|
Tsvangirai seeks refuge at Dutch embassy
HARARE, Zimbabwe - Zimbabwe's opposition leader has sought refuge at the Dutch Embassy, the Dutch Foreign Ministry said Monday, while police raided his party's headquarters and took about 60 people away.Morgan Tsvangirai went to the embassy Sunday shortly after announcing he was withdrawing from Friday's presidential runoff against longtime leader Robert Mugabe, citing violence against opposition supporters. "He asked to come and stay because he was concerned about his safety," ministry spokesman Rob Dekker said. There has been no request for political asylum, Dekker said. Opposition spokesman Nqobizitha Mlilo refused to comment on the report and referred callers to The Hague. Tsvangirai had returned to Zimbabwe a month ago to campaign despite information his party had said it received that he was the target of a state-sponsored assassination plot. Since then, his top deputy has been arrested on treason charges which carry the death penalty and Tsvangirai has been repeatedly detained by police. He has survived at least three assassination attempts and last year he was hospitalized after a brutal assault by police at a prayer rally. Images seen around the world of his bruised and swollen face have come to symbolize the plight of dissenters in Zimbabwe. He had applied for a new passport earlier this month and Zimbabwean officials refused, saying he lacked proper police clearance. His current passport has not expired but its pages are full. On Sunday, Tsvangirai pulled out of the violence-wracked presidential runoff, declaring that the election was no longer credible and the loss of life among his supporters was simply too high. Mugabe's government says Friday's vote will go ahead. The prospect of a sham election drew strong criticism from the international community. Posted by: tu3031 2008-06-23 |
| http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=242413 |