EU observers arrive in Zimbabwe

HARARE, Zimbabwe -- Zimbabwe has fended off a threat of European Union sanctions by allowing the 15-nation bloc to send in observers for the March 9-10 elections.

EU foreign ministers agreed last week to impose "smart sanctions" on President Robert Mugabe and 19 top associates if Harare prevented deployment of EU observers by a Sunday deadline.

In Brussels, a European Commission spokeswoman said on Monday that a six-strong advance team had arrived in Zimbabwe. The observers will check on opposition fears that Mugabe plans to rig the vote.

"There has been no attempt to prevent us deploying some of the individuals who will take part in the core team," Commission spokeswoman Emma Udwin told a news conference. "So there is no need to take a decision on sanctions."

Meanwhile Zimbabwe's leading opposition party accused Mugabe's ZANU-PF party on Monday of killing three of its activists and abducting four others, Reuters reported.

Morgan Tsvangirai, leader of the chief opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), appealed for calm from his supporters, despite what he described as a "campaign of violence" waged by ZANU-PF.

Tsvangirai, 49, hopes to break Mugabe's 22-year hold on power after scoring notable success in other recent elections.

MDC Secretary-General Welshman Ncube said in a statement that ZANU-PF militants had tried to smash at least four MDC rallies over the weekend, assaulting opposition supporters in front of police.

"Over the past week, ZANU-PF has murdered three MDC activists," Ncube said, adding that the latest fatality was Tichaona Katsamudanga who died on Monday after an attack last month.

The ZANU-PF and police were unavailable for comment.

On Friday, Mugabe, 77, insisted it was the MDC that was fuelling unrest and told supporters as he launched his own election campaign: "We don't condone violence, but I'm not saying you should fold your hands if you are provoked."

International condemnation has increased after Zimbabwe pushed laws through parliament that opponents say were repressing the opposition.

The latest, on Thursday, was a tough media bill that critics say will stifle debate in the run-up to the poll by restricting access for foreign reporters and imposing tight controls on local media.

Meanwhile a United Nations special investigator for press freedom accused Zimbabwe on Monday of violating international human rights law by imposing tight restrictions on journalists.