Cablegate: State-Owned Media Condemn Zimbabwe Democracy

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

070930Z Dec 01

UNCLASSIFIED PTQ4516

PAGE 01 HARARE 03648 071025Z
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
------------------48466B 071025Z /38
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0485
INFO NSC WASHDC
AMEMBASSY PRETORIA
AMEMBASSY LUSAKA
AMEMBASSY WINDHOEK
AMEMBASSY GABORONE
AMEMBASSY LILONGWE
AMEMBASSY LONDON

UNCLAS HARARE 003648

SIPDIS

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

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ZI PREL PHUM
SUBJECT: STATE-OWNED MEDIA CONDEMN ZIMBABWE DEMOCRACY
BILL

1. STATE-OWNED MEDIA REPORTING ON THE HOUSE PASSAGE
OF THE ZIMBABWE DEMOCRACY AND ECONOMIC RECOVERY ACT
(ZDERA) REFLECTS IS CRITICAL OF THE BILL. THE MAIN
POINTS MADE BY THE STATE-OWNED BROADCAST AND PRINT
MEDIA ARE THAT:
- ZDERA IS A SANCTIONS BILL THAT WILL HURT THE
PEOPLE OF ZIMBABWE;
- CREATION AND PASSAGE OF ZDERA WAS ENGINEERED BY
THE OPPOSITION MDC PARTY, THE BRITISH, COMMERCIAL
FARMERS AND A RANGE OF OTHER PERCEIVED ENEMIES;
- ZDERA IS AN UNJUSTIFIABLE ATTACK ON ZIMBABWEAN
SOVEREIGNTY;
- THE US DID NOT CONSULT WITH THE GOZ PRIOR TO
PASSAGE OF THE BILL.

2. THE GOVERNMENT-CONTROLLED DAILY "THE HERALD"
DEDICATED ITS DECEMBER 7 EDITORIAL TO COMMENT ON THE
ZIMBABWE DEMOCRACY AND ECONOMIC RECOVERY ACT (ZDERA).
UNDER HEADLINE "BETRAYAL BY THE INDIGENOUS," THE PAPER
COMMENTS:

3. "THE SANCTIONS BILL SPONSORED BY THE MOVEMENT OF
DEMOCRATIC CHANGE (MDC) HAS FINALLY SUCCEEDED IN
PASSING BOTH HOUSES OF THE AMERICAN CONGRESS. IT
WILL GO DOWN IN HISTORY AS THE BIGGEST BETRAYAL
AGAINST THE PEOPLE OF ZIMBABWE BY ITS OWN SONS AND
DAUGHTERS. . . MORGAN TSVANGIRAI (MDC LEADER),
WELSHMAN NCUBE, TENDAI BITI, SEKAI HOLLAND AND THE
REST OF THE UNCLE TOMS SHALL BE JUDGED BY HISTORY
FOR THE EVIL THEY HAVE UNLEASHED UPON THE PEOPLE OF
ZIMBABWE. . . IN ALL HONESTY, DOES HE (TSVANGIRAI)
BELIEVE THAT THE AMERICANS CARE A HOOT ABOUT
UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 03 HARARE 03648 071025Z
DEMOCRACY IN ZIMBABWE? OF COURSE NOT. NEITHER DO
THE AMERICANS HAVE A FIGHT WITH ZIMBABWE. IT IS
THE BRITISH WHO ARE BEYOND (SIC) THE WHOLE SORDID
BILL. . . . "
SULLIVAN

UNCLASSIFIED

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