HARARE, Zimbabwe — With violence continuing against opposition activists, Zimbabwe opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai said Wed nesday he would not negotiate with the ruling party of President Robert Mugabe on a government of national unity.
Tsvangirai also rejected participating in talks mediated by South African President Thabo Mbeki and sharply criticized the African Union for not supporting the findings of African election observers that Friday’s presidential runoff vote was not democratic.
Tsvangirai said nine opposition activists have been killed since the runoff, increasing the death toll from political violence to 95. About 500 people have been forced to flee their homes since the vote, he said.
Tsvangirai’s refusal to negotiate increases the pressure on Mugabe, who is facing unprecedented pressure from some African leaders and threats of tougher sanctions on regime members by the U.S. and Europe.
At the United Nations on Wednesday, the United States began backroom discussions on a draft resolution that would sanction Mugabe and top officials. It would freeze the officials’ overseas assets and ban travel, and it also calls for an arms embargo.
