright Matonga saying "one way or another
Zimbabwe will be represented" appeared to point to a no-show.
Despite Zanu-PF's defeat in parliamentary elections and his
party's admission that he did not win the presidential vote outright,
Mugabe, 84, is trying to cling onto power.
Over the past week dozens of white farmers and at least one black
farmer have been chased off their land by youth militia loyal to his
party after Mugabe called on Zimbabweans to defend their land from
"former colonizers."


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