Zimbabwe opposition call for cancellation

Zimbabwe's major opposition party, the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), has called on the Australians to cancel their planned visit to the country. The plea came as Australian cricket officials arrived in Harare to inspect facilities and security precautions ahead of the May tour. The group will also visit Bulawayo.

Paul Temba Nyathi, a spokesman for the MDC, said that the tour would give legitimacy to Robert Mugabe's discredited regime. "It's a moral issue rather than one of security," he said, adding that cancellation was "in the interests of the struggling masses of Zimbabweans."

But Michael Brown, Cricket Australia's operations general manager, said he and two colleagues had met government officials, senior police, cricket executives and Australia's ambassador on the first of a two-day inspection mission. "We're only halfway through our visit. If the standard that we've seen today is maintained, I see no reason why we wouldn't be looking forward to coming," he said. "We think it is important that we fulfil our obligation."

Asked whether Australian spectators would be welcome in Zimbabwe, Brown was in no doubt. "I can only say that what I saw in Bulawayo last year were two of the most moving experiences that I have seen in my time with cricket. The first was the merging of Zimbabwean and Australian cricket supporters at the ground. They started off some metres apart but by the end of the game they were sharing flags and singing together. The second was the lap of honour that was completed by the Australian players to show their appreciation to the Zimbabwean people. They wouldn't have done that if it was inappropriate."

According to the MDC there were 15 arrests outside the ground during that match, and a number of those detained were subjected to torture.

John Howard, Australia's prime minister, is on record as saying that the decision is Cricket Australia's, even though the government has made it clear that it feels the tour should be cancelled.