Cablegate: Media Reaction Land Reform in Zimbabwe; Harare

This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLASSIFIED PTQ6638

PAGE 01 HARARE 02388 101229Z
ACTION INR-00

INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AF-00 A-00 ACQ-00 CIAE-00 DODE-00
DS-00 EUR-00 UTED-00 VC-00 TEDE-00 LAB-01 VCE-00
NSAE-00 TEST-00 USIE-00 IIP-00 DSCC-00 DRL-02 NFAT-00
SAS-00 /003W
------------------1089F7 101230Z /38
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9450
INFO NSC WASHDC
AMEMBASSY PRETORIA
AMEMBASSY LUSAKA
AMEMBASSY WINDHOEK
AMEMBASSY GABORONE
AMEMBASSY LILONGWE
AMEMBASSY LONDON

UNCLAS HARARE 002388

SIPDIS

AF/PD FOR COX, ROBERTSON, AF/S FOR KRAFT, AF/P, INR/R/MR, NSC FOR
JENDAYI FRAZER

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PHUM ZI
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION LAND REFORM IN ZIMBABWE; HARARE

1. THE INDEPENDENT 'DAILY NEWS' DEDICATED ITS AUGUST 9 EDITORIAL TO
DENOUNCE THE GOVERNMENT OF ZIMBABWE FOR FAILING TO CURB
UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 02 HARARE 02388 101229Z
LAWLESSNESS ON COMMERCIAL FARMS. THE EDITORIAL COMES IN THE WAKE
OF RENEWED CLASHES BETWEEN COMMERCIAL FARMERS AND FARM INVADERS IN
CHINHOYI THIS WEEK. UNDER HEADLINE "GOVERNMENT INSINCERE ON
CURBING FARM VIOLENCE," THE PAPER COMMENTS:

2. "THE COMMONWEALTH MINISTERIAL ACTION GROUP (CMAG), WHICH IS DUE TO
MEET IN ABUJA, NIGERIA, NEXT WEEK TO DISCUSS ZIMBABWE, MIGHT FIND
IT DIFFICULT TO SAVE THE COUNTRY FROM CENSURE BY THE 50-ODD NATION
MEMBERS, BECAUSE OF UGLY EVENTS THIS WEEK. . .AN ELDERLY KWEKWE
FARMER WAS BRUTALLY ATTACKED LAST FRIDAY IN ONE OF THE GRUESOME
ATTACKS DURING THE PAST YEAR. HE DIED THIS WEEK ON MONDAY NIGHT.
THE SECOND INCIDENT RELATES TO THE FIGHTING BETWEEN FARMERS AND
LAND INVADERS IN THE CHINHOYI AREA. . .WHAT IS QUITE CLEAR IS THAT
THE GOVERNMENT HAS NO INTENTION OF BRINGING THIS LAWLESSNESS TO AN
END. IT IS DISCRIMINATORY, IN THE EXTREME, FOR THE GOVERNMENT TO
PROTECT INVADERS ONLY, WHILE PROPERTY RIGHTS OF THE FARM OWNERS
ARE DRAGGED THROUGH THE MUD AND TRAMPLED ON, ESPECIALLY WHERE BOTH
PARTIES AGREE ON THE NEED FOR LAND REDISTRIBUTION. . . WE SHOULD
BE VERY AFRAID OF THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE TRAGIC MURDER OF 76-
YEAR-OLD RALPH FENWICK COBBERT AND THE FIGHTING IN CHINHOYI.
THESE CAN ONLY CONVINCE CMAG AND THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
SENATE, WHICH IS CONSIDERING THE ZIMBABWE DEMOCRACY AND (ECONOMIC)
RECOVERY BILL, THAT THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY HAS ACTED
NEGLIGENTLY IN ALLOWING THE SITUATION IN THIS COUNTRY TO
DETERIORATE FURTHER IN THIS DESCENT INTO HELL."

WHITEHEAD

UNCLASSIFIED

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