The response to the election loss from ZANU PF was predictable. Declaring that this rejection was tantamount to war, an attempt by former colonial powers to regain control of the country, ZANU PF began an aggressive campaign well ahead of the announcement of the date for the Run-off. The date was finally announced on 15 May 2008, but which time it was evident that violence had taken place in many parts of the country.29 Whilst the violence was developing, both the President of the MDC, Morgan Tsvangirai, and the Secretary-General, Tendai Biti, undertook a world-wide campaign to seek support for a genuine, peaceful, free and fair election. Tendai Biti had been accused of treason by the Zimbabwe government for announcing the results of the March poll in advance of ZEC, and there were reports of significant threats to Morgan Tsvangirai’s life. Here it must be borne in mind that, if either of the two candidates to the Run-off died, or withdrew from the poll, the other would automatically succeed to the Presidency, so any threat to either candidate was clearly significant, and the threats to both the above MDC officers were not trivial: threats about prosecution for treason, which carries the death sentence – no matter how specious - or assassination, are not trivial. Given the many reports of abductions, torture, and summary executions emerging in the press and media, the caution adopted by the MDC leadership was justified, but, in the end, Morgan Tsvangirai returned to Zimbabwe to campaign for the Run-off. In the meantime, the reports of massive violence were so disturbing that the SADC mediator, President Thabo Mbeki of South Africa, dispatched a high-level mission to investigate them. It is alleged that the mission was deeply disturbed by what it learned, but the report was never made public, presumably in keeping with the general policy of “quiet diplomacy”. The Zimbabwe Association of Doctors for Human Rights [ZADHR], a member organization of the Human Rights Forum, issued several reports detailing the horrific injuries being treated by its members. ZADHR’s most recent statement has pointed out that the medical services are in danger of being overwhelmed by the number of severe injuries that require treatment. Against all the preparations for the Run-off, there was continual speculation about the need for a government of national unity [GNU], with one of the losing candidates in the Presidential poll, Simba Makoni, foremost amongst Zimbabweans arguing for this option, but supported by others. 30 This was an option supported by a number of SADC countries. ZANU PF, whilst not wholly rejecting this option, indicated that it would only consider this in the aftermath of the Run-off, whilst the MDC stated that it 29 See again Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum (2008), If you can’t join them, beat them! Post-election violence in Zimbabwe. An alert of the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum & the Research and Advocacy Unit. 5 May 2008. HARARE: ZIMBABWE HUMAN RIGHTS NGO FORUM. 30 See Solidarity Peace Trust (2008), Punishing Dissent, Silencing Citizens: the Zimbabwe Elections 2008 . 21 May 2008. JOHANNESBURG: SOLIDARITY PEACE TRUST.