Trials urged over Zimbabwe violence
Zimbabwe prime minister-designate Morgan Tsvangirai was quoted on Wednesday as saying some senior members of President Robert Mugabe's ZANU-PF party could face trial over political violence, but not the veteran leader himself.
Morgan Stanley to cut 1000 jobs in U.K. and U.S."I don't think Mugabe himself as a person can be held accountable. But there are various levels of institutional violence that has taken place and I'm sure we'll be able to look at that," Tsvangirai, leader of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), said in an interview with The Guardian newspaper.
"Let the rule of law apply ... We all cry for the rule of law, and if somebody's committed an offence he should be prosecuted."
In an interview with The Times newspaper, also published on Wednesday, Tsvangirai said the new government was committed to ensuring there would be no repeat of the violence, which he described as "the darkest period in our history".
"It can never be allowed to happen again," he said.
Tsvangirai will become prime minister under a power-sharing deal signed on Monday with Mugabe, who has led Zimbabwe for nearly three decades, and Arthur Mutambara, who leads a small breakaway faction of the MDC.
The agreement followed weeks of tense talks to end a deep political and economic crisis compounded by Mugabe's unopposed re-election in a widely condemned vote in June. Tsvangirai pulled out of the poll citing violence against his supporters.
Zimbabweans hope the deal will be a first step in helping to rescue the once prosperous nation from economic collapse. Inflation has rocketed to over 11 million percent and millions have fled to neighbouring southern African countries.
In the Guardian interview, Tsvangirai acknowledged there was suspicion and mistrust between the MDC and ZANU-PF, and that working with former opponents would be difficult.
INHERENT SUSPICION
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