US embassy cable - 00HARARE5052

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CIVIL SUIT AGAINST PRESIDENT MUGABE

Identifier: 00HARARE5052
Wikileaks: View 00HARARE5052 at Wikileaks.org
Origin: Embassy Harare
Created: 2000-09-11 15:42:00
Classification: CONFIDENTIAL
Tags: PREL ZI
Redacted: This cable was not redacted by Wikileaks.
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

111542Z Sep 00

 

                           CONFIDENTIAL     PTQ5438

PAGE 01        HARARE  05052  111737Z 
ACTION AF-00    

INFO  LOG-00   CIAE-00  DODE-00  SRPP-00  EUR-00   VC-00    H-01     
      TEDE-00  INR-00   L-00     AC-01    NSAE-00  OMB-01   PA-00    
      PM-00    PRS-00   ACE-00   P-00     SP-00    SS-00    TRSE-00  
      T-00     USIE-00  PMB-00   DRL-02   G-00     SAS-00     /005W
                  ------------------83E3A0  111737Z /45    
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7054
INFO NSC WASHDC
SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
AMEMBASSY LONDON 
AMEMBASSY PARIS 
C O N F I D E N T I A L HARARE 005052 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR GAYLE SMITH 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/11/05 
TAGS: PREL, ZI 
SUBJECT: CIVIL SUIT AGAINST PRESIDENT MUGABE 
 
 
CLASSIFIED BY AMBASSADOR MCDONALD.  REASONS: 1.5 (B) AND 
(D). 
 
1.  (U) THE FILING OF A CIVIL SUIT AGAINST PRESIDENT MUGABE 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 02        HARARE  05052  111737Z 
LAST WEEK IN U.S. DISTRICT COURT RECEIVED PROMINENT 
COVERAGE IN ZIMBABWE'S INDEPENDENT PRESS.  THE MEDIA 
FOCUSED PRIMARILY ON THE BASIS FOR THE LAWSUIT -- HUMAN 
RIGHTS ABUSES AGAINST POLITICAL ENEMIES AND THE COLLAPSE OF 
LAW AND ORDER -- AND THE BACKGROUNDS OF THE FOUR 
PLAINTIFFS.  THEIR SPOKESMAN, ROLAND WHITEHEAD, TOLD THE 
INDEPENDENT "DAILY NEWS" THAT "WE HAVE HAD TO RESORT TO 
THIS ACTION BECAUSE OF THE BREAKDOWN OF LAW AND ORDER...AND 
THE INACTION OF THE POLICE IN BRINGING...CRIMINALS AND 
MURDERERS TO BOOK BECAUSE OF THE REAL THREAT OF VIOLENT 
INTIMIDATION BY MUGABE'S CRONIES..." 
 
2.  (C) THE LAWSUIT WAS FILED BY FOUR ZIMBABWEANS -- EVELYN 
MASAITI, ELLIOT PFEBVE, MARIA STEPHENS, AND ADELLA CHIMINYA 
-- WHO TOLD JOURNALISTS HERE THEY HAD FILED THE SUIT 
BECAUSE THE POLICE HAD MADE NO ARRESTS IN THE MURDERS OF 
THEIR RELATIVES IN THE RUNUP TO THE PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS 
IN JUNE.  MASAITI IS AN MDC MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT WHO WAS 
BEATEN AND FORCED FROM HER HOUSE DURING THE CAMPAIGN.  HER 
CONSTITUENCY IN MANICALAND PROVINCE WAS ONE OF THE MOST 
VIOLENT DURING THE PRE-ELECTION PERIOD.  ELLIOT PFEBVE, A 
MEMBER OF THE MDC'S EXECUTIVE COUNCIL, RAN UNSUCCESSFULLY 
FOR PARLIAMENT IN MASHONALAND CENTRAL.  HIS BROTHER 
MATTHEW, AN MDC CANDIDATE IN THE SAME PROVINCE, WAS 
MURDERED DURING THE CAMPAIGN.  MARIA STEPHENS' HUSBAND 
DAVID, A WHITE COMMERCIAL FARMER FROM MACHEKE, ABOUT 75 
MILES SOUTHEAST OF HARARE, WAS KILLED NEAR A POLICE 
STATION.  CHIMINYA'S HUSBAND, TICHAONA, WAS BURNED TO DEATH 
IN A PETROL BOMB ATTACK.  TICHAONA WAS A KEY MDC STRATEGIST 
AND ORGANIZER. 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 03        HARARE  05052  111737Z 
MCDONALD 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
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