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Tsvangirai says voters will be forced to the polls
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Zimbabwe's opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai, in a rare interview with 91Èȱ¬ World Service from his refuge in Harare, told his supporters not to offer resistance if ZANU-PF militants or government soldiers come to force them to the polls on Friday.
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He said: "Maybe they even have to vote ZANU-PF, it doesn't matter... It makes no difference because the vote is a fraud anyway."
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He denied reports that he had called for military intervention from abroad.
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He said there would never be any circumstance in which armed force would provide a solution to Zimbabwe's problems.
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He said: "That would take us back to the 15 years of anti-colonial struggle."
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He said he would agree to an amnesty for the ZANU-PF leadership and would share power "on the basis of March 29", referring to the first round vote which gave him 47.9% and Robert Mugabe 43.2% of the vote.
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But he believes Robert Mugabe is determined to hold on to power, which will lead to the regime's self-destruction.
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Then outside help will be needed to rebuild Zimbabwe, he said.
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The following are quotes from the interview. Please credit 91Èȱ¬ World Service.
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What will happen tomorrow: "There will be massive frogmarching of the people to the polling stations by force. The military has been deployed. In the rural areas, the traditional leaders will be used to make sure that all their subjects go out and vote.
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"There could be a massive turnout, not because of the will of the people but because of the role of the military and the traditional leaders to force people to these polls."
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What is the political purpose of going ahead with the vote: "They lost the election in March and what they're going to do is to say to the world that we were voted in on Saturday by the people. Mugabe will be sworn in as President and go around saying, 'I am the legitimate leader', and yet of course the whole world has condemned it."
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Military intervention: "I've never called for military intervention. I find violence abhorrant and I don't believe it is a solution. If the military option was the answer, it just means that you'd just be subjecting the very same people, unarmed civilians, to go through the process we went through of 15 years anti-colonialist struggle and I think that is unacceptable. The solution lies in negotiated settlement."
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Amnesty for Mugabe: "We don't want to go on a retributative agenda and what is important is to move this country forward without the vengeance and vindictive response that will come from the people. The question of how to treat President Mugabe and his cohorts is to say, 'Look if you agree to a negotiated solution, then you may buy your security in an amnesty within that process'.
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"We can forgive political acts, but certainly criminal acts of murder and rape, it will be very difficult. But those are individual acts of criminality which should be treated as such, but I think overall these are political strategies that are going to be looked at in a more positive light."
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On seeking refuge: "I'm taking all necessary measures to protect myself, it's necessary. That way we protect the future of the party. But if people just find ways to criticise Morgan Tsvangirai for any steps that he takes, they are free to do so."
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On what Mugabe faces after the election: "He will have to deal with the 2 million per cent inflation. He will have to deal with the 4 million, 5 million people who are hungry. He will have to deal with 90% of the people who are unemployed. He will have to deal with Zimbabweans – 4 million of who have run away from his country. He will have to deal with it disintegrating."
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What Morgan Tsvangirai will do after the election: "I will be here, I will be here and I'll be watching Mugabe destroy himself."
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On Mugabe: "But it's now very clear that this man is self-destructing. He has always been. He has remained in defiance of national and international opinion. He has run a one-man show; he wants to run a one-man race. All things that are flying in the face of internationality and logic."
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On whether or not Zimbabweans should still vote: "They should go. If they even vote for Zanu PF, if they even vote for Mugabe, what does that change? Even if he gets 90 per cent it's not different from Saddam Hussein, 99.9 per cent of forced voting. What difference will that make?"
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On the Opposition MDC party: "Our struggle, our pressure has pulled us this far. We've performed brilliantly without having to resort to violence and I think we've been at the receiving end of violence but I think the resilience of Zimbabweans must be commended."
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What inspires him to continue: "It is the suffering women and children, the mothers and fathers who believe in the cause of democratic change across the length and breadth of our country. That spirit cannot be extinguished by Mugabe's dictatorship. It will prevail over this evil and that is what inspires me to continue."
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Please credit 91Èȱ¬ World Service.
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91Èȱ¬ World Service Publicity
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