HARARE (AFP) — Post-election violence in Zimbabwe could reach genocidal proportions without intervention from the international community, the country's church leaders warned on Tuesday.
"We warn the world that if nothing is done to help the people of Zimbabwe from their predicament, we shall soon be witnessing genocide similar to that experienced in Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi and other hot spots in Africa and elsewhere," leaders of all denominations said in a joint statement.
"We appeal to the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the African Union and the United Nations to work towards arresting the deteriorating political and security situation in Zimbabwe," the statement said.
A recount of ballots is under way in Zimbabwe in the wake of the March 29 parliamentary and presidential elections, amid allegations that longtime leader Robert Mugabe, 84, is trying to steal the outcome and cling to power.
The opposition Movement for Democratic Change says 10 of its members have so far been killed by pro-Mugabe militias -- a claim strongly disputed by the ruling ZANU-PF party.
"Organised violence perpetrated against individuals, families and communities who are accused of campaigning or voting for the 'wrong' political party... has been unleashed throughout the country," the church statement said.
"People are being abducted, tortured, humiliated by being asked to repeat slogans of the political party they are alleged not to support, ordered to attend mass meetings where they are told they voted for the 'wrong' candidate."
The statement, which was signed by the Evangelical Fellowship of Zimbabwe, the Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops' Conference and the Zimbabwe Council of Churches, called for voter intimidation to stop.
It also said there was "widespread famine" in Zimbabwe's countryside, that basic goods were unavailable or too expensive and that there were no medicines to treat people injured in the post-election violence.
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