US embassy cable - 00HARARE5302

C O N F I D E N T I A L HARARE 005302 
 
SIPDIS 
 
LONDON FOR CHARLES GURNEY 
PARIS FOR BISA WILLIAMS 
 
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR GAYLE SMITH 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/19/05 
TAGS: PGOV, PHUM, ZI, MDC, ZANU-PF 
SUBJECT: ZIMBABWE MINISTER'S STATEMENT PRELUDE TO MORE 
INTIMIDATION AGAINST MDC 
 
REFS: A) HARARE 5075, B) HARARE 5187, C) HARARE 5214, 
 
      D) HARARE 5270 
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CLASSIFIED BY AMB. TOM MCDONALD.  REASONS: 1.5 (B) AND 
(D). 
 
1.  (C) IN A PARLIAMENTARY SESSION ATTENDED BY POLOFF, 
HOME AFFAIRS MINISTER JOHN NKOMO READ A BRIEF GOVERNMENT 
STATEMENT ON THE POLICE RAIDS AGAINST THE MDC LAST WEEK 
(REFS B AND C).  AFTER READING WHAT SOUNDED LIKE A 
POLICE REPORT ON THE BOMBING OF THE MDC HEADQUARTERS TWO 
DAYS BEFORE THE RAIDS (REF A), NKOMO SAID THE POLICE 
FOUND ENOUGH EVIDENCE AT THE SCENE TO INDICATE THAT THE 
GRENADE ATTACK WAS "AN INSIDE JOB."  NKOMO DID NOT 
ELABORATE ON WHY THE MDC MIGHT CHOOSE TO BOMB ITS OWN 
HEADQUARTERS.  HE DID SAY THAT IN THE RAIDS, THE POLICE 
CONFISCATED SEVERAL HAND GRENADES, A LOADED PISTOL, AND 
A BOX OF 500 ROUNDS OF AMMUNITION, ALL OF WHICH ARE 
STILL BEING HELD BY THE POLICE.  HE STATED THE WEAPONS 
HAD BEEN TRACED TO MALAYSIA AND HAD BEEN IMPORTED 
THROUGH SOUTH AFRICA.  HE WENT FURTHER TO SAY OBLIQUELY 
THAT THE POLICE HAD UNCOVERED ADDITIONAL EVIDENCE TODAY 
THAT WOULD WARRANT CRIMINAL CHARGES AGAINST UNNAMED 
MEMBERS OF THE MDC. 
 
2.  (C) IMMEDIATELY AFTER NKOMO READ THE STATEMENT, MDC 
SECRETARY-GENERAL WELSHMAN NCUBE TOLD A NORWEGIAN 
 
SIPDIS 
EMBASSY DIPLOMAT THAT THE GOVERNMENT'S ACCUSATION OF 
FINDING WEAPONS WAS "RUBBISH," BUT DID ADMIT THAT THE 
POLICE CONFISCATED A "PELLET GUN" AND A RADIO OF SOME 
KIND IN ADDITION TO THE DOCUMENTS AND COMPUTER FILES. 
 
3.  (C) COMMENT: NKOMO'S STATEMENT IS A CLEAR SIGN THAT 
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THE GOZ HAS MORE HARASSMENT IN STORE FOR THE MDC.  THE 
GOVERNMENT SUFFERED A SETBACK WHEN THE HIGH COURT 
ORDERED THE RETURN OF THE SEIZED DOCUMENTS AND COMPUTER 
FILES, AND THE POLICE WERE REQUIRED TO OBLIGE (REF D). 
THE CHARGES LAID OUT BY NKOMO SMACK OF A FABRICATION OF 
EVIDENCE AND A GOZ ATTEMPT TO SAVE FACE BY STICKING TO 
ITS STORY THAT THE MDC IS IMPORTING "ARMS OF WAR."  ALL 
OF OUR OPPOSITION INTERLOCUTORS HAVE REPEATEDLY AND 
CREDIBLY DENIED THAT THE MDC IS IMPORTING OR STOCKPILING 
WEAPONS.  IF THE POLICE IN FACT FOUND A PELLET GUN, 
HOWEVER, THIS COULD PROVIDE A LOT OF GRIST FOR THE GOZ 
PARANOIA MILL.  NKOMO'S STATEMENT, IN ANY CASE, 
DEMONSTRATES THAT THE GOZ (ZANU-PF) INTENDS TO RATCHET 
UP ITS ATTACKS ON THE MDC. 
 
MCDONALD 
 
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