Africa News
US calls for SADC to sanction Zimbabwe over election violence
Jun 24, 2008, 14:22 GMT
Washington - US Ambassador James McGee Tuesday called for the regional southern African economic group to take strident steps against the government of Zimbabwe to curtail pre-election violence that could include border closings.
In a telephone interview from Harare with international reporters, McGee also said the government of President Robert Mugabe, who has vowed to stay in power at all costs, had given assurances that challenger Morgan Tsvangirai 'could leave the country if he so desired' and that it would not raid the Dutch embassy in the capital, where he was staying.
Another 2,000 people from Tsvangirai's party, Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), had sought refuge by Monday at the Harvest House headquarters from physical attacks by Mugabe's supporters, McGee said. The diplomatic community was able to warn them of a police raid headed their way, and 'most left and dispersed.'
But police had arrested about 30 people who were 'too old or infirm to get out in a hurry,' McGee said.
The refugees were since filtering back and have been promised shelter and food by the United Nations and International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) as internally displaced people, McGee said.
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