Monitor recalled over diamond links

The monitors are supposed to ensure fair elections

A senior Commonwealth election observer has been pulled out of Zimbabwe after admitting he had business links with the regime of President Robert Mugabe.

Dr Moses Anafu has admitted accepting "travelling expenses" from international diamond firm Oryx/Petra.

The company is said to be planning to sell diamonds mined under Zimbabwean military control in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Embarrassment: Don McKinnon says he had received assurances

Commonwealth Secretary-General Don McKinnon said Dr Anafu had assured him last week that he had not yet been appointed a non-executive director and had received no remuneration from the company.

"Given Dr Anafu's confirmation of his involvement with these companies it is inappropriate that he continue to be involved with the Commonwealth observer mission in Harare," said Mr McKinnon in a statement.

"I will naturally consider the wider implications of this matter."

Dr Anafu, a senior Commonwealth advisor on Africa, was said to be travelling to London after his sudden recall.

His business links were reported in the London Times newspaper on Saturday.

President Mugabe has links with the diamond mines in DR Congo

The paper said Dr Anafu was a non-executive director of Oryx Diamonds Ltd, which holds a concession to sell diamonds mined in DR Congo.

President Mugabe's forces are in DR Congo backing the regime of President Laurent Kabila in its fight against rebels.

Some reports say his regime has benefited from the diamond mines.

Boycott

Dr Anafu's recall is being seen as an embarrassment for the Commonwealth, which is among the groups trying to ensure the Zimbabwean poll is impartial.

Some monitors are already boycotting the poll, saying conditions do not exist for a free and fair election.

The United States has withdrawn 105 Peace Corps members.

United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan has also postponed a visit to the country by a top UN official, in protest at the Zimbabwean Government's decision to press ahead with the confiscation of white farms.