Hundreds Flood U.S. Embassy In Zimbabwe

Fearing More Attacks, U.S. Ambassador Says About 200 Opposition Supporters Seek Refuge

(AP)  About 200 Zimbabwe opposition supporters sought refuge Thursday at the U.S. Embassy in Harare amid new reports of violence against dissenters.

Loyalists of President Robert Mugabe, whose unopposed re-election last week was scorned by world leaders, have attacked supporters of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change.

Widespread state-sponsored violence had led the party's leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, to pull out of the presidential runoff, leaving the June 27 race to Mugabe.

On Thursday, people with small bundles of possessions milled outside the U.S. mission in the Zimbabwe capital. Riot police appeared there, but police spokesman Wayne Bvudzijena said they were at the scene only briefly.

U.S. Ambassador James McGee said the group was from the opposition headquarters in Harare, which had become a refuge. He said by telephone that embassy officials were working with humanitarian organizations to find accommodation for the group.

In Washington, U.S. State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said embassy staff did not see the group as a security risk and that they were outside the building's security perimeter.

More than 300 opposition supporters who last week sought refuge at the South African Embassy in Harare have been taken to a camp outside the capital.

Reports of violence and intimidation against opposition supporters have increased.

"There has been a high increase in abductions, beatings and rapes since ZANU-PF claimed it had won the 'election' with a resounding victory," the opposition said in a statement.

At least 80 opposition supporters were killed before the runoff, and the opposition says more than 10 have been killed since.

A group of armed men in army uniforms abducted opposition lawmaker-elect Naison Nemadziva at gunpoint on Monday and his whereabouts was still unknown, an opposition statement said.

Nemadziva defeated a member of Mugabe's ZANU-PF party in the first round of voting on March 29. He was seized outside the courtroom where a hearing had been scheduled in his opponent's challenge of the election.

Also Thursday, two woman activists were freed after nearly six weeks in prison.

Spokeswoman Annie Sibanda of Women and Men of Zimbabwe Arise said the activists Jenni Williams and Magodonga Mahlangu were granted bail Thursday.

The two were arrested in Harare on May 28 after holding a peaceful protest and have been charged with disturbing the peace and publishing statements prejudicial to the state.

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice honored Williams last year with an International Women of Courage Award.

"I am very happy to be out," Williams said. "I woke early this morning wondering if by evening I would be in my own bed or back in a prison cell."

Elsewhere in Zimbabwe, a group of thugs invaded the Imire Safari Ranch, a designated black rhino breeding area 90 miles northeast of Harare, the ranch owner said. The ranch has had previous problems with poachers.

John Travers said six men invaded the ranch Sunday, threatened to harm him unless he left, and forced him to shoot three impala for the men to eat.

Traver said another group of men arrived Wednesday night and threatened to kill him and his wife if the two did not leave by Thursday morning. Both were still at the ranch, also home to elephant, hyenas and buffalo, on Thursday. The Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority could not immediately be reached, but Travers said he had contacted them and was "very confident" that they would respond.

On Wednesday, the United States and the European Union said opposition leader Tsvangirai should be Zimbabwe's next leader, but Mugabe has shown little sign of yielding any power.

Tsvangirai beat Mugabe and three others in the first round of presidential voting in March. Electoral officials said Tsvangirai did not take the simple majority needed to avoid a runoff against second-place finisher Mugabe.

[reptilian96]

FOX NEWS discovered the presence of a massive spy ring inside the United States run by the government of Israel. This seems a harsh gratitude from a nation which obtains 10% of its annual budget from the American taxpayer, $3+ billion a year. Over the years, American taxpayers have been required to send Israel more than four times what the US spent to go to the moon.

[keithle1]

U.S. needs to stay out of the world''s business. Unless American citizens are in direct danger.

We need to concentrate on domestic affairs, problems, etc. For once. It would make a nice change. We have enough to keep us busy for a long time.

How many Americans would be screaming, "Stop worrying about our problems! Focus on the world! To heck with the USA!"

[libsluv2spit]

I cannot believe the CIA hasn''''t given the opposition all kinds of free guns and stuff. This must be a first.

Posted by kennedy7955 at 06:09 PM : Jul 03, 2008
+ report abuse

************

the regime is way too strong..it has a lot of money thanks to bono and geldolf...

[runningralph]

As a matter of fact the Katrina people have received tons of aid. The problem there is many of those people were helpless all their lives before Katrina and will still need help all the rest of their lives.

[keithle1]

Might as well build a huge, permanent aid center in the middle of Africa. There is always lots of bad stuff going on. Misery/poverty/starvation/economic collapse. You name it. It never ends. Nothing gets better. Africa is like a 45-year-old man still living in his room with Mom, Dad & his dog Rufus. Pathetic.

[kennedy7955]

I cannot believe the CIA hasn''t given the opposition all kinds of free guns and stuff. This must be a first.

[runningralph]

Rhodesia was a nice, prosperous, country with elected officials. What happened to it? It was taken over by brutal thugs that usurped the land from true owners. Zimbabwe ain''t seen nuthin'' yet. It will go down the same road as Rwanda, Kenya and Congo. One poster,lochlan, says the US will let them die. What does he suggest the US should do? Intervene? This sort of thing is happening all over Africa and many other places. All the US can or should do is keep sending the message that there is another way.

[kennedy7955]

Vermont and Cali are failed states? You should look at NJ and NY...

[lochlan-2009]

"I thought the whole world hates us. If that is the case, why are they running to the U.S. Embassy?"

Posted by minnick8

Uh, because western Europe and the United States were behind the propaganda coup to overthrow Zimbabwe''s government. These people were our pawns on the ground. They obviously don''t know how the U.S. works though, we will let them die.

[brianp55]

By all means, bring them all to California and furnish them with MediCal cards.

[ringading3]

Blacks killing Blacks! What''s new? Next....

[ringading3]

Send them all to California and Vermont, both failed States.

[rushlimpdrug]

PLEEEZE

Send them ALL to OPRAH''s house.

This is only the beginning folks.

Wait till obama gets elected.

[minnick8-2009]

I thought the whole world hates us. If that is the case, why are they running to the U.S. Embassy?

[whiskyrocker]

Get out of there man. There all savages!!!

[timdgrim]

Sorry Zimbabwe..your oil reserves are not big enough for the Bush Administration to consider really helping you. Look at Darfur..you want help from King Bush..you must be profitable for big oil. Your best bet is to get on the ''Axis of Evil'' list then King George II will look your way.