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Mugabe rule 'not legitimate' - UK Mugabe crisis 'infecting' Africa
(about 2 hours later)
UK Foreign Secretary David Miliband has said it is "imperative" there is a new government in Zimbabwe. The crisis in Zimbabwe is "infecting the whole of southern Africa", UK Foreign Secretary David Miliband has said after visiting refugees.
He said he would redouble efforts to ensure Robert Mugabe's regime was not seen as "a legitimate representation of the will of the people of Zimbabwe". On a visit to Johannesburg, S Africa, he said victims of political repression were fleeing there in their thousands.
President Mugabe was the only candidate in a run-off election after opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai, winner of the first round, withdrew, citing violence. He said it was now "imperative" there was a new government in Zimbabwe.
Mr Miliband said a government must be formed that respected the first result. Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe was declared the winner of a one-candidate run-off election, amid reports of the violent intimidation of his opponents.
Thousands of people have fled political violence in Zimbabwe, before and since the disputed presidential election. After meeting some of the 2,000 refugees who have taken refuge in the Central Methodist Church in downtown Johannesburg, Mr Miliband said: "This is now a crisis infecting the whole of southern Africa and one that is a man-made tragedy from the top of the Zimbabwean regime."
Meeting refugees in South Africa, Mr Miliband said it was a "man-made tragedy" that affected all of Africa. Tough sanctions
He said: "No-one who meets the people here could do anything other than redouble their efforts to secure international consensus that the Mugabe regime is not a legitimate representation of the will of the people of Zimbabwe."He said: "No-one who meets the people here could do anything other than redouble their efforts to secure international consensus that the Mugabe regime is not a legitimate representation of the will of the people of Zimbabwe."
He said the international community had to "rally behind" United Nations Security Council resolutions next week in New York. He said the international community had to "rally behind" tough United Nations Security Council resolutions next week in New York to target individuals within the Mugabe regime.
And he said it was "imperative" that a government was formed that respected the result of the first presidential result on 29 March, when official results gave Mr Tsvangirai more votes than Mr Mugabe - but not enough to avoid a run-off. I've seen the scars and the consequences of that violence and intimidation today David Miliband
And he said it was "imperative" that a government was formed that respected the result of the first presidential result on 29 March, when official results gave opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai more votes than Mr Mugabe - but not enough to avoid a run-off.
Mr Tsvangirai later pulled out of the presidential run-off, citing violence in the campaign.Mr Tsvangirai later pulled out of the presidential run-off, citing violence in the campaign.
His MDC party says 5,000 of its members are still missing.His MDC party says 5,000 of its members are still missing.
Mr Miliband said a large number of orphans were among the growing number of Zimbabweans arriving in Johannesburg - adding he had seen the "human face" of the catastrophe in Zimbabwe.
"At the heart of President Mugabe's rhetoric is the idea that this is a fight between Zimbabwe and Britain, it's not.
"It's a fight between two different visions for the future of Zimbabwe, one of which has the support of the Zimbabwean people as expressed on 29 March and the other of which is held together by a small clique that holds power on the basis of violence and intimidation. I've seen the scars and the consequences of that violence and intimidation today."
On Saturday, South Africa's Thabo Mbeki - the chief negotiator on the Zimbabwe crisis - met Mr Mugabe for talks in Harare.
He has been trying to persuade Mr Mugabe to form a government of national unity - but Mr Tsvangirai declined to meet Mr Mbeki, arguing that doing so would imply recognition of Mr Mugabe as president following his controversial re-election.
Mr Mugabe has said the opposition must accept him as leader before any talks can take place on ending the country's political crisis.