Archbishop Desmond Tutu © Benny Gool

Senior church figures have spoken out against Robert Mugabe's re-election and urged the international community to do more to help the people of Zimbabwe in the aftermath of last Friday's vote.

Archbishop Desmond Tutu, speaking on the BBC's flagship political programme The Andrew Marr Show, said he thought there was a "very good argument" for an international force to restore peace in Zimbabwe, providing action is carried out under the auspices of the United Nations.

Archbishop Tutu also urged African leaders meeting at an African Union (AU) summit in Egypt this week to reject the outcome of the Zimbabwe election. "If you were to have a unanimous voice saying quite clearly to Mr. Mugabe "you are unwelcome any longer, you are illegitimate, and we will not recognise your administration in any shape or form". I think that that would be a very, very powerful signal and would really be able to strengthen the hand of the international community", he said.

Desmond Tutu also hinted that the international community should consider boycotting Zimbabwean goods and likened the strength of the growing opposition to Mugabe's regime to that felt during the fight against apartheid in South Africa in the 1980s.

Meanwhile, Church leaders around the world continue to condemn the spiralling violence that has reportedly claimed the lives of at least 85 opposition supporters and injured many more.

"It is sad to see Christians, including Catholics, among the perpetrators of such violence. Where are our Christian principles and values?" asked the Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops Conference more than two weeks ago.

Despite calls for congregations around the world to pray for peace and justice for the people of  Zimbabwe, violence on the ground continues unabated as international churches warn the worst could be yet to come.

In a statement released ahead of the June 26 poll last week, the Lutheran World Federation Council - which is currently meeting in Arusha, Tanzania - recalled the 1991 massacre of nearly 1 million people in the Rwandan Genocide, saying this time "the world must not stand idly by…and watch the unfolding of a human catastrophe". The LWC Council also urged its member churches to pray for Zimbabwe on July 6th.