Zimbabwe has been described as a "sinking Titanic" by its northern neighbour Zambia in an indication of rising discontent among African leaders with the oppressive rule of President Robert Mugabe.
In an unprecedented move, the Zambian president Levy Mwanawasa called for a tougher stance from regional governments against Mr Mugabe, saying the policy of "quiet diplomacy" favoured by South Africa, and a number of other African states, had failed.
Representatives of regional governments are to discuss the Zimbabwean crisis in Tanzania next Monday and Tuesday under the auspices of the peace and security wing of the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
Civil society groups have also called for a regional summit aimed at averting a major humanitarian crisis.
Mr Mwanawasa, who was one of the few African leaders to raise his voice last week against Mr Mugabe's violent attack on opposition leaders, said: "Zambia has so far been an advocate of quiet diplomacy and continues to believe in it. But the twist of events in the troubled country necessitates the adoption of a new approach."
SADC has appointed a "troika" of countries to negotiate with Zimbabwe over the crisis. These comprise Tanzania, Lesotho and Namibia, the latter of which has traditionally been a close ally of Mr Mugabe. That the ageing ruler still has friends in the region was underlined by reports yesterday that Angola had offered to send a paramilitary force to Zimbabwe to support local police in controlling public unrest.
Zambian government newspapers reported that Mr Mwanawasa had suggested the SADC "would soon take a stand" on Zimbabwe.
"As I speak right now, one SADC country has sunk into such economic difficulties that it may be likened to a sinking Titanic whose passengers are jumping out in a bid to save their lives," he was quoted as saying.
Mr Mugabe has reacted to such criticism by threatening to expel western diplomats who are seen to be siding with opposition leaders.
A number of ambassadors were summoned to Harare earlier this week to face government criticism.
The Irish Embassy in Pretoria, which is accredited to Zimbabwe, had an official in Harare over St Patrick's weekend but, as of yesterday, the embassy had received no official communication, or threat of expulsion, from the Zimbabwean government.
The SADC council of non-governmental organisations said Zimbabwe's disregard of law needed to be stopped before a full-scale humanitarian crisis erupted.
"Our continued silence and inaction in the face of intensifying suffering and destruction in Zimbabwe cannot be of any value or benefit to our vision as a region or individual member-states," the council said in a statement.
It is estimated that up to a quarter of Zimbabwe's 13-million strong population has either fled overseas, or is internally displaced. Most refugees have gone to South Africa, while many white farmers who have been thrown out of Zimbabwe since 2000 have set up in Zambia instead.