| Submit your comments on this article |
| Africa Subsaharan |
| Senior United Nations Official Meets Zim Bob |
| 2008-06-18 |
| United Nations officials say U.N. Special Envoy Haile Menkerios has held talks with Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe amid international concern over widespread violence and intimidation of opposition supporters ahead of next's week runoff presidential election. The visit by United Nations Special Envoy Haile Menkerios comes amidst a rapidly deteriorating economic, social and political crisis in Zimbabwe including widespread violence in which some 60 opposition leaders have been killed, and dozens arrested. Independent humanitarian organizations also report that hundreds of opposition supporters have been severely wounded and that punitive attacks perpetrated by ruling party youth and security forces have left some 25,000 people displaced. Opposition Movement for Democratic Change Secretary General Tendai Biti is currently in jail with the police saying he will be charged with treason. Party leader Morgan Tsvangirai has been arrested and released without charge five times. Humanitarian workers say that there have been very few cases of retaliatory violence on the part of opposition supporters. But Mr. Mugabe says he holds the opposition responsible for the deteriorating situation and that he intends to make them pay. 'We are going to accuse the [MDC] party and the party leadership of being vicariously liable and responsible for those crimes of violence, because there is now a pattern visible across the country and that has to stop,' he said. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #2 He just came for the payoff. |
| Posted by: Spot 2008-06-18 08:02 |
| #1 What was the luncheon menu? |
| Posted by: Nimble Spemble 2008-06-18 07:14 |