US embassy cable - 03HARARE1671

UNCLAS HARARE 001671 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR AF/PDPA FOR DALTON, MITCHELL AND SIMS 
NSC FOR JENDAYI FRAZER 
LONDON FOR GURNEY 
PARIS FOR NEARY 
NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, KPAO, KMDR, ZI 
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION EDITORIALS AGAINST LIFTING OF 
TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS ON MUGABE AND GOZ OFFICIALS; HARARE 
 
  1.   Back to back editorials in the August 25 edition of 
      the independent daily "The 
      Daily News" and the July 24 edition of its sister 
      weekly "The Daily News on Sunday" are against the 
      call for the lifting of travel and economic 
      restrictions imposed on Robert Mugabe and Zimbabwe 
      government officials by the United States, European 
      Union (EU), Australia and Switzerland .  Excerpts 
      follow: 
 
  2.   Under headline "Zimbabweans betrayed again" the "Daily 
      News" (08/25) comments: 
 
      "As if their inaction as Zimbabwe collapsed was not 
      enough betrayal, southern African leaders now want 
      to scuttle efforts by others to try and pressure the 
      government to abandon its ruinous policies that have 
      brought this once prosperous nation to its knees. 
      Southern African Development Community (SADC) 
      ministers meeting in Tanzania last Saturday called 
      for the lifting of travel and financial sanctions 
      imposed on President Robert Mugabe and his 
      officials. . .by the EU, Australia, Switzerland and 
      U. S. A. . .Clearly it is more important for SADC 
      that Mugabe, his officials and their families are 
      able to travel across the globe as they wish than 
      that the misery they have caused in Zimbabwe is 
      ended.  Claims by SADC leaders that there is 
      progress in Zimbabwe, that there is thawing of 
      relations between Mugabe and his ruling ZANU PF and 
      the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) 
      are mere lies that should be dismissed with the 
      contempt they deserve. . .Whatever the case, SADC 
      has a choice to either be on the same side with 
      tormented Zimbabweans or it will become irrelevant." 
 
  3.   Under headline "Lessons on sanctions" the "Daily News 
      on Sunday" (08/24) comments: 
 
      ". . .Sanctions are designed to punish regimes which 
      ignore with impunity the rules of the democratic 
      game and expect other players to treat them with 
      respect.  Muammar Gaddafi took long to pay 
      compensation for the Lockerbie disaster.  But the 
      sanctions must have convinced him that paying up was 
      a healthier option than continuing on the stubborn 
      path to the economic ruin of his country. . 
      .Rhodesia faced united Nations sanctions; Zimbabwe 
      does not.  There is no U. N. resolution for 
      sanctions on the country. . .The `sanctions' are 
      nowhere near what Rhodesia faced, yet the effect is 
      far more 
      devastating. . .Most of the sanctions have been 
      imposed on individuals of the arrogant regime.  To 
      tell the people that calling for an end to these 
      `smart' sanctions is everyone's patriotic duty is 
      nonsensical.  If the end of sanctions strengthens 
      ZANU PF's capacity to inflict more pain on the 
      people, then they cannot in all conscience support 
      such calls." 
 
SULLIVAN