World condemnation of Zimbabwe grows

The head of South Africa's African National Congress Jacob Zuma said this week that the situation in Zimbabwe is out of control — but it was one of the few times a senior South African politician has openly criticized Mugabe.

Companies with Zimbabwean links are under pressure. After British media raised questions about its mining interests in Zimbabwe, Britain's Anglo American issued a statement expressing "deep concern" and condemning violence there.

Robert Rotberg, director of Harvard's Kennedy School program on Intrastate Conflict, said that while sanctions and boycotts may not convince Mugabe to loosen his grip on power, they are sure to sway public opinion and possibly change the minds of top military leaders.

Without his security apparatus and their intimidation tactics, Mugabe's power "could vanish overnight," Rotberg said.

Ongoing tension
Neighboring countries could "effectively bottle Mugabe up" by banning Zimbabwean aircraft from flying over their airspace and curtailing electricity deliveries to the landlocked country, he said. The U.N., AU and Southern African Development Community could then push him aside to take over during a transitional period until they can ensure a free and fair election.

"Tightening the noose will make the people around Mugabe realize that this ship is really sinking, and they should get off," he said.

In a measure of the continuing tension, Tsvangirai returned to the Dutch Embassy in Harare following his news conference. Tsvangirai first fled to the embassy on Sunday following his announcement he was withdrawing from the runoff. He sought refuge after getting a tip that soldiers were headed to his home.

South Africa said 300 Zimbabwean opposition supporters were seeking refuge at its embassy in Zimbabwe.

At his news conference, Tsvangirai urged African leaders to guide negotiations to end the crisis with a political settlement, with the goal of forming a coalition transitional authority in Zimbabwe.

He said discussions could not begin until there was an end to attacks on his supporters. Tsvangirai also wants a release of "political prisoners," including his No. 2, Tendai Biti, who has been jailed since earlier this month on treason charges that can carry the death penalty.

Zimbabwean Deputy Information Minister Bright Matonga reacted with derision: "Is he out of his mind?"

Matonga said the government and Mugabe's ZANU-PF were focused on the election. Tsvangirai was to be on the ballot, electoral officials said Wednesday, saying his withdrawal came too late to be valid.

"There will definitely be elections on Friday," Matonga said.

Tsvangirai said he was asking the AU, whose heads of state hold a regular summit in Egypt next week, to take over mediation, which so far has been in the hands of Mbeki and a southern African regional group.

Tsvangirai had previously called on Mbeki to step aside, accusing him of bias toward Mugabe and saying his "quiet diplomacy" was not working. Mbeki has refused to publicly denounce Mugabe. Even after Tsvangirai spoke at his news conference, South African government spokesman Themba Maseko refused to refer to Zimbabwe as being in "crisis."

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