Widespread intimidation seen in Zimbabwe vote

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
Roaming bands of government supporters heckled, harassed or threatened people into voting in a runoff election in which President Robert Mugabe was the only candidate, ensuring he will remain in power despite international condemnation of the balloting as a sham. Residents said they were forced to vote Friday by threats of violence or arson from the Mugabe supporters, who searched for anyone without an ink-stained finger - the telltale sign that they had cast a ballot. Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai, who withdrew from the runoff after an onslaught of state-sponsored violence against his Democratic Movement for Change, said the results would "reflect only the fear of the people." The UN Security Council unanimously "agreed that the conditions for free and fair elections did not exist and it was a matter of deep regret that elections went ahead," said US Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad, who is current council president. US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice called the vote a "sham," and said the United States would use its position as president of the UN Security Council until July 1 to drive international condemnation of Mugabe's regime.