By Cris Chinaka
HARARE (Reuters) - Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe onTuesday defied mounting pressure from both inside and outsideAfrica to call off Friday's presidential election, saying hehad a legal obligation to go ahead.
Both Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade and South Africanruling ANC leader Jacob Zuma said the presidential run-off mustbe postponed after opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai withdrewfrom the vote and fled to the Dutch embassy in Harare.
The U.N. Security Council issued an unprecedented andunanimous condemnation of violence against Tsvangirai'ssupporters. It was supported by South Africa, China and Russiawho have previously blocked such moves.
But Mugabe shrugged off the pressure and the U.S.ambassador to Zimbabwe said the world could not stop therun-off election.
"The West can scream all it wants. Elections will go on.Those who want to recognise our legitimacy can do so, those whodon't want, should not," Mugabe said at a rally in westernZimbabwe.
International concern is mounting over Zimbabwe's politicalturmoil and economic meltdown, blamed by the West and theopposition on Mugabe, who has held uninterrupted power for 28years.
Wade said in a statement that Tsvangirai took refuge afterbeing tipped off that soldiers were on the way to his house."He is only safe because, alerted by friends, he left in ahurry a few minutes earlier," Wade said.
Mugabe denied that Tsvangirai was in danger. "Tsvangirai isfrightened. He has run to seek refuge at the Dutch embassy.What for? These are voters, they will do you no harm. Politicalharm, yes, because they will vote against you. No one wants tokill Tsvangirai".
OUT OF CONTROL
Zuma, who rivals President Thabo Mbeki as South Africa'smost powerful man, called for urgent intervention by the UnitedNations and regional body SADC (Southern African DevelopmentCommunity), saying the situation in Zimbabwe was out ofcontrol.
"The ANC (African National Congress) says the run-off is nolonger a solution, you need a political arrangement first ...then elections down the line," Zuma said.
Mugabe said he would not refuse to negotiate withTsvangirai but the vote must go ahead. "For now there is onlyone thing for us to accomplish...it's the legal process on the27th of June," the 84-year-old president said.
Tsvangirai spent a second night in the Dutch embassy onMonday. He told Dutch Radio 1 on Tuesday that his refuge wastemporary and the government had assured the Dutch ambassadorthat he would not be hurt. Tsvangirai has not claimed asylum.
He said he could leave in the next few days.
SADC foreign ministers discussed the crisis in the Angolancapital Luanda on Monday.
The state-run ANGOP news agency said SADC ExecutiveSecretary Tomaz Salomao told reporters the group agreed withTsvangirai that a "climate of extreme violence" existed inZimbabwe and the government must protect its citizens.
U.S. ambassador James McGee said SADC must declare both theelection and Mugabe's government illegitimate.
A non-binding statement by the Security Council in New Yorkcondemned "the campaign of violence against the politicalopposition ... which has resulted in the killing of scores ofopposition activists and other Zimbabweans and the beating anddisplacement of thousands of people, including many women andchildren."
The MDC formally confirmed the decision to pull out in aletter delivered to the electoral commission on Tuesday, aparty spokesman said.
South Africa, an advocate of "quiet diplomacy" with Mugabe,said it was "very pleased" with the U.N. statement because it"assists us in the mediation".
President Mbeki, the designated regional mediator in thecrisis, has resisted calls to use Pretoria's powerful economicleverage over landlocked Zimbabwe.
But Zuma, who toppled Mbeki as ANC leader last December,has become increasingly outspoken over the crisis.
The party issued a statement saying there was compellingevidence of violence, intimidation and "outright terror." Itsaid free and fair elections were impossible and called onMugabe's government "to take up the challenge of finding anegotiated settlement to the current impasse."
