HARARE—Zimbabwe's MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai will urge Africa this week to pile pressure on President Robert Mugabe to solve the country's political crisis after the opposition pulled out of a presidential run-off vote.
Tsvangirai withdrew from the June 27 election saying his Movement for Democratic Change supporters would be risking their lives it they cast their votes.
MDC spokesman Nelson Chamisa said Tsvangirai would lobby the international community and African countries to put pressure on Mugabe to settle the crisis.
"Over the next two days, the (MDC) president will be explaining our decision to the world, lobbying the international community, but mainly SADC and the African Union, to put pressure on the Mugabe regime to resolve the crisis we are facing," Chamisa said, referring to the regional grouping the Southern African Development Community.
"We need this regime to respect democracy and the will of the people," he added.
Britain's Foreign Secretary David Miliband urged the United Nations to hold a "full discussion" on the issue at Monday's Security Council session.
Australia's Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said on Monday he sympathized with Tsvangirai's decision and his government added it was looking to increase sanctions against Zimbabwe.
"We are looking at whether we can enhance any of those and whether there are sanctions that we can bring to bear in other areas," Foreign Minister Stephen Smith told Australian radio, referring to financial restrictions and visa bans for Mugabe and his associates.
Tsvangirai said there was a state-sponsored plot to keep Mugabe, who has ruled since independence from Britain in 1980, in power.
"We in the MDC cannot ask them (the voters) to cast their vote on June 27, when that vote could cost them their lives."
There was no immediate reaction from Mugabe who in the past has blamed election violence on the opposition but Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa said Tsvangirai had simply quit the race because he knew he would lose.
There has been growing condemnation from African countries over Zimbabwe's political crisis and the violence which the MDC says has left 86 people dead and displaced 200,000.
Tyrannical Rule
Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa, the current SADC chairman, said it was not possible to hold a free and fair election in Zimbabwe and the run-off should be postponed "to avert a catastrophe in this region."
Tsvangirai called on the U.N. and the African Union to intervene to stop "genocide" in the former British colony.
In Washington, a White House spokesman said Mugabe's government must stop the violence immediately while Britain said the people had deserted Mugabe.
Thabo Mbeki, president of leading regional power South Africa, said he would encourage Mugabe and Tsvangirai to discuss the political crisis.
The United Nations is prepared to work urgently with Southern African Development Community and the African Union to help resolve the impasse, Ban said.
Thabo Mbeki, president of leading regional power South Africa, said he would encourage Mugabe and Tsvangirai to discuss the political crisis.
"From our point of view it is still necessary that the political leadership of Zimbabwe should get together and find a solution to the challenges that face Zimbabwe," said Mbeki who is mandated by regional bloc SADC to mediate between the opposition and the ZANU-PF.
Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa, the current SADC chairman, said the run-off should be postponed "to avert a catastrophe in this region," a view echoed by Ban.
Tsvangirai, who himself had been detained by police five times while campaigning, said 86 MDC supporters had been killed and 200,000 displaced from their homes.
Mugabe has vowed never to turn over power to the opposition, which he brands a puppet of Britain and the United States. He has in the past denied that his security forces have been responsible for brutal actions.
Once Tsvangirai pull outs, Mugabe would then be sworn in for another five-year term. But he could face difficulties governing because the MDC won control of the parliament in a March election.
Former colonial power Britain said the people had deserted Mugabe.
"We have reached an absolutely critical moment in the drive by the people of Zimbabwe to rid themselves of the tyrannical rule of Robert Mugabe," Foreign Secretary David Miliband said.
