Cablegate: Media Report Zim's Election to Commission On

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

UNCLAS HARARE 001090

SIPDIS

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

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ZI PREL PHUM
SUBJECT: MEDIA REPORT ZIM'S ELECTION TO COMMISSION ON
HUMAN RIGHTS; HARARE

1. Under headline "Another victory over Britain," the
government-controlled daily "The Herald" dedicated
its May 2 editorial to hailing Zimbabwe's election
to the Geneva-based Commission on Human Rights as
"an intrepid demonstration of the international
community's confidence in the country," adding that
Zimbabwe's election was also a "victory over
Britain and its allies who have ganged up to
demonize" Mr. Mugabe's government.

2. "The election of Zimbabwe to the influential 15-
member Geneva-based Commission on Human Rights is an
intrepid demonstration of the international community's
confidence in the country and its role in international
affairs. We applaud the latest victory over Britain
and its allies who have ganged up to demonize the
government and President Mugabe. The election is
recognition of Zimbabwe's respect for human rights and
democracy. It has also over-ridden the erroneous
impression of a pariah state that has been portrayed by
the Western media and some governments. . . The latest
British defeat means that alleged human rights abuses
in Zimbabwe will not be used as a weapon to tarnish the
image of the country. . . Zimbabwe now needs to use
its position on the 15-member commission to be the
voice of the voiceless that have endured untold
suffering at the hands of the same forces that seek to
entrench their dominance on the earth. We hope that
sense will finally prevail and those tormenting
Zimbabwe will realize that their sinister actions have
been exposed. The only way for them to save face would
be to join the other nations in rallying behind
Zimbabwe's efforts to redistribute land."

SULLIVAN

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