US calls for Zimbabwe sanctions; concern for Tsvangirai (1st Lead)

Washington - The US ambassador to Zimbabwe Tuesday called for the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to take 'firm and hard-hitting' moves against the government of Zimbabwe to curtail pre-election violence against the opposition, and warned challenger Morgan Tsvangirai to use caution before leaving his refuge at the Dutch embassy in Harare. In a telephone conference from Harare with reporters, Ambassador James McGee suggested that sanctions, including border closings against the landlocked country, could be the only effective move that the international community could make before Friday's scheduled run- off vote between Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe and Tsvangirai, who withdrew from the race on Sunday. Mugabe has vowed to stay in power at all costs amidst the most serious challenge to his position in nearly three decades. McGee said Mugabe's government had given assurances that Tsvangirai 'could leave the country if he so desired' and that it would not raid the Dutch embassy in the capital, where the leader of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) has been holed up since stepping aside Sunday. The assurances came from a Zimbabwe permanent secretary to the Dutch ambassador, McGee said, but the US official warned that one can no longer 'take the Zimbabwe government at its word.' 'Right now, I don't have a lot of faith in anything this government says,' McGee said. 'I would urge Mr Tsvangirai to take a careful look at the analysis taken by his security people.' McGee pointed out that the 'permanent secretary forgot' to mention that the government had confiscated the opposition leader's passport when he returned from self-exile in South Africa. It was not clear if Tsvangirai would be allowed to leave the Dutch embassy and remain inside the country, McGee said. The call to SADC is the latest in ongoing efforts to get the regional economic consortium to put pressure in Mugabe through weeks of political violence that has seen at least 85 MDC supporters killed and thousands more wounded and dispossessed. Tens of thousands of Zimbabweans have sought refuge in South Africa. But South African President Thabo Mbeki, the lead power broker in SADC, has refused to criticize Mugabe despite pressure even from within his own party, and most other SADC members have followed suit. The frustration in the international community over SADC's refusal to act came through in McGees comments, who was speaking a day after the United Nations condemned the Zimbabwe government for the violence and said the abuse would make it impossible for Friday's vote to be free and fair. He mentioned several times the need for SADC to take firm steps. 'I think Mr Mugabe would listen much more ... to a statement from SADC,' McGee said. 'Zimbabwe is landlocked, surrounded by (SADC) members. Very simple pressure can be brought to bear on Zimbabwe.' McGee also noted that another 2,000 MDC supporters had sought refuge by Monday at the Harvest House headquarters from physical attacks by Mugabe's supporters. The diplomatic community was able to warn them of a police raid headed their way, and 'most left and dispersed.' But police had arrested about 30 people who were 'too old or infirm to get out in a hurry.' The refugees were since filtering back and have been promised shelter and food by the United Nations and International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) as internally displaced people, McGee said.