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| Mugabe challenger 'may quit poll' | Mugabe challenger 'may quit poll' |
| (about 2 hours 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 withdrawal threat may be aimed at pressuring other countries to demand a fair vote, a BBC correspondent says. | The withdrawal threat may be aimed at pressuring other countries to demand a fair vote, a BBC correspondent says. |
| Angola's leader, one of President Robert Mugabe's closest allies, has urged him to stop the violence. | |
| President Jose Eduardo Dos Santos advised Mr Mugabe to "observe the spirit of tolerance, respect for difference and cease all forms of intimidation and political violence". | |
| Unless there's a change in conditions on the ground, the election will be a charade Nelson ChamisaMDC spokesman Your questions answered'Raped for opposing Mugabe'Send us your comments | Unless there's a change in conditions on the ground, the election will be a charade Nelson ChamisaMDC spokesman Your questions answered'Raped for opposing Mugabe'Send us your comments |
| The message was delivered through an Angolan election observer, the Angolan president's office says. | |
| The two men were fighting colonial rule together in the 1970s and intervened together in the Democratic Republic of Congo in the 1990s. | |
| The MDC (Movement for Democratic Change) says dozens of its supporters have been killed but President Mugabe blames the opposition for the violence. | |
| But if the MDC 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 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. | 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. |
| In Brussels, the European Union has drafted a summit statement saying it is ready to take unspecified "additional measures against those responsible for violence". | In Brussels, the European Union has drafted a summit statement saying it is ready to take unspecified "additional measures against those responsible for violence". |
| UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown told reporters he believed President Mugabe's government was behind the violence. | UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown told reporters he believed President Mugabe's government was behind the violence. |
| "Mugabe's increasingly desperate and isolated regime has unleashed still more violence," he said. | "Mugabe's increasingly desperate and isolated regime has unleashed still more violence," he said. |
| "This is a blatant attempt to intimidate and to steal the election." | "This is a blatant attempt to intimidate and to steal the election." |
| 'Subjected to terror' | '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. | "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 | 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". | 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. | "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. | "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." | "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. |
| MDC rallies have also been disrupted and Mr Tsvangirai has been detained by police on several occasions. | MDC rallies have also been disrupted and Mr Tsvangirai has been detained by police on several occasions. |
| 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. | 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. One of the accusations against him is that he portrayed President Mugabe "as an evil man". | The charges carry a possible death sentence. One of the accusations against him is that he portrayed President Mugabe "as an evil man". |
| International concern | International concern |
| Zimbabwe's immediate neighbours have voiced increasing concern over the validity of next week's vote, given the violence and intimidation. | Zimbabwe's immediate neighbours have voiced increasing concern over the validity of next week's vote, given the violence and intimidation. |
| Advertisement | Advertisement |
| Mugabe promises to hand all land over to black ownership before he resigns | Mugabe promises to hand all land over to black ownership before he resigns |
| Tanzanian Foreign Minister Bernard Membe, head of an election monitoring team, told the BBC on Thursday that violence appeared to be "escalating throughout Zimbabwe". | Tanzanian Foreign Minister Bernard Membe, head of an election monitoring team, told the BBC on Thursday that violence appeared to be "escalating throughout Zimbabwe". |
| 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. | 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. |
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| Are you in Zimbabwe? Send us your views and experiences using the form below or by text on +44 7786 20 50 85 - and let us know if you do not want your full name to be published. | Are you in Zimbabwe? Send us your views and experiences using the form below or by text on +44 7786 20 50 85 - and let us know if you do not want your full name to be published. |