Zimbabwe's Tsvangirai says Mugabe declares war

SYDNEY (Reuters) - President Robert Mugabe has "declared war" not an election in Zimbabwe, said opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai on Wednesday from inside the Dutch embassy in the capital Harare.

"It is not an election, that is what we keep on saying," Tsvangirai, who has withdrawn from Friday's presidential run-off and sought diplomatic protection, told Australia's "Dateline" television news program.

"This is not an election, it is war. Mugabe has declared war and we don't want to be part of it," Tsvangirai told the Special Broadcasting Service program via telephone.

Armed police cordoned off and raided a regional office of Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change in the east of the country on Wednesday, a party spokesman said.

Tsvangirai has urged the United Nations to isolate Mugabe and called for a peacekeeping force in Zimbabwe, where Mugabe supporters have carried out violent attacks on political opponents.

Tsvangirai said on Sunday he was withdrawing from the presidential run-off race against Mugabe because his supporters would risk their lives by voting.

The opposition leader won a first round in March but did not get the absolute majority needed to avoid a run-off.

Mugabe, who has held power for 28 years, has refused to call off the vote, shrugging off mounting international pressure including an unprecedented U.N. Security Council condemnation of violence. It said a free run-off election was impossible.

Southern African leaders will hold an emergency meeting on Wednesday to discuss Zimbabwe's crisis.

Tsvangirai told "Dateline" that it was impossible to contest the election as his party could not safely man polling booths in three quarters of the country.

"The army, the militia, the war veterans have made it almost inaccessible to go anywhere in the country," he said.

Tsvangirai said he sought diplomatic protection because of the constant threats against him, despite Mugabe's assurances that he was safe.

"This is no joke, over the last 3 or so weeks I've been arrested, I've been harassed, I've been totally treated like a criminal, when I'm the leading contender in this election," he said.

The opposition leader said he hoped mediation and negotiations could take place between all parties and that he would possibly consider a government of national unity.

"You see an election is not a solution. Only a negotiated position would actually see this country come out of this crisis," said Tsvangirai.

"If it (a government of national unity) is on the cards we will look at it, we will look at the merits," he said.