Cablegate: Media Report Goz Newspaper Condemns Political

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

240534Z Jan 02

UNCLASSIFIED PTO4226

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FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0777
INFO NSC WASHDC
AMEMBASSY PRETORIA
AMEMBASSY LUSAKA
AMEMBASSY WINDHOEK
AMEMBASSY GABORONE
AMEMBASSY LILONGWE
AMEMBASSY LONDON

UNCLAS HARARE 000216

SIPDIS

AF/PD FOR COX AND ROBERTSON; AF/S FOR KRAFT AND
SCHLACHTER; AF/RA FOR SWANN; NSC FOR JENDAYI FRAZER

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ZI PREL PHUM
SUBJECT: MEDIA REPORT GOZ NEWSPAPER CONDEMNS POLITICAL
VIOLENCE; HARARE

1. AFTER PUBLISHING AN ARTICLE AND EMBASSY-PLACED
"ADVERTORIAL" ABOUT DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING AND HIS
MESSAGE OF NONVIOLENCE, THE JANUARY 23 EDITION OF THE
GOVERNMENT-CONTROLLED DAILY "THE HERALD" CARRIED AN
EDITORIAL IN CALLING FOR PEACE IN THE RUN-UP TO THE
MARCH 9 AND 10 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION IN ZIMBABWE.
UNDER HEADLINE "WE MUST ALL SUPPORT NON-VIOLENCE," THE
PAPER COMMENTS:

2. "AS POLITICAL VIOLENCE CONTINUES UNABATED
THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY ALL EFFORTS MUST BE MADE TO
PRESERVE HUMAN LIFE AND STOP THE SITUATION FROM
DETERIORATING ANY FURTHER. ZIMBABWEANS FROM ALL WALKS
OF LIFE, IRRESPECTIVE OF POLITICAL AFFILIATION,
RELIGIOUS BELIEFS, ECONOMIC OR SOCIAL BACKGROUND NEED
JOIN HANDS AND SAY NO TO VIOLENCE. . . IT IS INCUMBENT
UPON EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US TO ENCOURAGE A CULTURE OF
TOLERANCE BY SPEAKING OUT AGAINST THIS EVIL OF
VIOLENCE, WHICH HAS SO FAR CLAIMED SEVERAL VALUABLE
LIVES. . . ."

3. COMMENT: LAUDABLE AS THESE EDITORIAL
SENTIMENTS ARE, WE NOTE THAT THE GOVERNMENT-
CONTROLLED PRINT AND ELECTRONIC MEDIA CONSISTENTLY
BLAME THE OPPOSITION MOVEMENT FOR DEMOCRATIC
CHANGE (MDC) PARTY FOR MOST OF THE POLITICAL
VIOLENCE IN ZIMBABWE. GOVERNMENT MEDIA REPORTING
ON POLITICAL VIOLENCE IS STARKLY AT ODDS WITH THE
ASSESSMENT BY THE EMBASSY, AND OTHER NEUTRAL
OBSERVERS, THAT THE RULING ZANU-PF PARTY AND ITS
SUPPORTERS ARE THE LEADING SOURCE OF POLITICAL
VIOLENCE IN ZIMBABWE.
UNCLASSIFIED

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