The MDC grouping led by Morgan Tsvangirai said the government of President Robert Mugabe is attacking his supporters in Zimbabwe while Mugabe's party -- the Zimbabwe African National Union Patriotic Front -- is participating in talks in Pretoria, The Harare Financial Gazette reported.

"It is summer at the dialogue in Pretoria, but winter time in Harare," said Nelson Chamisa, a Tsvangirai spokesman. "ZANU PF is not showing the true spirit of dialogue by its continued persecution of our supporters and officials. There is no use for us to be in Pretoria sharing the same table with ZANU PF when our people are being targeted."

Chamisa questioned how free and fair elections could be held while MDC meetings and rallies are broken up.