Cablegate: Media Report Paper Accuses U. S. Of Funding A

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

280635Z Jan 02

UNCLASSIFIED PTO3607

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INFO LOG-00 NP-00 A-00 ACQ-00 CIAE-00 INL-00 USNW-00
DODE-00 DS-00 EUR-00 UTED-00 VC-00 TEDE-00 INR-00
LAB-01 VCE-00 NSAE-00 TEST-00 USIE-00 EPAE-00 IIP-00
DSCC-00 DRL-02 NFAT-00 SAS-00 /003W
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FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0794
INFO NSC WASHDC
AMEMBASSY PRETORIA
AMEMBASSY LUSAKA
AMEMBASSY WINDHOEK
AMEMBASSY WINDHOEK
AMEMBASSY GABORONE
AMEMBASSY LILONGWE
AMEMBASSY LONDON

UNCLAS HARARE 000245

SIPDIS

AF/PD FOR COX, ROBERTSON, SCHLACTHER, 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 PAPER ACCUSES U. S. OF FUNDING A
PIRATE RADIO STATION; HARARE

1. THE JANUARY 25 EDITION OF THE GOVERNMENT-CONTROLLED
DAILY "THE HERALD" CARRIED AN ARTICLE ON PAGE ONE,
PICKED UP FROM THE JANUARY 24 EDITION OF THE BRITISH
GUARDIAN NEWSPAPER, ACCUSING THE U. S. OF FUNDING A
"PIRATE RADIO STATION" BROADCASTING TO ZIMBABWE. THE
ARTICLE, UNDER HEADLINE "U. S. FUNDING PIRATE RADIO
STATION: PAPER," ACCUSES THE U. S. OF PAYING OUT
MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO THE STATION THROUGH A DEPARTMENT
OF THE U. S. AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
(USAID) AND THE OFFICE OF TRANSITION INITIATIVES. THE
STATION, WHICH HAS BEEN ON AIR FOR A MONTH AND
BROADCASTS THREE HOURS A NIGHT ON SHORT-WAVE IS HEADED
BY GERRY JACKSON, A BRITISH NATIONAL WHO WAS SACKED BY
THE STATE-RUN ZIMBABWE BROADCASTING CORPORATION FIVE
YEARS AGO. ARTICLE EXCERPTS FOLLOW:

2. "THE U. S. IS SECRETLY FUNDING A PIRATE RADIO STATION
IN LONDON, SW RADIO AFRICA, WIDELY ACCUSED OF FUELLING
POLITICAL VIOLENCE AND TRIBAL HATRED WITH ITS NIGHTLY
BROADCASTS TO ZIMBABWE. . .MILLIONS OF DOLLARS ARE
BEING CHANNELED TO THE STATION FROM A DEPARTMENT OF THE
USAID AND THE OFFICE OF THE TRANSITION INITIATIVES. .
.THE STATION'S SPOKESWOMAN AND FORMER ZBC PRESENTER,
GEORGINA GODWIN, SAID THAT FUNDING FOR THE STATION CAME
FROM 'HUMAN RIGHTS AND MEDIA FREEDOM GROUPS,' BUT WOULD
ANSWER NO FURTHER QUESTIONS. THE GUARDIAN REPORT SAID
THAT SW RADIO AFRICA. . .WAS GIVING THE OPPOSITION A
PLATFORM, PROVIDING AN ENDLESS DIET OF PROPAGANDA AND
FALSEHOODS ON THE ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL SITUATION IN
THE COUNTRY. . . ."

UNCLASSIFIED

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