JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA — The U.S. joined calls Thursday for an arms embargo against Zimbabwe as the Chinese weapons shipment that sparked a scandal turned for home, shunned by ports in southern Africa.
Young militiamen known as "green bombers" and war veterans have been attacking opposition activists and supporters in rural areas of Zimbabwe, according to human rights organizations and the opposition party Movement for Democratic Change.
Britain has urged an international arms embargo against Zimbabwe because of the violence, and South African Nobel laureate Desmond Tutu and the top U.S. diplomat on Africa, Jendayi E. Frazer, joined the call Thursday.
China's Foreign Affairs Ministry confirmed that the ship carrying ammunition and weapons was returning home after failing to unload its cargo.
The government of Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe appears increasingly isolated. Most of the country's neighbors in southern Africa object to transshipment of the arms in their territory. The government of South Africa was willing to let them pass through, but transport was thwarted by a court challenge and a blockade by trade unions.
The results of Zimbabwe's presidential election remain secret nearly a month after the vote. According to an independent projection based on 5% of the vote, opposition candidate Morgan Tsvangirai of the Movement for Democratic Change won more votes than Mugabe, but not enough to avoid a runoff.
The ruling ZANU-PF party appears increasingly divided over efforts to cling to power.
Human rights activists and doctors estimate the number of assaults against opposition party supporters or activists at 330 to 490 and say that 10 people have been killed. They have not provided details.
Some ruling party figures believe the violence against opposition activists in rural areas will not keep Mugabe in office and will only harden public sentiment against him, but others are convinced it is the only choice.
"We need to ensure that ZANU-PF wins, by any means necessary," said one provincial ruling party official, who spoke on condition of anonymity. He said the violence by militias would show rural voters that the MDC has no chance of taking power if a runoff election is held, as expected.
Another strategy would be to reduce the number of polling stations in the opposition's urban strongholds, he said.
