June 24, 2008 (LPAC)--Speaking via video conference call from South Africa to a forum sponsored by the U.S. Institute of Peace (USIP) and Freedom House on Zimbabwe, Deprose Muchena, Soros' Open Society rep for southern Africa, called on the June 27 Africa Union Assembly meeting to use a provision in its charter to send a protective or peacekeeping troops to Zimbabwe to protect the people from the government of Zimbabwe. He also called on the United Nations Security Council to issue a resolution condemning President Robert Mugabe, and send a special envoy to work with the AU and Southern African Development Community (SADC) to force Mugabe out.

Also addressing the same Washington forum, from South Africa, Nqobzitha Mlilo, a spokesperson for the Movement for a Democratic Change, said that the MDC must be the party to constitute the new government--a Government of National Healing--which should include progressive forces from the ruling party, ZANU-PF. Mlilo said that the loser, the dictator, referring to Mugabe, should not be rewarded, contrary to what was done in Kenya. (Meaning that Kenyan President Kabaki lost and Odinga won, yet Kabaki remained President).