Cablegate: Government Press Says West Cannot Stop "Land

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

UNCLAS HARARE 001966

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR AF/PD, AF/S, AF/RA
NSC FOR JENDAYI FRAZER
LONDON FOR GURNEY
PARIS FOR NEARY
NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL KPAO KMDR ZI
SUBJECT: GOVERNMENT PRESS SAYS WEST CANNOT STOP "LAND
REFORM"

1. Under the headline "Demonisation won't derail
land reform" the government-controlled daily "The
Herald" dedicated its August 27 editorial to declaring
that Zimbabwe's land reform program is irreversible.
Excerpts:

2. "A new wave of hysteria has gripped Britain,
Australia and the United States in their bid to
demonize the Zimbabwean government as the battle over
the country's land intensifies. Having failed to stop
the land reform exercise by dislodging the ZANU PF
government from power during the 2000 parliamentary
elections and the 2002 presidential poll, these
Western countries are now throwing tantrums in the
hope that something will give. . . We are now
witnessing a reincarnation of the pre-2000
parliamentary and 2002 presidential poll campaigns
where successive British foreign secretaries shouted
blue murder at anything coming out of Harare, whether
real or imagined.

". . .According to the American government, the
same forces that were mobilized during the two
elections have been re-hired for a fresh
onslaught against Zimbabwe. . . Unfortunately,
the plans have come unstuck over the alleged
role of South Africa, Mozambique and Botswana
in isolating and eventually toppling President
Mugabe's government as the three Southern
Africa countries have dissociated themselves
from such uncouth behavior. While America is
still trying to deal with this embarrassment,
the Aussies have taken the relay stick in
support of their kith and kin in (Rhodesia)
Zimbabwe. . . Trumped up charges of ethnic
cleansing are being bandied around to incite
hatred against the Zimbabwean government among
whites throughout the world. . . The bottom
line, however, is that Zimbabwe belongs to the
majority indigenous population and no amount of
demonisation will alter the reality that this
is their land."

SULLIVAN

© Scoop Media