EU observers leave Zimbabwe

Pro-Mugabe protesters took to the streets of Harare as the EU announced sanctions

HARARE, Zimbabwe -- The first group of European Union election observers has withdrawn from Zimbabwe -- a day after the EU imposed sanctions on President Robert Mugabe.

The sanctions, effecting Mugabe and 19 close associates, were imposed after restrictions were placed on the observers.

Thirteen of the 26 observers from Ireland, Italy, Spain, France, Belgium and Austria arrived in Johannesburg, South Africa, on Tuesday evening en route to Europe after leaving Harare on a British Airways flight.

The rest were scheduled to leave Zimbabwe later on Tuesday.

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At Johannesburg airport, Annemarieka Steenan of the Netherlands told Reuters news agency: "I'm very tired and sorry that it ended the way it did, but I'm very sorry most of all for the Zimbabwe people."

French observer Jean Francois Leloutre at Harare airport shortly before boarding that the group was upset at leaving.

"Our job is to observe, not to leave. It's like a driver who is not entitled to drive."

Violence has increased in the run-up to the election on March 9-10 where Mugabe faces the biggest challenge to his 22-year rule from opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai.

Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo downplayed the impact of the EU withdrawal.

"I will not say the fact that there are no European Union observers at an election means that it will not be fair and free," Obasanjo said.

Zimbabwe reacted angrily to the EU decision to impose a visa ban and a freeze on the overseas assets of Mugabe and his associates, saying it amounted to "economic terrorism."

The sanctions also included an embargo on the supply of arms and technical advice and of equipment which could be used for internal repression in Zimbabwe.

The U.S. said on Tuesday it strongly supported EU sanctions and would follow suit shortly.

"We've been working through this process to implement targeted travel sanctions that focus on the individuals responsible for or who benefit from politics that undermine Zimbabwe's democratic institutions," State Department spokesman

Richard Boucher said.

South Africa said the EU's moves were regrettable and that it would be sending more observers to join African teams already in Zimbabwe.

"Our principal objective remains the need to create a climate for free and fair elections in Zimbabwe so that the Zimbabwean people can speak through the ballot," South African Foreign Affairs spokesman Ronnie Mamoepa said.

The EU decision came after Pierre Schori, the head of the EU observer mission who was expelled by Zimbabwe on Saturday, reported to the 15 members on Monday.

Schori, a Swedish diplomat ordered to leave after being accused of "political arrogance," said he had recommended sanctions because law and order was unraveling in the country.

Harare's Information Minister Jonathan Moyo said the EU was hiding behind the cover of democracy in a desperate fight to protect the position of minority whites in black-ruled Zimbabwe.

"It is very clear that what we are now dealing with is organised economic terrorism whose aim is clear and is to unseat a legitimately elected government which has decided to defend its national independence and national sovereignty," he said.

"It is a shame for such a mighty region, for a whole continent to descend on a small country in such a personalised manner.

"But it will take a fool to think that a government elected against the background of a protracted liberation struggle will fall on account of such dumb actions and sanctions."