Zimbabwe opposition leaader pulls out of election race

Zimbabwe's opposition leader on Sunday pulled out of Friday's runoff election against President Robert Mugabe because of mounting violence and intimidation against opposition candidates. Morgan Tsvangirai, leader of the Movement for Democratic Change, also asked the United Nations "to intervene to restore the rule of law, peace, and the conditions of a free and fair election."

Tsvangirai has accused backers of the ruling Zanu PF party of launching a series of politically motivated attacks since the first round of voting in March.

"Conditions as of today do not permit the holding of a credible poll," Tsvangirai said. "Given the totality of these circumstances, we believe a credible election is impossible. We can't ask the people to cast their vote on June 27 when that vote will cost their lives. We will no longer participate in this violent sham of an election."

Tsvangirai said he would put forward new proposals by Wednesday on how take the country forward. He did not provide any details about what the proposals would include. "Our victory is certain, but it can only be delayed," he said.

Independent human rights groups say 85 opposition supporters have died and 1,300 have been beaten or tortured. Two opposition supporters were reported to have been seriously hurt Sunday after they were beaten while trying to reach a MDC campaign. The opposition said police in full riot gear and soldiers took over the site of the rally.

During the March 29 presidential election, Tsvangirai won 47 per cent of the votes and Mugabe 43, neither winning an absolute majority.

Tsvangirai's attempts to tour the country have been stymied by police at roadblocks, and the state-controlled media have banned opposition advertisements, claiming they "contain inappropriate language and information."

President Robert Mugabe has denied all the opposition claims and he has stated that he would never hand over power to Tsvangirai, whom he calls a "lackey of the West."

Mugabe, 84, had governed since independence from Britain in 1980. In recent years, his administration has seen inflation skyrocket and agricultural production plummet.

The economic slide began in 2000 when the government began to seize thousands of white-owned commercial farms to reallocate the property to landless blacks, many of them ruling party loyalists.

But Mugabe has failed to take responsibility for Zimbabwe's problems, blaming all of it on what he says is a plot by the West to destabilize his government and the country.

For more on this story and background on Zimbabwe go to the BBC