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HARARE - A columnist in Zimbabwe's state-run Herald newspaper today accused a senior British diplomat in Harare of directing an anti-government "terror and propaganda campaign," and warned she could end up dead.
An opinion column signed by David Samuriwo charged that Gillian Dare, an embassy political and media officer, had a large fund to pay Zimbabwean journalists, academics and opposition politicians to attack President Robert Mugabe.
Samuriwo, a fierce critic of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) opposition, is a regular contributor to the Herald. Last month he accused the US embassy of funding a "violent campaign" by the MDC.
"Gillian Dare, the purse holder and financier of the violence being perpetrated by the MDC, should be aware that by throwing away all diplomatic etiquette into the dustbin and putting on her combat gear, she has become a prime target for deportation," Tuesday's column said.
Samuriwo said Dare had been labelled a spy by some sections of the media, and "could one day be caught in cross-fire as she plays night nurse to arrested MDC hooligans."
"It will be a pity for her family to welcome her at Heathrow airport in a body bag, just like some of her colleagues from Iraq and Afghanistan," he added.
The British Foreign Office rejected the accusations and said the Zimbabwe ambassador in London had been called in to hear "our very serious concerns". It said Dare had pursued only legitimate diplomatic activities.
"The sort of direct and aggressive threats made in the Herald against a member of our staff are shocking and absolutely unacceptable ... We hold the Zimbabwean authorities responsible for protecting our diplomats," a spokeswoman said.
London has repeatedly rejected government accusations that it is interfering in Zimbabwean politics and wants to overthrow the 83-year-old president.
Last month, Mugabe said Western powers critical of his crackdown on the opposition could "go hang". The government threatened to kick out Western diplomats.
Western nations called for more sanctions against Mugabe after several opposition figures, including MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai, were badly beaten after being arrested while trying to attend a March 11 rally which the government says was illegal.
Mugabe blames the collapse of Zimbabwe's once thriving economy on Western sabotage but foreign critics say it is the result of chronic mismanagement.
Inflation is now higher than 1700 per cent and unemployment is over 80 per cent. Millions of economic refugees have left the country.
- REUTERS
