Cablegate: Media Report Zdera; Harare

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

172006Z Dec 01

UNCLASSIFIED PTQ1235

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ACTION INR-00

INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AF-00 AID-00 A-00 ACQ-00 CIAE-00
USNW-00 DODE-00 SRPP-00 DS-00 EUR-00 UTED-00 VC-00
H-01 TEDE-00 IO-00 LAB-01 VCE-00 NSAE-00 IRM-00
TEST-00 USIE-00 IIP-00 DSCC-00 DRL-02 NFAT-00 SAS-00
/004W
------------------4CC62E 172104Z /38
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0554
INFO NSC WASHDC
AMEMBASSY PRETORIA
AMEMBASSY LUSAKA
AMEMBASSY WINDHOEK
AMEMBASSY GABORONE
AMEMBASSY LILONGWE
AMEMBASSY LONDON

UNCLAS HARARE 003740

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: MEDIA REPORT ZDERA; HARARE

1. THE MAINSTREAM PRINT PRESS CONTINUES TO PUBLISH
OPINION PIECES ON THE ZIMBABWE DEMOCRACY AND ECONOMIC
RECOVERY ACT (ZDERA) OF 2001. THIS WEEK THE ACT WAS
INCLUDED ON THE AGENDA AT THE JUST-ENDED FIFTH ZANU PF
NATIONAL PEOPLE'S CONFERENCE IN VICTORIA FALLS. A QUICK
SAMPLE OF THE OPINION PIECES AND WHAT WAS SAID ABOUT THE
ZDERA AT THE ZANU PF CONGRESS FOLLOW:

2. UNDER HEADLINE "WHY WE SHOULD SUPPORT THE ZIMBABWE
DEMOCRACY BILL," THE DECEMBER 14 EDITION OF THE INDEPENDENT
WEEKLY "ZIMBABWE INDEPENDENT" CARRIED THE FOLLOWING PIECE
BY PAUL MAVHIMA:

". . .THE PASSAGE OF THE BILL IS A GOOD INDICATOR THAT
THE WORLD IS WATCHING ZIMBABWE AND THAT THERE IS NOW
ZERO TOLERANCE EVEN FROM ITS AFRICAN-AMERICAN FRIENDS
WHO COULD HAVE BLOCKED THE BILL IF THEY HAD REALLY
WANTED TO DO SO. IT WOULD BE UNUSUAL TO FIND A
SITUATION WHERE THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY WOULD NOT
TAKE STEPS IN CONDEMNING A GOVERNMENT THAT IS KILLING
ITS OWN PEOPLE. . . ."

3. UNDER HEADLINE "DEMOCRACY BILL: U.S.'S WAY OF TESTING
THE TURBULENCE," THE DECEMBER 15 EDITION OF THE GOVERNMENT-
CONTROLLED DAILY "CHRONICLE" RAN THE FOLLOWING FEATURE
ARTICLE BY KENNEDY MAVHUMAHASHA:

"DETRACTORS OF ZIMBABWE'S LAND REFORMS EXPECT U.S.
PRESIDENT GEORGE BUSH TO SIGN THE ZDERA 2001 INTO LAW
SOON REGARDLESS OF STRONG REPRESENTATIONS FROM AFRICA
AGAINST THE PIECE OF LEGISLATION. ANALYSTS SAID THAT
THE FACT THAT THE ACT, CRITICIZED WIDELY FOR BEING
UNCLASSIFIED

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'DRACONIAN AND RACIST,' EASILY SAILED THROUGH THE
AMERICAN SENATE AND CONGRESS REFLECTED THE HARD-LINE
RESOLVE IN THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION TO HAVE ITS WAY
AGAINST ZIMBABWE. . . ."

4. THE DECEMBER 17 EDITION OF THE GOVERNMENT-CONTROLLED
DAILY "THE HERALD" PRINTED CRITICISM OF ZDERA FROM
CONGRESSWOMAN CYNTHIA MCKINNEY AND CHIEF ELDER OSIRIS
AKKEBALA. THE PAPER PRINTED THEIR REMARKS ON THE OPINION
PAGE UNDER HEADLINES "BILL PERPETUATES PRIVILEGES," AND
"AMERICA STICKS IMPERIALIST HANDS IN SOVEREIGN AFFAIRS OF
ZIMBABWE," RESPECTIVELY.

5. THE DECEMBER 16 EDITION OF THE GOVERNMENT-CONTROLLED
WEEKLY "THE SUNDAY MAIL" CARRIED AN OPEN LETTER TO
CONGRESSMAN PAYNE SIGNED BY FRIENDS OF ZIMBABWE, BROOKLYN,
NY, UNDER HEADLINE "HANDS OFF ZIMBABWE" [NB: WE NOTE THAT
THE ANONYMOUS AUTHOR OF THIS LETTER USES DISTINCTLY NON-
AMERICAN RHETORIC AND VOCABULARY]:

"AS ONE OF 40,000,000 BLACK PEOPLE WHOM THE
CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS IS SUPPOSED TO REPRESENT, I
WAS APPALLED TO LEARN THAT YOU HAVE CO-SPONSORED A
VERSION OF THE ZDERA OF 2001. IN WHATEVER LANGUAGE IT
IS COUCHED, THIS ACT IS STILL NOTHING BUT A SANCTIONS
BILL AGAINST THE SECOND LONGEST STABLE DEMOCRACY ON THE
AFRICAN CONTINENT. ITS ALLEGED CONCERN ABOUT THE 'RULE
OF DEMOCRACY' CONCEALS ITS REAL GOAL, WHICH IS TO
PUNISH AN AFRICAN LEADERSHIP, WHICH HAS HAD THE COURAGE
TO ACT ON THE RIGHT OF AFRICAN PEOPLE TO RECLAIM LAND
WHICH WAS STOLEN FROM THEM. . . I ALSO CANNOT
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PAGE 04 HARARE 03740 172104Z
UNDERSTAND HOW YOU, WHO OPPOSED SANCTIONS AGAINST CUBA,
CAN NOW ADVOCATE THEM AGAINST ZIMBABWE, A COUNTRY WHOSE
ECONOMY IS ALREADY DEVASTATED. THE CAMPAIGNS AGAINST
IRAQ AND CUBA HAVE PROVEN THAT SANCTIONS DON'T WORK. .
."

6. UNDER HEADLINE "U.S., U.K. GOVERNMENTS WARNED," THE
DECEMBER 15 EDITION OF THE GOVERNMENT-CONTROLLED DAILY "THE
HERALD" CARRIED THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE BY PHILLIP MAGWAZA:

"THE ZIMBABWE NATIONAL LIBERATION WAR VETERANS
ASSOCIATION YESTERDAY (DECEMBER 14) WARNED THE AMERICAN
AND BRITISH GOVERNMENTS THAT THERE WILL BE NO PEACE IN
THE COUNTRY ONCE THE ZIMBABWE SANCTIONS BILL IS PASSED
INTO LAW BY U.S. PRESIDENT GEORGE BUSH. . .' ONCE THE
BILL IS PASSED, THERE SHOULD BE NOTHING THAT WILL STOP
US FROM TAKING ACTION. WE ARE GOING TO FIGHT ON THE
DAY THE BILL IS PASSED. THERE WILL BE NO PEACE IN THIS
COUNTRY. . . .,' WAR VETERANS ACTING CHAIRMAN PATRICK
NYARUWATA IS QUOTED AS SAYING. . . ."

SULLIVAN

UNCLASSIFIED

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