Zimbabwe: British PM Brown Condemns Mugabe Actions

PM condemns Mugabe actions

The Prime Minister has condemned the actions of Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe and his "desperate and criminal regime".

In a Downing Street statement, Gordon Brown criticised the repeated arrest of opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai and accused Robert Mugabe of attempting to "steal" to the election scheduled for 27 June.

The PM said:

"I condemn the arrest of Morgan Tsvangirai for the fifth time in a week, the charging of Tendai Biti with treason, the killing of over 60 people, the beating and torture of over 2000 people, the displacement of over 30,000 and the increasingly bellicose rhetoric used by the Zimbabwean government.

"These are the acts of an increasingly desperate and criminal regime. They are further proof, if is is needed, that Robert Mugabe is becoming more blatant in his attempts to steal the 27 June election."

The June election will be a run-off between Mr Mugabe and Mr Tsvangirai after the initial poll in March produced no clear winner.

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FULL STATEMENT

I condemn the arrest of Morgan Tsvangirai for the fifth time in a week, the charging of Tendai Biti with treason, the killing of over 60 people, the beating and torture of over 2000 people, the displacement of over 30,000 and the increasingly bellicose rhetoric used by the Zimbabwean government. These are the acts of an increasingly desperate and criminal regime. They are further proof, if is is needed, that Robert Mugabe is becoming more blatant in his attempts to steal the 27 June election.

I also share the UN's shock at the Government's instructions to suspend all NGO food aid programmes in Zimbabwe. ZANU-PF are using food as a political weapon. Four million people now face hunger and starvation.

The international community will stand by the people of Zimbabwe in this difficult time. I applaud the letter from African leaders calling for an end to the violence and free and fair elections.

In the coming week we must accelerate the deployment of international monitors, to reduce the scope for fraud. I have urged the UN Secretary General to despatch a human rights envoy. The UNSC and EU Council will discuss how best the international community can increase the pressure for free and fair elections.

I say to those who are orchestrating the violence: the world is watching. You will be held accountable. Democracy will ultimately prevail.

ENDS

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