Zimbabwe opposition calls for African Union help
HARARE (AFP) — The Zimbabwean opposition on Saturday made a fresh call for the African Union to intervene in the mediation process with President Robert Mugabe's regime, after a failed bid to impose sanctions at the United Nations.
"The suffering of the Zimbabwean people is worsening every day and a peaceful negotiated transition is urgently required," the main opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) said in a statement.
"In light of this, the MDC calls upon the African Union to work with the SADC (South African Development Community) in establishing the framework in which a negotiated solution can be formulated."
The MDC said it acknowledged that, despite Friday's veto, the UN Security Council had recognized the "magnitude of the problems facing Zimbabwe and their impact on the southern African region."
China and Russia vetoed a US draft resolution at the United Nations that would have imposed an arms embargo on Zimbabwe as well as an assets freeze and travel ban on Mugabe and 13 of his closest allies. South Africa, Libya and Vietnam voted against the resolution.
The MDC added: "The violence in Zimbabwe is state-sanctioned. Over a hundred people have been killed, many thousands beaten, tortured and displaced and millions are now facing economic hardship and starvation.
South African President Thabo Mbeki is trying to mediate between Mugabe's ZANU-PF party and Morgan Tsvangirai's MDC, but has been criticised for not taking a tougher stance with Mugabe.
