US embassy cable - 03HARARE2259

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 002259 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR J. FRAZER 
LONDON FOR C. GURNEY 
PARIS FOR C. NEARY 
NAIROBI FOR T. PFLAUMER 
DS/OP/AF 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/31/2013 
TAGS: ELAB, PGOV, PHUM, PINR, ECON, ASEC, ZI 
SUBJECT: WITH MANY MEMBERS STILL IN JAIL, ZCTU CALLS FOR 
WORK STOPPAGE 
 
REF: HARARE 2257 
 
Classified By: Political Officer Audu Besmer for reasons 1.5 b/d 
 
1. (C) SUMMARY:  Although the numbers are not finally 
confirmed, police arrested about 200 people nationwide in 
connection with planned ZCTU demonstrations on November 18. 
The ZCTU is calling for a snap work stoppage on November 
20-21 to protest the detentions, however with no preparation, 
we see limited prospects for success of such an initiative. 
END SUMMARY. 
 
2. (SBU) Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) Information 
Officer Mlamleli Sibanda said that the 40 arrested in Harare 
were still being held on November 19.  ZCTU Secretary General 
Wellington Chibebe, who was reportedly separated from the 
other arrestees on November 18, was together with them on 
November 19.  Lawyers had been granted limited access to the 
arrestees, and were negotiating with police for their release 
on November 19.  Although Sibanda reported that some 300 
people had gathered to march in Harare, Emboffs never saw 
more than 50 people at the prescribed starting point (Ref). 
 
3. (SBU) On November 18-19 Sibanda reported that some 300 
people gathered on November 18 in Mutare to participate in 
the planned demonstration there.  However, the lawyer 
representing the ZCTU arrestees, Trust Maanda of Hemming, 
Locke & Doyer, on November 19, said that he was representing 
122 ZCTU clients and that none others were being processed by 
Mutare police.  Both sources said that everyone who had 
gathered to participate in the march was arrested.  Maanda 
said that all the arrestees were charged under the 
Miscellaneous Offenses Act, and released on November 18 after 
signing an admission of guilt statement, and paying a Z$5,000 
(US$.84) fine. 
 
4. (SBU) ZCTU said that some 3000 had gathered to participate 
in the march in Bulawayo, but we have no independent 
confirmation of this.  There were rumors that some 500 people 
had been arrested in Bulawayo, however Sibanda said that only 
17 were arrested, eight released without charge, and nine 
were still being held without charge on November 19.  In 
addition to the worker hit by a vehicle (Ref), one other 
arrestee was injured by a police dog. 
 
5. (U) The single arrestees in both Victoria Falls, and 
Gwanda were still being held without charge on November 19. 
 
6. (SBU) Police arrested 13 people in Gweru who had gathered 
to march, and released only one by November 19.  Sibanda said 
that lawyers in Gwanda had been denied access to the 
arrestees as of November 19. 
 
7. (U) On November 18, police arrested five people in 
Masvingo, and six in Chinhoyi in connection with the planned 
marches.  As of November 19 all were still in custody, and 
none had been charged. 
 
8. (C) On November 19 Solidarity Center representative Gebre 
Gebremariam, and Sibanda said that members of the ZCTU 
leadership, who were not in custody, decided in a meeting on 
November 19 to stage a nationwide work stoppage on November 
20 and 21 to protest the continued detention of ZCTU members, 
high taxation and economic deterioration.  Sibanda said, and 
Emboff observed, that flyers were being distributed around 
Harare to inform people of the planned event, but that no 
other preparatory measures were being taken.  Gebremariam 
said that the key would be the participation of public 
transport operators. 
 
COMMENT: 
-------- 
 
9. (C) Although the ZCTU has previously acknowledged that 
stayaways have not effected changes in government policy, it 
has made the decision anyway to call a snap work stoppage 
without any groundwork - simply it seems as a statement of 
protest.  The prospects for real participation on such short 
notice seem dim, but it appears the ZCTU is willing to risk 
political capital and credibility to make the most of the 
Government detaining many of its members.  In most cases 
without charges filed after 24 hours, it appears the 
Government intends to detain the ZCTU members for the full 48 
hours allowed under the law.  It is unclear how many people 
actually showed up to participate in the marches, but there 
is no indication that the public was involved in significant 
numbers. 
 
10. (C) As in previous events of this kind the numbers of 
those arrested, beaten, and participating has been 
exaggerated by the participating organizations, and 
downplayed by the Government (The Herald reported that only 
88 people had been arrested).  With this type of 
misinformation circulating, and with the Daily News reporters 
no longer on the streets, it is increasingly difficult to 
obtain accurate information. 
SULLIVAN