London : Britain told Zimbabwe government on Thursday the military should be taken off the streets of Harare after a fatal crackdown on demonstrators following the presidential polls. Soldiers and police cleared the city streets centre a day after the clampdown, as the Zimbabwean authorities begged for patience over the release of the poll results.
“We condemn the excessive use of force by security forces towards demonstrators,” the British embassy in Harare tweeted in a statement.
“The British ambassador met government ministers yesterday and again today and made clear that the military should be removed from the streets of Harare and the security forces should act with the utmost restraint.” The vote — the first since autocrat Robert Mugabe was ousted last year — turned bloody on Wednesday when troops opened fire on protests against alleged electoral fraud, leaving three dead and prompting an international outcry.
“We welcome the statement by the president that there will be an independent probe and look forward to this being implemented quickly,” the embassy said. “Zimbabwe is experiencing heightened tension around the poll. All political leaders have a responsibility to ensure they do not raise tensions or issue statements that make violence more likely.”