US embassy cable - 03HARARE1903

UNCLAS HARARE 001903 
 
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 REPORT "DAILY NEWS" UPDATE; HARARE 
 
  1.   Since the government of Zimbabwe outlawed the 
      Associated Newspapers of Zimbabwe on September 12, the 
      popular independent daily newspaper "The Daily News" has 
      not been appearing on the streets for five days.  The 
      newspaper's website has the message: "We apologize for the 
      inconvenience.  The `Daily News' will be back online as 
      soon as possible.  Please come back regularly for updates 
      on proceedings." 
 
  2.   Meanwhile, the government-controlled Media and 
      Information Commission (MIC) chaired by Dr. Tafataona 
      Mahoso remains mute over an urgent application to register 
      with the MIC submitted by the ANZ, publishers of "The Daily 
      News" and its sister weekly "The Daily News on Sunday" 
      which were shut by the GOZ on September 12 after ANZ lost a 
      court case in which the newspaper group was challenging the 
      legality of mandatory registration under the controversial 
      Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act 
      (AIPPA).  This development has cast a dark shadow over the 
      prospects of reopening soon. 
 
  3.   According to press reports, police confiscated more 
      than 120 computers from the offices of "The Daily News" and 
      the "Daily News on Sunday" on Wednesday, September 17.  ANZ 
      Chief Executive Officer Mr. Samuel Sipepa Nkomo said police 
      took away the computers so that they can prove in court 
      that the papers have been breaking the law. 
 
  4.   Journalists and workers working for the ANZ may not 
      receive their salaries and wages for this month due to the 
      closure and disruption of business at the ANZ offices by 
      the police who are still manning the ANZ building and 
      barring workers from entering the building.  A chamber 
      application has been filed by Nkomo, who is being charged 
      for running ANZ without a license for the past nine months, 
      in which he seeks to bar police from seizing the company's 
      property and be allowed to continue operating while its 
      registration papers are under consideration. 
 
  5.   Post regrets to advise that veteran journalist and 
      media consultant, Tarcey Munaku, has died.  He participated 
      in the March 10 to May 1, 2001, "Partners for African 
      Leaders" exchange program hosted by the Indiana University. 
      Munaku joined the government-controlled daily newspaper in 
      the 1980s as a reporter and later joined the state-run news 
      agency ZIANA (Zimbabwe Inter-Africa News Agency) where he 
      rose to become Home Editor.  He later joined "The Daily 
      News" when it was formed and was its Political Editor.  At 
      the time of his death, Munaku had left "The Daily News" and 
      was doing media consultancy work for the Media Institute of 
      Southern Africa-Zimbabwe. 
 
SULLIVAN