Mugabe says Britain wants to seize country's resources
Inflation soars to record level
HARARE, Zimbabwe - Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe accused Britain yesterday of trying to seize control of resources in the devastated African nation, as his government announced that inflation had risen to 2.2 million percent.
Reelected last month in a widely condemned vote boycotted by the opposition, Mugabe regularly blames his country's economic collapse on former colonial ruler Britain and accuses it of plotting to overthrow his government.
The 84-year-old leader, in power for 28 years, has branded the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) a British and American puppet.
"What is Zimbabwe to Britain? The answer has not been provided, but we know what they want. It's regime change, so the resources of our country can come under their control," Mugabe said at the televised launch of a food subsidy program.
Zimbabweans are suffering chronic shortages of meat, maize, fuel, and other basic commodities due to the collapse of the once prosperous economy, which critics blame on Mugabe's policies, including his violent seizure of white-owned farms.
Officials in February calculated Zimbabwe inflation at 164,900 percent, already the highest in the world.
The worsening economy could add to pressure on the ruling ZANU-PF party to make concessions to the MDC, which refused to recognize Mugabe's victory in the June 27 presidential run-off.
MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai won the March 29 first round election but was short of an absolute majority. He pulled out of the second round, citing violence by pro-Mugabe militia.
The MDC says 120 supporters have been killed since March. Mugabe blames the opposition for the bloodshed.
In Washington, President Bush said he wanted a peaceful end to the political turmoil in Zimbabwe and was examining more U.S. sanctions after a U.N. resolution was blocked by Russia and China.
The UN sanctions that failed last week would have imposed an arms embargo on Zimbabwe as well as financial and travel restrictions on Mugabe and 13 other senior Zimbabwean officials.
"We deeply care about the plight of the citizens of Zimbabwe, and we hope there's a peaceful resolution soon," Bush told reporters after meeting Burkina Faso President Blaise Compaore.
