Cablegate: Media Reaction War Against Terror; Harare

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

160542Z Oct 01

UNCLASSIFIED PTQ5339

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INL-00 DODE-00 SRPP-00 DS-00 EUR-00 UTED-00 VC-00
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FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0028
INFO NSC WASHDC
AMEMBASSY PRETORIA
AMEMBASSY LUSAKA
AMEMBASSY WINDHOEK
AMEMBASSY GABORONE
AMEMBASSY LILONGWE
AMEMBASSY LONDON

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 HARARE 003063

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: ZI PREL PHUM
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION WAR AGAINST TERROR; HARARE

1. MAINSTREAM NEWSPAPERS CONTINUE TO DEDICATE
SIGNIFICANT SPACE TO WIRE ARTICLES BY REUTERS, AGENCE
FRANCE PRESSE, AND THE ASSOCIATED PRESS CENTERING ON
THE U.S.-LED MILITARY STRIKES IN AFGHANISTAN. THE
NATIONAL STATE-RUN TELEVISION STATION, ZTV I, IS
CARRYING CABLE NEWS NETWORK FOOTAGE ON THE MILITARY
CAMPAIGN. THE NEWS CLIPS ARE BROADCAST DAILY DURING
ZTV'S MAIN NEWS PROGRAMS IN ENGLISH AND THE TWO MAJOR
VERNACULAR LANGUAGES - SHONA AND NDEBELE. SIMILAR NEWS
BULLETINS ARE ALSO BEING AIRED ON ALL THE FOUR NATIONAL
STATE-CONTROLLED RADIO STATIONS.

2. MEANWHILE, MOST NEWSPAPERS CONTINUE TO PUBLISH
OPINION PIECES CENTERING ON THE WAR AGAINST TERROR.
SAMPLES OF THE ARTICLES FOLLOW:

3. UNDER HEADLINE "IMPERIAL AMERICA CHASES OWN
SHADOW: BY REFUSING TO ACCEPT REALITY, U. S. PROBLEMS
WILL MULTIPLY," THE OCTOBER 14 EDITION OF THE
GOVERNMENT-CONTROLLED WEEKLY "THE SUNDAY MAIL" CARRIED
THE FOLLOWING OPINION PIECE BY MWESIGA BAREGU:

". . . IF THE U. S. AND WEST IN GENERAL COULD VIEW
THE TRAGIC EVENTS OF SEPTEMBER 11 AS A WAKE-UP CALL. .
. AND USE THE OCCASION AS A MIRROR TO TAKE A KEEN LOOK
AT THEMSELVES THEN THE DEATHS OF THE VICTIMS WILL NOT
HAVE BEEN IN VAIN. . . IN THIS PIECE I WANT TO ARGUE
THAT AMERICA IS IN DENIAL WITH RESPECT TO A NUMBER OF
ILLS THAT AFFLICT IT. MOREOVER AMERICA LACKS THE
COURAGE TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND CONFRONT THESE ILLS BECAUSE.
. . ITS DENIAL ARISES FROM ITS SELF-LOVE AND A
PERSECUTION COMPLEX. . . AS TO THE WAR IN AFGHANISTAN
UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 03 HARARE 03063 01 OF 03 160612Z
MY JURY IS STILL OUT. IT IS NOT AT ALL CLEAR WHAT THE
ANGLO-AMERICAN WAR AIMS ARE. WHAT IS BECOMING
PROGRESSIVELY CLEAR, HOWEVER, IS THAT THE WAR MAY NOT
BE ABOUT OSAMA BIN LADEN AND TERRORISM JUST AS THE
BOMBING OF YUGOSLAVIA WAS NOT ABOUT MILOSEVIC AND HUMAN
RIGHTS VIOLATIONS. THE WAR IS ESSENTIALLY ABOUT
GEOSTRATEGIC INTERESTS IN THAT PART OF THE WORLD. . ."

4. UNDER HEADLINE "BEYOND BIN LADEN: A WIDER AGENDA;
UK, U.S. USE 'TERROR WAR' AS OPPORTUNITY FOR
EXPANSIONISM," THE SAME PAPER CARRIED THE FOLLOWING
ARTICLE BY TAFATAONA MAHOSO:

"RESOLUTION 1373 IS THE SECURITY COUNCIL'S RESPONSE
TO THE SEPTEMBER 11 ATTACKS ON NEW YORK AND WASHINGTON.
BUT THE DIPLOMATIC SOURCES IN HARARE SAID THE REAL
PROBLEM FOR THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY WAS THAT THE U.
S. AND UK NOW SAW THE RECENT TERRORIST ATTACKS ON NEW
YORK AND WASHINGTON AS YET ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO
ACQUIRE NEW MILITARY BASES IN CENTRAL ASIA AND TO
OVERTHROW GOVERNMENTS WHICH HAVE REFUSED TO TOE THE
ANGLO-AMERICAN LINE. . . THOSE WARNING THE WORLD
AGAINST THE BUSH-BLAIR ADVENTURE IN AFGHANISTAN ARE NOT
JUST CRITICIZING THE CHOICE OF RESPONSE TO TERRORISM IN
THIS CASE. THEY ARE OFFERING ALTERNATIVE RESPONSES,
WHICH INCLUDE: CALLING A SPECIAL SESSION OF THE GENERAL
ASSEMBLY OF THE U. N. TO CONSIDER THE LINK BETWEEN THE
DETERIORATION OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND THE
ESCALATION OF TERRORISM; CALLING FOR SPECIAL WORLD
FORUM OF RELIGIOUS LEADERS AND RELIGIOUS FAITHS IN
ORDER TO HARNESS THE POSITIVE INFLUENCE OF RELIGION IN
UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 04 HARARE 03063 01 OF 03 160612Z
PROMOTING PEACE AND HEALING PEOPLE CAUGHT IN CONFLICT;
CONVENING A SPECIAL CONFERENCE FOR THOSE COUNTRIES AND
PEOPLES WHO HAVE BEEN VICTIMS OF RELENTLESS TERRORISM,
SO THAT ACTUAL HISTORICAL TERRORISM IS EXAMINED, USING
AS EXPERTS THOSE WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED IT.
REPRESENTATIVES OF THOSE GROUPS ACCUSED OF TERRORISM
SHOULD ALSO ATTEND THE CONFERENCE, SO THAT REAL
DIALOGUE MAY BEGIN. . . THE NORTH AMERICANS AND THEIR
MEDIA HAVE BECOME PART OF THE TERRORISM PROBLEM BECAUSE
THEY BEHAVE AS IF THEY THEMSELVES ARE THE FIRST EVER
VICTIMS OF TERROR AND AS IF THEY AS A COUNTRY THEY ARE
ENTIRELY CLEAN. THE PROPOSED APPROACHES WOULD BRING A
SENSE OF PROPORTION AND, MAYBE, SOLIDARITY TO THE
DEBATE AND THE OPTIONS."

5. UNDER HEADLINE "AMERICANS FEAR COUNTER-STRIKES,"
THE
SAME NEWSPAPER CARRIED THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE BY ITS
U. S.-BASED CORRESPONDENT TENDAYI MUSEKIWA:

"THE SEPTEMBER 11 ATTACKS ON U. S. TARGETS. . . HAVE
ALTERED THE AMERICAN LANDSCAPE, PERHAPS FOREVER. . .

UNCLASSIFIED

UNCLASSIFIED PTQ5341

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INL-00 DODE-00 SRPP-00 DS-00 EUR-00 UTED-00 VC-00
TEDE-00 IO-00 LAB-01 VCE-00 DCP-01 NSAE-00 IRM-00
TEST-00 USIE-00 IIP-00 DSCC-00 DRL-02 NFAT-00 SAS-00
/004W
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P 160542Z OCT 01
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0029
INFO NSC WASHDC
AMEMBASSY PRETORIA
AMEMBASSY LUSAKA
AMEMBASSY WINDHOEK
AMEMBASSY GABORONE
AMEMBASSY LILONGWE
AMEMBASSY LONDON

UNCLAS SECTION 02 OF 03 HARARE 003063

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: ZI PREL PHUM
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION WAR AGAINST TERROR; HARARE

FOR THE FIRST TIME, THE U. S. AND ITS PEOPLE ARE
UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 02 HARARE 03063 02 OF 03 160612Z
LEARNING TO DEAL WITH PARANOIA THAT ARISES FROM
BEING UNDER ATTACK. AMERICANS ARE ANXIOUS TO SHOW
THAT THEY ARE TOUGH, RESILIENT AND ARMED WITH A
STEELY DETERMINATION NOT TO GIVE IN TO TERRORISM.
BUT THE NEW POWERS BEING GIVEN TO THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT TO COMBAT TERRORISM, THE INCREASED
SECURITY MEASURES, THE WILLINGNESS TO GIVE UP SOME
PERSONAL FREEDOMS, THE NERVOUSNESS ABOUT POSSIBLE
BIO-TERRORISM, THE EXPANDING WAR IN AFGHANISTAN AND
THE RELUCTANCE TO CRITICIZE, PARODY OR CARTOON MR.
BUSH (FOR FEAR OF BEING LABELED UNPATRIOTIC) ARE
VIVID REMINDERS THAT THE AURA OF INNOCENCE AND
INVINCIBILITY AND THE INCLINATION TOWARD ISOLATION
ARE GONE, MAYBE FOREVER."

6. THE OCTOBER 12 EDITION OF THE INDEPENDENT WEEKLY
"THE ZIMBABWE MIRROR" RAN THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE BY THE
"SCRUTATOR":

". . .ONLY THE MAD AND SENSELESS COULD HAVE REMAINED
UNTOUCHED BY THE TERROR AND HORROR OF 11 SEPTEMBER,
ESPECIALLY WHEN SO MANY INNOCENT LIVES WERE LOST IN
NEW YORK, WASHINGTON AND PITTSBURGH. BUT IT IS THE
REACTION OF THE U.S.A. AND ITS ALLIES THAT IS NOW
CAUSING THE SYMPATHY AND COMPASSION TO DISSIPATE SO
DANGEROUSLY. . . EVEN THE PRINCIPLES OF SOVEREIGNTY
AND INTERNATIONAL LAW ARE BEING BREACHED WITH
IMPUNITY; GONE, TOO, THE IDEA THAT INTERNATIONAL
PEACE AND SECURITY SHOULD BE SUSTAINED AND PROMOTED
UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE U. N. SADLY, THE LATTER
IS NOW LARGELY FOR THE EXPEDIENT AND CONVENIENT USE
UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 03 HARARE 03063 02 OF 03 160612Z
OF THE U.S.A. AND ITS ALLIES. IN SHORT, ONLY A FEW
WOULD STILL BELIEVE THAT THE U.S.A. AND ITS ALLIES
ARE PURSUING ONLY OSAMA BIN LADEN AND HIS AL-QAEDA
NETWORK; THE OBJECTIVES OF THE WAR OF REVENGE HAVE
SO CHANGED IN ITS OBJECTIVES AND TARGETS THAT WE
HAVE REASON TO BE SUSPICIOUS ABOUT THE SCOPE OF THIS
'CRUSADE. . .' WE HAVE REASON TO BE FEARFUL, AS
MUCH AT PRESIDENT BUSH'S THREAT OF A LONG AND
BROADENING WAR FRONT AS AT AL-QAEDA'A WARNING THAT
THE U.S. AND ITS ALLIES HAVE, BY ATTACKING
AFGHANISTAN 'OPENED A DOOR THEY CAN NEVER CLOSE.'"

7. UNDER HEADLINE "POVERTY TO RISE IN WAKE OF U.S.
TERRORIST ATTACK," THE OCTOBER 12 EDITION OF THE
INDEPENDENT WEEKLY "ZIMBABWE INDEPENDENT" RAN THE
FOLLOWING STORY BY BARNABAS THONDHLANA:

"THE SEPTEMBER 11 TERRORIST ATTACKS IN THE U.S. WILL
HURT ECONOMIC GROWTH IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES WORLD-
WIDE IN 2001 AND 2002, CONDEMNING AS MANY AS 10
MILLION MORE PEOPLE TO LIVE IN POVERTY NEXT YEAR,
AND HAMPERING THE FIGHT AGAINST CHILDHOOD DISEASES
AND MALNUTRITION, THE WORLD BANK SAYS IN A
PRELIMINARY ECONOMIC ASSESSMENT RELEASED THIS WEEK.
BEFORE SEPTEMBER 11, THE BANK EXPECTED DEVELOPING
COUNTRY GROWTH TO FALL FROM 5.5 PERCENT IN 2000 TO
2.9 PERCENT IN 2001 AS A RESULT OF SLOWDOWNS IN THE
U. S., JAPAN AND EUROPE, AND THEN REBOUND TO 4.3
PERCENT IN 2002. BUT BECAUSE THE ATTACKS WILL DELAY
THE RICH COUNTRIES' RECOVERY INTO 2002, THE BANK NOW
WARNS THAT DEVELOPING COUNTRIES' GROWTH COULD BE
UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 04 HARARE 03063 02 OF 03 160612Z
LOWER BY 0.5 - 0.75 PERCENTAGE POINTS IN 2002. . .
."

8. UNDER HEADLINE "PAKISTAN AND THE WAR AGAINST
TERRORISM," THE OCTOBER 8 EDITION OF THE INDEPENDENT
DAILY "THE DAILY NEWS" PUBLISHED THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE
BY YAYYABA MAHBOOB PIRZADA:

"THE HORROR AND TERROR OF 11 SEPTEMBER HAS NOW
TURNED INTO MOMENTS OF SUSPENSE AND WORRY. . . IT
DOES, HOWEVER, CALL FOR REFLECTION BY THE ENTIRE WORLD
LEADERSHIP. THE U.S. AND THE WEST NEED TO CHANGE THEIR
POLICIES TOWARDS ISLAM, JUST AS MUCH THE MUSLIM WORLD
NEEDS TO CORRECT ITS RHETORIC AGAINST 'INFIDELS' AND
PROMOTE A CULTURE OF DEMOCRACY AND TOLERANCE WITHIN
THEIR OWN COUNTRIES. THE SOLUTION TO TERRORISM DOES
NOT LIE IN 'WAGING WARS,' BUT IN BRINGING THOSE
RESPONSIBLE TO JUSTICE AND IN ENSURING THAT GOVERNMENTS
DO NOT TOLERATE OR PROMOTE TERRORIST GANGS. A MEASURED
RESPONSE IS CALLED FOR BECAUSE AN ALL-OUT WAR MAY
POLARIZE THE WORLD FURTHER, THUS PLAYING INTO THE HANDS
OF THE VERY FORCES WHICH ENCOURAGE TERRORISM. SINCE

UNCLASSIFIED

UNCLASSIFIED PTQ5343

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ACTION INR-00

INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AF-00 AID-00 A-00 ACQ-00 CIAE-00
INL-00 DODE-00 SRPP-00 DS-00 EUR-00 UTED-00 VC-00
TEDE-00 IO-00 LAB-01 VCE-00 DCP-01 NSAE-00 IRM-00
TEST-00 USIE-00 IIP-00 DSCC-00 DRL-02 NFAT-00 SAS-00
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------------------2F93E9 160613Z /38
P 160542Z OCT 01
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0030
INFO NSC WASHDC
AMEMBASSY PRETORIA
AMEMBASSY LUSAKA
AMEMBASSY WINDHOEK
AMEMBASSY GABORONE
AMEMBASSY LILONGWE
AMEMBASSY LONDON

UNCLAS SECTION 03 OF 03 HARARE 003063

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: ZI PREL PHUM
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION WAR AGAINST TERROR; HARARE

THE INTERNATIONAL ALLIANCE AGAINST TERRORISM CLAIMS TO
UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 02 HARARE 03063 03 OF 03 160613Z
FIGHT THIS BATTLE TO PROTECT FREEDOM, IT WILL BE
EXPECTED TO BE TRANSPARENT IN ITS MOVES. IT WILL
REQUIRE GREATER RESOLVE TO UPHOLD THE NORMS OF JUSTICE,
PARTICULARLY IN THE FACE OF AN ADVERSARY WHO SPURNS
UNIVERSAL VALUES OF FREEDOM. . . WE NEED TO WAGE WAR
AGAINST GLOBAL TERRORISM SO THAT WE CAN HAVE A MORE
DECENT AND COMPASSIONATE WORLD, WHERE HUMANITY IS NOT
DEGRADED - THAT MUST REMAIN THE GOAL AND THIS GOAL MUST
NOT BE COMPROMISED. IT SHOULD BE A GOAL THAT IS NOT
NEGOTIABLE."

9. UNDER HEADLINE "DICTATORS TIGHTEN SCREWS AS WORLD
MULLS U. S. ATTACKS," THE SAME EDITION CARRIED THE
FOLLOWING PIECE BY TAJUDEEM ABDUL-RAHEEM:

"THE HORRORS OF THE ATTACKS ON THE U. S. AND THE
THREATENING RESPONSES TO THEM HAVE DOMINATED GLOBAL
MEDIA ALMOST TO THE TOTAL EXCLUSION OF OTHER ISSUES.
THIS HAS GIVEN MANY DICTATORS A KIND OF SABBATICAL
TO DO WHAT THEY PLEASE, WITHOUT MUCH FOCUS FROM THE
REST OF THE WORLD WHOSE EYES ARE ON WASHINGTON AND
THE BLIGHTED TERRAIN OF AFGHANISTAN. MANY FORMER
PARIAH STATES HAVE SUDDENLY BECOME CHERISHED ALLIES
IN THE NEW WAR OF 'THOSE WHO ARE WITH US' - THOUGH
THE DEFINITION OF 'US' IS VERY AMBIGUOUS - AND THOSE
'AGAINST US.' SUDAN IS 'WITH US' SO WHO IS AGAINST
US, OR TO PUT IT DIFFERENTLY, WHO ARE 'US' AGAINST
IN SUDAN. . . .?"

10. UNDER HEADLINE "BOMBING BIN LADEN OUT OF
MOUNTAINS
UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 03 HARARE 03063 03 OF 03 160613Z
WON'T BE EASY," THE OCTOBER 7 EDITION OF THE
GOVERNMENT-CONTROLLED WEEKLY "THE SUNDAY MAIL" RAN
THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE BY BRIGADIER FELIX:

". . .AMERICA AND THE WEST ARE REACTING EXACTLY AS
THEY DID IN VIETNAM, MASSIVE MOBILIZATION OF BIG SHIPS,
STRATEGIC BOMBERS, PRECISION MISSILES, TO BOMB A HEAP
OF BARREN MOUNTAINS IN AFGHANISTAN WHILE THE ENEMY
SNORES IN THEIR BACKYARD. THE CAUSES OF THIS WAR ARE
NOT DIFFICULTY TO FIND. THE MOSLEM HATRED TOWARDS
AMERICA IS U. S. FOREIGN POLICY IN THE MIDDLE EAST.
THE GREATEST HATRED TOWARDS AMERICA IS ITS SUPPORT TO
ISRAEL POLITICALLY, TREATING ISRAEL AS THE 53RD STATE
OF THE U.S. . . NO U. S. PRESIDENT WOULD LAST A WEEK
WITHOUT ISRAELI SUPPORT. TO MANY ARAB EXTREMISTS AND
MODERATES THIS GIVES ISRAEL MORE POWER AND ARROGANCE
THAN IT DESERVES, SO ITS POWER MUST BE HIT HARD. . .
GIVEN THE DEEP RELIGIOUS BELIEFS OF ISLAM, THE
POTENTIAL TO EXPLODE POLITICALLY, SOCIALLY,
ECONOMICALLY AND MILITARILY IS HIGH. . . BIN LADEN HAS
NO TOWN, NO STATE HOUSE TO DEFEND, NEITHER HAS HE GOT
STRATEGIC INDUSTRIAL, ECONOMIC, COMMUNICATION, MILITARY
OR AMMUNITION DEPOTS TO DESTROY. . . IF THE AMERICANS
COULD NOT BOMB VIETCONG GUERILLAS IN THEIR FOX-HOLE
TUNNELS, IT IS GOING TO BE TOUGHER TO BOMB BIN LADEN
OUT OF THOSE BALD-HEADED MOUNTAINS WHICH HAVE NO EASY
ROADS FOR 'SPECIAL FORCES' TO MOVE. IF THEY MISS TO
CAPTURE BIN LADEN 'DEAD OR ALIVE,' HE WILL WIELD EVEN
MORE POWER AS AN INVINCIBLE 'SPIRITUAL LEADER' GUIDED
BY ALLAH TO INSTILL MORE DETERMINATION, ZEAL AND POWER
AMONG THE RELIGIOUS FUNDAMENTALISTS TO KILL 'MORE
UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 04 HARARE 03063 03 OF 03 160613Z
AMERICANS,' MOSTLY INNOCENT CIVILIANS. A NEW THINKING,
NEW ANALYSIS OF STRATEGIC OPTIONS FOR THE NEW TYPE OF
'GUERILLA WARFARE' WITH MASS DESTRUCTION NEEDS TO BE
WORKED OUT. MOBILIZATION OF FORCES SO FAR MEANS
NOTHING."

SULLIVAN

UNCLASSIFIED

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