March 18, 2007	Sunday	Safar 28, 1428

WASHINGTON: International condemnation is building over an incident earlier this month in which long-time Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe violently clamped down on the country’s political opposition.

The US State Department has called for the “Unconditional release of those individuals detained by the government of Zimbabwe after its brutal attack on Mar 11 on a prayer meeting in the Harare suburb of Highfield.”

Morgan Tsvangirai, the leader of Zimbabwe’s opposition Movement for Democratic Change, was detained at the event and reportedly beaten and abused by police while in custody.

Tsvangirai required two pints of blood and remains hospitalised while results of a brain scan were assessed to determine the extent of the injuries inflicted while in police custody.

The approbation of the Mugabe government’s actions comes on the heels of an incident on Mar 11 in which police in Harare broke up an opposition political rally where Tsvangirai planned to announce his candidacy for the presidency.

On Friday, US senator and presidential hopeful Barak Obama issued a statement saying, “the events of the last few days in Zimbabwe are outrageous and warrant universal condemnation. It is time for the government of Robert Mugabe to cease its repressive and divisive actions, and to allow Zimbabweans to pursue their hopes for legitimate political change and opportunity.”

Mugabe’s government has come under increasing scrutiny in recent months as shortages in basic commodities and soaring inflation -- estimated at as high as 1,700 per cent -- have called attention to the authoritarian government policies in Zimbabwe and the growing unrest in the face of economic collapse.

South Africa’s government, seen by some as a de facto ally of Zimbabwe and the best hope for influencing Mugabe to improve conditions, called on Mugabe to respect the rule of law and the rights of opposition groups and leaders.

In March 2003, the George W. Bush administration announced economic sanctions against Robert Mugabe and 76 other Zimbabwean officials barring any business dealings with them and freezing whatever assets they have in the United States.

“Zimbabwe has systematically undermined that nation’s democratic institutions, employing violence, intimidation and repressive means including legislation to stifle opposition to its rule,” said President Bush at the announcement of his executive order to impose sanctions.

Bush extended those sanctions this March in an acknowledgement that the previous four years of sanctions have not yielded the desired changes in Zimbabwe.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair also denounced the treatment of Tsvangirai, telling reporters in London “àwe will work with the African Union in any way we can in order to support and help a process of ensuring that proper order is restored in a lawful and constitutional way and where proper democracy is introduced. What is happening in Zimbabwe is a tragedy.’’

International rebuke of Mugabe’s tactics to squelch dissent have heightened over the months of February and March as the situation in Zimbabwe’s capital city of Harare has deteriorated along with Zimbabwe’s economic collapse.

Sections of Harare have been off limits to political protests and police presence on the streets has increased over the month of February.

Mugabe has snapped back at the international condemnation of his repressive tactics threatening that foreign diplomats will be expelled from Zimbabwe if they do not “behave properly.”

The country’s economic collapse appears to have emboldened critics of Mugabe’s government, who have become more outspoken in recent months and ignore police orders against public protests.

Tsvangirai, a former labour union leader, a vocal critic of Mugabe’s economic and political policies, has twice, unsuccessfully, been prosecuted on treason charges and has run against Mugabe in three elections. Voting in Zimbabwean elections has been marred with violence and electoral irregularities, according to observer groups.

Under Mugabe, Zimbabwe’s food production has plunged, as white owned farms have been seized and given to black supporters of the president, few of whom have any experience in farming or large-scale agriculture.

“The international response from the US and UK has unfortunately not carried much weight with the Mugabe government. It would be preferable to see a vigorous response from the South African Development Community (SADC) and the African Union as well as the South African government. —Dawn/The IPS News Service