Cablegate: Media Report "West Biased Against Zimbabwe";

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

010755Z Feb 02

UNCLASSIFIED PTO2502

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ACTION AF-00

INFO LOG-00 CIAE-00 DODE-00 EUR-00 UTED-00 TEDE-00 INR-00
NSAE-00 PRS-00 SP-00 USIE-00 SAS-00 /000W
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FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0850
INFO NSC WASHDC
AMEMBASSY PRETORIA
AMEMBASSY LUSAKA
AMEMBASSY WINDHOEK
AMEMBASSY GABORONE
AMEMBASSY LILONGWE
AMEMBASSY LONDON

UNCLAS HARARE 000292

SIPDIS

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

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ZI PREL PHUM
SUBJECT: MEDIA REPORT "WEST BIASED AGAINST ZIMBABWE";
HARARE

1. UNDER HEADLINE "WEST BIASED AGAINST ZIMBABWE: SOME
LOCAL SCRIBES HAVE BECOME MASCOTS OF NEO-COLONIALISM," THE
JANUARY 31 EDITION OF THE GOVERNMENT-CONTROLLED DAILY "THE
HERALD" CARRIED AN OPINION PIECE BY OLLEY MARUMA THAT IS
CRITICAL OF THE U. S. FOREIGN POLICY. ARTICLE EXCERPTS
FOLLOW:

2. ". . .WHAT IS BAFFLING IS WHY THE AMERICANS ARE
PREPARED TO TAKE PUNITIVE MEASURES AGAINST THE ZIMBABWE
ARMY, WHEN THEY ARE QUITE PREPARED TO CO-OPERATE WITH PEREZ
MUSHARAF. . .A MAN WHO USURPED POWER THROUGH A MILITARY
COUP? IS IT BECAUSE ZIMBABWE IS A SMALL AFRICAN STATE THAT
SHOULD BE TREATED LIKE A
VASSAL. . . ? ALTHOUGH MUSHARAF'S GOVERNMENT USES A
WIDE RANGE OF LEGAL AND CONSTITUTIONAL POWERS TO CURB
PRESS FREEDOM, THE AMERICAN CONGRESS STILL HAS NOT COME
UP WITH A PAKISTANI DEMOCRACY BILL. IN PAKISTAN, THE
AUTHORITIES HAVE FREQUENTLY DETAINED AND THREATENED
JOURNALISTS, INTERFERED WITH NEWSPAPER DISTRIBUTION. .
.BUT THE ONLY WORDS WE HAVE HEARD ABOUT MUSHARAF FROM
AMERICAN OFFICIALS ARE GLOWING TRIBUTES ABOUT HIS
COURAGE IN FIGHTING TERRORISM. . .IN SEPTEMBER 2001,
PAKISTAN BANNED CABLE OPERATIONS FROM AIRING INDIAN
CABLE AND SATELLITE TV CHANNELS ON THE GROUNDS THAT THE
INDIAN MEDIA WAS PROMOTING 'ANTI-PAKISTAN PROPAGANDA.'
BUT WHEN ZIMBABWE AUTHORITIES CLOSE DOWN A PIRATE RADIO
STATION BECAUSE IT IS OPERATING WITHOUT A LICENSE,
THEIR ACTIONS ARE VILIFIED ALL OVER THE WEST AND THEY
ARE ACCUSED OF 'SUPPRESSING THE MEDIA. . .' ANOTHER
LEADER WHO HAS ESCAPED CENSURE FOR HER DUBIOUS
USURPATION OF POWER IS THE PRESIDENT OF THE
PHILIPPINES, GLORIA ARROYO. . .THE REASON BOTH MRS.
ARROYO AND GENERAL MUSHARAF HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY
CENSURE FROM AMERICAN OFFICIALS FOR THEIR USURPATION OF
UNCLASSIFIED

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POWER IS THAT THEY ARE BOTH SERVING AMERICAN SECURITY,
ECONOMIC AND STRATEGIC INTERESTS. BOTH. . .HAVE
ALLOWED THEIR TERRITORIES TO BE USED BY AMERICAN TROOPS
TO FIGHT THE ABU SAYYAF AND THE TALIBAN RESPECTIVELY.
SO WHY THE DEMONIZATION OF PRESIDENT MUGABE AND HIS
GOVERNMENT? HE HAS BROKEN OUT OF THE STRAIGHTJACKET OF
KOWTOWING TO AMERICAN AND BRITISH INTERESTS. HE HAS
CHANGED THE BALANCE OF POWER IN SOUTHERN AFRICA TOWARDS
THE BLACKS BY MAKING THEM MASTERS OF THEIR OWN
LAND. . . ."

SULLIVAN

UNCLASSIFIED

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