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MDC ponders Zimbabwe poll pullout Mugabe challenger 'may quit poll'
(about 1 hour later)
Zimbabwe's opposition MDC will announce on Monday whether the party will withdraw from the 27 June presidential run-off, a party source told the BBC.Zimbabwe's opposition MDC will announce on Monday whether the party will withdraw from the 27 June presidential run-off, a party source told the BBC.
MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai is said to be under pressure to pull out in view of escalating poll-related violence.MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai is said to be under pressure to pull out in view of escalating poll-related violence.
The MDC says dozens of its supporters have been killed but President Robert Mugabe blames the MDC for the violence.The MDC says dozens of its supporters have been killed but President Robert Mugabe blames the MDC for the violence.
A withdrawal threat could be a move to pressure the international community to ensure a fair vote, say correspondents. The withdrawal threat may be aimed at pressuring other countries to demand a fair vote, a BBC correspondent says.
A meeting of senior MDC officials in Harare has revealed "differences of opinion" within the party over its next move, MDC spokesman Nelson Chamisa told the BBC. Unless there's a change in conditions on the ground, the election will be a charade Nelson ChamisaMDC spokesman class="" href="/1/hi/talking_point/7462721.stm">Your questions answered class="" href="/1/hi/world/africa/7465101.stm">'Raped for opposing Mugabe' class="" href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?forumID=4975&edition=1">Send us your comments
He said the party needed to assess the situation in the country and unless conditions changed the vote would be a "charade". But if the MDC (Movement for Democratic Change) does pull out, it will be handing victory to Robert Mugabe, making it a tricky decision to take, says the BBC's Caroline Hawley in Johannesburg, South Africa.
The report we received still indicates that violence is escalating throughout Zimbabwe Bernard MembeTanzanian foreign minister class="" href="/1/hi/talking_point/7462721.stm">Your questions answered class="" href="/1/hi/world/africa/7465101.stm">'Raped for opposing Mugabe' class="" href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?forumID=4975&edition=1">Send us your comments The MDC suffered at least five violent deaths of activists or their family members this week and its secretary general, Tendai Biti, was charged with treason and subversion.
If it does pull out, the MDC would be handing victory to Robert Mugabe, making it a tricky decision to take, says the BBC's Caroline Hawley in Johannesburg, South Africa. In Brussels, the European Union has drafted a summit statement saying it is ready to take unspecified "additional measures against those responsible for violence".
However, Mr Tsvangirai's potential withdrawal from the election can be seen as a move to put pressure on the international community to do more to try to ensure a free and fair election, says our correspondent. UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown told reporters he believed President Mugabe's government was behind the violence.
Treason charge "Mugabe's increasingly desperate and isolated regime has unleashed still more violence," he said.
Mr Tsvangirai gained the most votes in the election's first round, but not enough to win outright. "This is a blatant attempt to intimidate and to steal the election."
'Subjected to terror'
"Differences of opinion" have emerged among the party's senior officials over its next move, MDC spokesman Nelson Chamisa told the BBC after the leadership met in Harare.
Tendai Biti was arrested after returning from South Africa
The party, he said, needed to assess the situation in the country but if conditions did not change, the vote would be a "charade".
"We are assessing the situation as some areas are inaccessible," he added.
"People are being abducted at night. Our grass-roots activists are being subjected to terror. Some of them are staying in the bushes and mountains to avoid Zanu-PF militias.
"Unless there's a change in conditions on the ground, the election will be a charade."
The MDC says at least 70 of its supporters have been killed in recent weeks and 25,000 forced from their homes in a state-sponsored campaign of violence.The MDC says at least 70 of its supporters have been killed in recent weeks and 25,000 forced from their homes in a state-sponsored campaign of violence.
One of its top leaders, Tendai Biti, has also been charged with treason and subversion. MDC rallies have also been disrupted and Mr Tsvangirai has been detained by police on several occasions.
A Harare court has refused to dismiss the charges, saying there is reasonable suspicion that Mr Biti committed an offence, and remanded the case to 7 July. A Harare court refused to dismiss the charges against Mr Biti, delaying his case until 7 July, more than a week after the election. However, he could still be granted bail.
The charges carry a possible death sentence. The charges carry a possible death sentence. One of the accusations against him is that he portrayed President Mugabe "as an evil man".
MDC rallies have also been disrupted and Mr Tsvangirai briefly detained by police on several occasions. International concern
Economic freefall Zimbabwe's immediate neighbours have voiced increasing concern over the validity of next week's vote, given the violence and intimidation.
There has been growing international condemnation, including from some of Zimbabwe's neighbours, of the pre-election climate in the country. Robert Mugabe blames the opposition for the violence
Three countries from the South African Development Community (SADC) monitoring the polls - Tanzania, Angola and Swaziland - said the election would not be free and fair given the current circumstances. Tanzanian Foreign Minister Bernard Membe, head of an election monitoring team, told the BBC on Thursday that violence appeared to be "escalating throughout Zimbabwe".
Robert Mugabe Zanu-PF blames the opposition for the violence
"The report we received still indicates that violence is escalating throughout Zimbabwe," Tanzanian Foreign Minister Bernard Membe told the BBC.
Meanwhile in Brussels, the EU has drafted a summit statement saying it is ready "to take additional measures against those responsible for violence".
The EU document does not state what the additional measures might be.
The EU already has an arms embargo against Zimbabwe and has placed travel bans on and frozen the assets of President Mugabe and other senior government and ruling Zanu-PF party officials.The EU already has an arms embargo against Zimbabwe and has placed travel bans on and frozen the assets of President Mugabe and other senior government and ruling Zanu-PF party officials.
It urged African states to deploy as many election observers on the ground as soon as possible.
Mr Mugabe blames the sanctions for causing Zimbabwe's economic freefall.Mr Mugabe blames the sanctions for causing Zimbabwe's economic freefall.
The EU statement urged the African Union and SADC to deploy "a significant number of election monitors as soon as possible and to ensure their continued presence until the electoral process is completed".
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said violence from Zanu-PF supporters meant the run-off would not be free and fair.