ZIMBABWE: Fears are growing that the violence gripping Zimbabwe's cities could escalate following a statement by the opposition party claiming it has no option but to "organise people to resist" the government's ongoing blitz against the urban poor.
In the statement released by the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), leader Morgan Tsvangirai warned the government that his party was now stretched to "the upper limits of tolerance" on crackdown against informal traders and shanty town dwellers.
"The only option available to us is to organise the people to resist, through legitimate and democratic means, the assault on their basic civil and political liberties." For the past fortnight President Robert Mugabe's government has been involved in a campaign, Operation Restore Order, which has resulted in the destruction of thousands of homes and shops and the arrest of nearly 22,000 urban poor.
The government says the campaign aims to clean up urban areas and eradicate the black market. But Mr Tsvangirai, whose party controls nearly all Zimbabwe's major towns and cities, says Mr Mugabe and his ruling ZANU PF party want to neutralise the MDC's urban hold and punish the poor for voting MDC in the recent election.