Rights Group Accuses Zimbabwe Army of Political Terror Campaign

Human Rights Watch says the Zimbabwe army is backing a campaign of terror against opponents of President Robert Mugabe's ruling ZANU-PF Party.  VOA's Delia Robertson reports from our southern Africa bureau in Johannesburg the rights organization says it would be impossible to stage a credible second round in the presidential election in the present climate of fear and violence.

MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai has claimed victory in the presidential race, but ZANU-PF says there was no clear winner and there will have to be a runoff. 

Researcher Kasambala notes that in the present climate of "terror and intimidation," it will not be possible to hold a credible runoff election.

"We are also seriously concerned about a second round of elections," she said.  "We believe that such a second round of elections will not be credible so long as the types of violence that we are seeing continue to take place."

Human Rights Watch has called for the United Nations and the African Union to insist that a second round of elections should not take place in the current environment.