Zimbabwe Opposition Leader Pulls Out of Election

By Peta Thornycroft
Harare
22 June 2008
Zimbabwe opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai, who won the most votes inthe March 29 presidential poll, has pulled out of the second round ofvoting due Friday. Peta Thornycroft reports from Harare that Mr.Tsvangirai said he cannot take part in the runoff because he does notwant to legitimize Mr. Mugabe's war against the people of Zimbabwe.

Mr.Tsvangirai criticized the Zimbabwe Election commission for failling toensure election laws were followed. He called for the African Union,and all regional and international organizations, including the UnitedNations to intervene to ensure that peaceful elections could take placesoon.

The opposition leader announced his decision aftermilitants loyal to President Robert Mugabe blocked the site of theMDC's main campaign rally.  Men dressed in Zanu-PF T-shirts, and somearmed with dangerous weapons, including guns, were harassing andbeating people near the site of the rally at the Harare Showgrounds.

Observersfrom the Southern African Development Community SADC remained in theirhotel and journalists who tried to go to the rally site were shot at. Several people were grabbed off the streets in one suburb and forced toattend an impromptu Zanu-PF rally.

Some voters who support Mr.Tsvangirai say they are relieved that he has pulled out. Others saythis will not stop Mr. Mugabe's campaign of violence and that he willcarry on until the MDC has disappeared altogether.

TheAssociated Press reports Zimbabwean Information Minister SikhanyisoNdlovu said the runoff would go ahead and would prove Zimbabweans'support for Mugabe, who has held power since independence from Britainin 1980.  
 
SADC observers appeared confused about the MDCannouncement. Some said they would stay in Zimbabwe and try to protectpeople, others said they believed they would now be withdrawn.

South African diplomats said they did not know in advance that Mr. Tsvangirai would pull out of the runoff.