Harare - Zimbabwean Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, in his maiden speech to parliament, said Wednesday that the country must assure rule of law and respect for human rights in order to gain aid from the international community.

"No donor country or institution is going to offer any meaningful assistance unless our new government projects a positive image," Tsvangirai said in his first speech as the new prime minister.

"Brutal suppression, wanton arrests and political persecution impeded our ability to rebuild our economy," said the leader of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party.

"Those who continue to perpetuate the culture of impunity are sabotaging the chances of all Zimbabweans to move towards prosperity and freedom from hunger and poverty," Tsvangirai added, alluding to the country's tarnished image under President Robert Mugabe.

Tsvangirai joined a government of national unity with Mugabe last month in a bid to end a political stalemate coming amid Zimbabwe's downward economic and humanitarian spiral.

In his speech, Tsvangirai attacked the abuse of human rights saying adherence to the rule of law and implementation of sound economic policies are essential. The remarks come amid reports of renewed violence at commercial farms by suspected Mugabe supporters.

"We must halt wanton disruptions of productive activities that are continuing as I speak. Already our food production for the coming season is going to be less than that of last year's abysmal season," he warned.

Tsvangirai said the activities posed a threat to the seasonal crop production valued at over 150 million US dollars, "money that our economy desperately needs."

The warning comes amid allegations that members of Mugabe's ZANU PF party were invading farms at a point when crops were maturing.

"Those that believe that they can move on to a viable farm and steal crops that are about to be harvested are wrong. In our culture as in our law you cannot reap what you have not sown," he said.

Tsvangirai also commented on the arrests of human rights activists and opposition supporters including senior MDC official Roy Bennett on charges of terrorism, sabotage and banditry.

"Naturally, I could not talk about freedoms without referring to those individuals who continue to languish in prisons on seriously contested allegations," he said.

"If indeed there is sufficient evidence supporting the allegations against them their trials must be given precedence. Let a court decide their fate.

"The fact that some of these individuals have been incarcerated for months without trial smacks of political persecution. This will not be tolerated under our new government," Tsvangirai vowed.

The remarks came as the country's Supreme Court was getting ready to rule on whether Bennett could be released on bail. He was arrested February 13, charged with possessing weapons for the purposes of insurgency and for violating immigration laws. (dpa)