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MDC claims Zimbabwe is at 'war' MDC urges intervention in 'war'
(about 2 hours later)
Zimbabwe is "in a war situation", says the general secretary of the main Zimbabwean opposition party, the MDC. African leaders and the UN must act to ensure democracy triumphs in Zimbabwe, says a key opposition figure.
At a news conference in Johannesburg, Tendai Biti claimed 10 people had been killed since disputed elections on 29 March and thousands had been displaced. MDC secretary general Tendai Biti said Zimbabwe was now "in a war situation" following disputed polls on 29 March.
The governing Zanu-PF party has not commented on these latest accusations, but has so far denounced all of the opposition's claims as lies. He said 10 people had been killed, hundreds injured and thousands displaced in post-election violence.
After a request from the ruling party, electoral officials are conducting a partial recount of the parliamentary vote, won by the MDC.
Votes are being recounted in 23 constituencies, a process election officials say could take more than three days to complete.
Three weeks after polls were held, the presidential result is still unknown.Three weeks after polls were held, the presidential result is still unknown.
A partial recount of votes is under way in 23 constituencies which election officials say could take more than three days to complete. The opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai - who has fled the country - insists he won the presidential vote outright, and has demanded that the results be released.
But Mr Biti called the recount "mendacious and illegal", and said there was evidence of tampering with the ballot boxes - an accusation the government rejects. 'Frustration'
UN effort Speaking at a news conference in Johannesburg, neighbouring South Africa, Mr Biti urged African leaders and the United Nations to prevent a slide towards violence in Zimbabwe.
Earlier, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said he would hold talks on Zimbabwe with a number of African leaders on the sidelines of a UN summit in Ghana. If democracy fails in Zimbabwe, what options are you leaving to the people of Zimbabwe? Tendai BitiMDC general secretary
He said the MDC was trying to prevent Zimbabweans being "seduced" into violence, but pointed out that amid a lack of jobs, food and medicines they were getting increasingly frustrated.
In addition to the claims of post-election violence, the opposition also says dozens of its supporters have been arrested by the security forces.
"If democracy fails in Zimbabwe, what options are you leaving to the people of Zimbabwe?" he asked.
Mr Biti called the recount "mendacious and illegal", and said there was evidence of tampering with the ballot boxes.
He said his party would not participate in a run-off - though the party has previously said it would participate if certain conditions were met.
Evidence of violence
The government has not commented on these latest accusations, but has so far denounced all of the opposition's claims as lies.
HAVE YOUR SAYI predict that the situation will end up like Kenya. Mugabe will be encouraged by the African Union to form a national unity governmentFrank Hartry, South AfricaSend us your commentsHAVE YOUR SAYI predict that the situation will end up like Kenya. Mugabe will be encouraged by the African Union to form a national unity governmentFrank Hartry, South AfricaSend us your comments
Mr Ban said he and the leaders at the talks in Accra would discuss "how to get developments there back to normal". The BBC's Will Ross in South Africa - the BBC is barred from Zimbabwe - says it is difficult to verify the numbers of people the MDC claims have been killed, wounded or displaced in recent political violence.
He was speaking hours after Kofi Annan, his predecessor, urged African leaders to do more to address the crisis. But he says there is evidence that there has been violence, particularly in rural areas - something the MDC accuses the government of orchestrating in a bid to intimidate opposition voters in the lead-up to a possible run-off.
The opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai insists he won the presidential vote outright, and has demanded that the results be released. The New York-based Human Rights Watch on Saturday accused Zanu-PF of "using a network of informal detention centres to beat, torture, and intimidate opposition activists and ordinary Zimbabweans".
The parliamentary vote was won by his MDC party. South African dock workers last week refused to unload a Chinese ship carrying arms destined for Zimbabwe, and a South African court barred its cargo from being transported overland to the border.
But the election commission is recounting ballots in 23 of 210 constituencies - which could overturn the result that saw President Robert Mugabe's Zanu-PF lose its majority for the first time since independence in 1980. UN effort
It is thought the recount may also lead to a run-off vote in the presidential poll. On Sunday the 53-member African Union urged Zimbabwe to release the election results "without any further delay", and called for restraint from all parties.
Mr Tsvangirai, who is adamant he won the election outright, has fled the country, saying he fears for his life. Earlier, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said he would discuss "how to get developments there back to normal" with a number of African leaders on the sidelines of a UN summit in Ghana.
Kofi Annan, his predecessor, has also urged African leaders to do more to address the crisis.
The alarm bells are getting louder but so far they show little sign of making any difference in Zimbabwe, our correspondent says.
Few African heads of state are attending the UN summit in Ghana and it will not be a priority at a conference of the 14-nation Southern African Development Community (SADC), currently taking place in Mauritius.