U.S., British, other ambassadors stopped by Zimbabwean police during fact-finding tour
The U.S. ambassador, James McGee, was not hurt. Police eventually let the convoy through, and a patrol car escorted them back to the U.S. Embassy before disappearing.
A U.N. official, meanwhile, warned that post-election violence in Zimbabwe is nearing crisis levels, and the opposition Movement for Democratic Change said 32 supporters have been killed — including eight in the last 72 hours.
Tensions have been escalating in Zimbabwe since the March 29 parliamentary and presidential elections.
Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai claims he won the presidential race outright, but official results released weeks after the poll showed he did not win enough votes to avoid a second round against President Robert Mugabe.
The opposition has accused the ruling ZANU-PF party of undertaking a campaign of intimidation and violence to pressure voters to cast ballots for Mugabe. Observers have questioned whether a second round would be free and fair with the opposition unable to campaign freely because of attacks and threats. No date for a runoff has been set.
At one point, a police officer threatened to beat one of McGee's senior aides. The officer got into his car and lurched toward McGee after he had demanded the officer's name. The car made contact with McGee's shins, but he was not injured.
McGee climbed onto the hood of the car while his aide snatched the keys from the ignition, then the diplomats used their mobile phone cameras to take photographs of the officer.
McGee insisted the convoy be allowed through and the 11 vehicles passed through after about an hour.
The confrontation was "a message to us, to try to control what we are doing," said U.S. Embassy spokesman Paul Engelstad, who was among around 50 diplomats and journalists on the tour.
Japanese, EU, Dutch and Tanzanian envoys and an Associated Press reporter also were in the convoy.
McGee noted that the government has denied repeated reports from opposition officials and human rights groups of government-orchestrated violence against the opposition.
"The government has said 'Present us with proof.' I think today we have done just that. We do have concrete proof of what is happening in the countryside and the government will have to listen," McGee said.
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