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Genocide 'possible' in Zim
24/06/2008 12:19 - (SA)

London - The violence in Zimbabwe could descend into genocide like that in Rwanda in 1994, former international envoy Paddy Ashdown warned on Tuesday.

Military intervention in Zimbabwe had to remain an option, the former High Representative for Bosnia told The Times newspaper, while also lamenting the "thunderous" silence of South African President Thabo Mbeki.

"The situation in Zimbabwe could deteriorate to a point where genocide could be a possible outcome - something that looks like Rwanda," he said, referring to the slaughter by ethnic Hutus of some 800 000 people, mainly Tutsis.

Ashdown added that were the situation to deteriorate to that point, military intervention, with Britain playing a "delicate role" due to its history as Zimbabwe's former colonial ruler, would have to be an option.

Morgan Tsvangirai, Zimbabwe's main opposition leader, had pulled out of Friday's presidential election run-off against the incumbent Robert Mugabe, saying violence against his supporters had made a fair ballot impossible.

Diplomatic game

Ashdown, a member of the British parliament's upper chamber, told BBC radio that diplomatic efforts could still prove fruitful, though South African President Thabo Mbeki's role was crucial.

He said: "I think the UN Security Council resolution and the UN secretary-general's statement yesterday is likely to be influential and have an effect.

"Secondly, the key person in this is Thabo Mbeki and so far his silence has been thunderous.

"If it were the case that in addition to all the other African friends who have so far supported Mugabe, Mbeki, who is under pressure to do this anyway from within South Africa, were to come out in a very strong statement I think that would have an effect.

"So there is a diplomatic game to play through here and I think it's not without hope of success."

The comments from the former leader of Britain's opposition Liberal Democrat party came amid increased tension in Zimbabwe, with Movement for Democratic Change chief Tsvangirai taking refuge in the Dutch embassy in Harare.

The Times also reported, without citing its sources, that Britain had two contingency plans with regard to the Zimbabwean election, one of which involved the deployment of troops into the country.

Both the Ministry of Defence and the Foreign Office in London declined to comment on the report.