The Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) "will not be an idle observer" to democracy marches and street demonstrations called by the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), it said in a statement quoted by the state-run Herald newspaper.

"Instead it will bring to bear its full force upon those perpetrators of uncalled for violence," it added.

The MDC has called for a week of anti-government street marches and stayaways, or strikes, from June 2 as part of what it calls a "final push" for freedom.

The MDC is seeking to oust President Robert Mugabe, whom it accuses of rigging elections last year and using state security agents to persecute opponents.

Meanwhile, the country's deep economic crisis, which has already led to chronic shortages of fuel and basic foodstuffs, shows every sign of worsening.

Bank notes and blood for transfusions have now joined the list of shortages, with inflation running at 269 percent and rising.

The MDC has said it wants next week's protests to be peaceful, but the authorities anticipate outbreaks of violence that have marked previous demonstrations.

An opposition-led strike in March saw the petrol-bombing of buses and offices belonging to Mugabe's ZANU-PF party.

"It is a fact that previous stayaways turned violent with both innocent lives of citizens and property being deliberately destroyed," the army said.

The MDC has been running advertisements in the private media urging the armed forces not to compromise their professional neutrality by acting as a "private force" for Mugabe's party.

"National security forces are not and should never play the role of political arbiters or judges in the people's struggle against dictatorship," said one opposition advert.

But the army said its key role was to uphold the law and guarantee peace, stability and territorial integrity, and warned the opposition not to interfere with the military in the performance of its duties.

Mugabe's Home Affairs Minister Kembo Mohadi said earlier this week that police would use force against demonstrators if the protests turned violent.

"We are ready to crush any demonstrations which will lead to the destruction of property or is a threat to national security," Mohadi said.

Groups of so-called war veterans, loyal to Mugabe, also warned the opposition last week they would clamp down on the anti-government demostrations.

Tensions are rising ahead of the planned demonstrations. Three women were arrested Wednesday in central Harare as they took part in MDC-organised prayer sessions.

MDC activists were distributing leaflets on Thursday, declaring that Zimbabweans were "living miserable lives at the hands of a regime that has lost all love and fear of God".

WAR.WIRE