Movement for Democratic Change leader says party 'will no longer participate in this violent, illegitimate sham of an election process'
The US and Britain today led international condemnation of Zimbabwe by urging countries not to recognise Robert Mugabe's "criminal and discredited cabal".
Mugabe is expected to come under strong diplomatic pressure when the UN security council meets later today. Ahead of the meeting, US and British officials stepped up their criticism of the 84-year-old Zimbabwean president.
The US secretary of state, Condoleezza Rice, said that, without a proper election process, Mugabe's government could not be considered legitimate and should be condemned "in the strongest possible terms".
In similar comments, Gordon Brown, told MPs he had spoken to Morgan Tsvangirai, the opposition leader today, adding that he would push for more sanctions against the Mugabe government.
"The international community must send a powerful and united message: that we will not recognise the fraudulent election rigging and violence and intimidation of a criminal and discredited cabal," the prime minister said.
"The world is of one view: that the status quo cannot continue."
As international leaders denounced Mugabe, Tsvangirai, the head of the Movement for Democratic Change, sought refuge in the Dutch embassy in Harare amid escalating violence orchestrated by the ruling Zanu-PF party.
The Dutch foreign ministry, in The Hague, confirmed that Tsvangirai was "temporarily" sheltering at the embassy for safety.
Maxime Verhagen, the Dutch foreign minister, had agreed to a request for shelter from Tsvangirai's party, a spokesman told AFP.
The spokesman added that Tsvangirai was "currently reflecting on what the next step should be".
Tsvangirai yesterday announced he was withdrawing from this week's scheduled run-off vote against Mugabe, saying he did not want to put the lives of his supporters at risk.
An estimated 100 opposition activists have been murdered by security forces and militia connected to Zanu-PF, and thousands of MDC supporters have been raped and tortured.
Earlier today, riot police raided the MDC headquarters in Harare, taking away up to 60 people, a witness quoted by AFP said.
Mark Malloch-Brown, Brown's Africa minister, said Britain planned to argue at the UN that Mugabe "no longer remains the proper rightful leader of the country".
Much could depend on the reaction of Zimbabwe's neighbours. South Africa's president, Thabo Mbeki, has faced intense international criticism for failing to use what influence he has on Mugabe's regime to try and rein in anti-opposition violence.
The African Union expressed its "grave concern" at the situation. The union was closely monitoring events following Tsvangirai's announcement, Jean Ping, chairman of the executive arm, the African Union commission, said.
The union was holding talks with a mediation team led by Mbeki, to see how it could help, he added. Despite Tsvangirai's decision to drop out, the ruling Zanu-PF party has promised it will go ahead with Friday's vote.
Mugabe's justice minister, Patrick Chinamasa, ridiculed Tsvangirai's announcement. "Zanu-PF is not treating the threats seriously - it is a nullity," Chinamasa was quoted as saying by today's edition of the Herald newspaper, a government mouthpiece.
"We are proceeding with our campaign to romp to victory on Friday."
After the MDC leadership met yesterday it said it was withdrawing from a "violent, illegitimate sham of an election".
"Mugabe has declared war, and we will not be part of that war," Tsvangirai said.
"The militia, war veterans and even Mugabe himself have made it clear that anyone that votes for me in the forthcoming election faces the very real possibility of being killed.
"We in the MDC cannot ask them to cast their vote on June 27 when that vote could cost them their lives. We believe a credible election, which reflects the will of the people, is impossible."
Speaking on South Africa's Radio 702 today, Tsvangirai said he was willing to begin talks with Zanu-PF, but only if the violence ended.
"We are prepared to negotiate with Zanu-PF, but of course it is important that certain principles are accepted before the negotiations take place," he added. "One of the preconditions is that this violence against the people must be stopped."
According to contested official results, Tsvangirai won more votes than Mugabe in an initial presidential election on March 29, but did not gain enough for an outright win.
