The main opposition grouping in Zimbabwe, the Movement for Democratic Change, has warned that it will resist attacks on its supporters by pro-government groups. At least five opposition party members have been killed by armed groups since Friday. But the party leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, said that his members will no longer stand by if the attacks continue. 12 people have been killed in nine weeks of political tension in Zimbabwe, where Mr Mugabe's supporters have also occupied hundreds of white-owned farms.
This was the strongest warning yet from Mr Tsvangirai following several day of increasing violence against MDC supporters. Black farmers in the north and east of the country have been shot, beaten and abducted by roving armed gangs demanding support for the ruling Zanu-PF party. Mr Tsvangirai said that the violence was being co-ordinated by the government and the time had come to respond. Although he refused to elaborate, he said it was well known who the supporters of the intimidation were and that it was time to take the violence to them.
Mr Tsvangirai denied he was considering the same tactics as the government, but said that in the absence of any help from the police his supporters had to defend themselves. He described the situation as a state of siege and added that free and fair elections later this year would be impossible if the problem persisted.
The British Foreign Secretary, Robin Cook, has issued a fresh warning to the Zimbabwean government that farm occupations must stop if Britain is to help fund a programme to transfer land to poor black Zimbabweans. He is due to meet ministers from the Harare government in London tomorrow. However Mr Cook said that the land reform funding, £36 million, could be released only if the violence of the past three weeks was brought to an end. The funding was originally agreed at a land reform conference two years ago.
The EU has denied a denied a German newspaper report that members governments are making military preparations to evacuate whites from Zimbabwe, if violence escalates. A Frankfurt newspaper quoted the German foreign ministry and British military sources. However, the EU said there were no such plans. The Ministry of Defence in London said there were no specific plans for military involvement.
