US embassy cable - 00HARARE5943

C O N F I D E N T I A L HARARE 005943 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR GAYLE SMITH 
 
LONDON FOR CHARLES GURNEY 
 
PARIS FOR BISA WILLIAMS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/20/10 
TAGS: PHUM, PGOV, PREL, PINR, ZI 
SUBJECT: CHARGE REGISTERS U.S. CONCERN OVER ZIMBABWE 
UNREST TO DEPUTY HOME AFFAIRS MINISTER 
 
 
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REFS: A) HARARE 5925, B) HARARE 5902, C) HARARE 5871 
 
CLASSIFIED BY CHARGE D'AFFAIRES EARL M. IRVING. 
REASONS: 1.5 (B) AND (D). 
 
1.  (C) ON OCTOBER 20, CHARGE MET DEPUTY HOME AFFAIRS 
MINISTER RUGARE GUMBO, IN THE ABSENCE OF MINISTER JOHN 
NKOMO, TO REGISTER U.S. CONCERN OVER THIS WEEK'S UNREST 
AND THE GOZ'S RESPONSE.  CHARGE MADE THE POINTS THAT WE 
BELIEVE THE ZIMBABWE REPUBLIC POLICE (ZRP) RESPONDED 
WITH EXCESSIVE FORCE, AND THAT TWO OF OUR FSN EMPLOYEES 
WERE DIRECTLY AFFECTED, INCLUDING ONE BEING SEVERELY 
BEATEN.  ALTHOUGH WE ACCEPT THAT THE GOZ HAS THE 
RESPONSIBILITY TO MAINTAIN LAW AND ORDER, 
INDISCRIMINATE, DOOR-TO-DOOR BEATINGS HAVE NO PLACE IN A 
MULTIPARTY DEMOCRACY. 
 
2.  (C) GUMBO RESPONDED THAT HE WILL CONVEY OUR CONCERN 
TO HIS SUPERIORS.  HE SAID THAT HE APPRECIATES THE 
DIFFICULTY THE USG MUST HAVE IN ASSESSING THE SITUATION 
FROM SO FAR AWAY.  THE GOZ IS HERE TO GOVERN, AND HAS 
BEEN GIVEN A MANDATE FROM THE PEOPLE TO DO SO.  THE GOZ 
HAS EXERCISED ITS RESPONSIBILITY TO PROTECT LIFE AND 
PROPERTY, AND IT WILL NOT TAKE CHANCES WHEN THERE ARE 
"CRIMINAL TENDENCIES" IN A SOCIETY BESET BY ECONOMIC 
HARDSHIP, GUMBO EXPLAINED.  THE ARMY WAS BROUGHT IN TO 
ASSIST THE POLICE BECAUSE THEY WERE OVERSTRETCHED AND 
COULD NOT HANDLE THE SITUATION ALONE.  GUMBO ACTED 
DISAPPOINTED THAT WE DID NOT COMMEND THE GOZ ON 
PREVENTING THE LOSS OF LIFE WHEN IT IS SUCH A PROBLEM IN 
OTHER AREAS LIKE NIGERIA.  THE DEPUTY MINISTER CLAIMED 
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TO HAVE EVIDENCE THAT THE MDC ENGINEERED THE UNREST TO 
TRY TO FORCE MUGABE FROM POWER.  "HOW CAN WE BELIEVE 
THAT THEIR DEMOCRATIC INTENTIONS ARE GENUINE WHEN THEIR 
LEADER ESPOUSES VIOLENCE?" HE ASKED.  GUMBO ALSO ACTED 
HURT THAT THE USG WOULD ATTEMPT TO IMPOSE SANCTIONS ON 
ZIMBABWE THROUGH THE ZIMBABWE DEMOCRACY ACT.  "HOW DO 
YOU THINK WE FEEL WHEN THE USG DOES THIS WHILE FUNDING 
THE OPPOSITION?"  WE BELIEVE IN THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS 
AND WE WANT TO RECOGNIZE HUMAN RIGHTS, BUT THE USG MAKES 
IT VERY DIFFICULT FOR US TO DO SO, GUMBO PROFESSED. 
 
3.  (C) THE CHARGE REPLIED THAT THE ZDA IS DEAD AND THAT 
IT IS SOMETHING TO PUT BEHIND US.  IN TERMS OF THE ARMY 
INVOLVEMENT IN QUELLING THE UNREST, WE WORRY THAT IT 
COULD BE A HARBINGER OF MORE UNREST OR MARTIAL LAW. 
GUMBO ASSURED THE CHARGE THAT THE SITUATION IS STABLE, 
DESPITE THE MDC'S ATTEMPTS TO MAKE IT WORSE.  THE DEPUTY 
MINISTER SAID THE MDC WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR DISTURBANCES 
BREAKING OUT EARLIER THIS WEEK IN THE RATCLIFFE TOWNSHIP 
OF KWEKWE, SOME 200 KM DISTANT FROM HARARE.  (COMMENT: 
WE HAVE SEEN NO OTHER CREDIBLE REPORTS OF UNREST IN 
URBAN CENTERS OUTSIDE HARARE.  END COMMENT.)  IN ANY 
CASE, "THE MDC HAS LEARNED ITS LESSON," GUMBO CONTINUED. 
HE TAKES OUR CONCERNS FOR THE SAFETY OF OUR EMPLOYEES 
SERIOUSLY AND WILL NOTIFY US IF THERE ARE ANY SIGNS OF 
NEW TROUBLE.  GUMBO EVEN OFFERED TO INVESTIGATE THE 
INCIDENTS WHERE OUR FSN AND ANOTHER'S FAMILY WERE BEATEN 
BY THE POLICE (REFS B AND C).  HE SAID HIS MINISTRY HAS 
NOT YET FULLY INVESTIGATED THE REPORTS OF POLICE 
VIOLENCE, BUT IT WILL CONDUCT A POST MORTEM ON THE 
EVENTS OF THIS WEEK. 
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4.  (C) COMMENT: GUMBO'S SOMEWHAT ACCUSATORY MANNER IS 
NOT ALTOGETHER SUPRISING GIVEN HIS REPUTATION FOR 
RUTHLESSNESS.  HIS MBERENGWA EAST DISTRICT SAW SOME OF 
THE WORST POLITICAL VIOLENCE AND INTIMIDATION PRIOR TO 
THIS YEAR'S PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS.  NONETHELESS, THE 
DEPUTY MINISTER APPEARED TO TAKE OUR CONCERNS ON BOARD 
AND WILL UNDOUBTEDLY REPORT THEM TO MINISTER NKOMO.  HIS 
STEADFAST BELIEF THAT THE MDC WAS BEHIND THE UNREST IS 
WORRISOME AND COULD INDICATE THAT HE HAD A HAND IN 
ORDERING THE DOOR-TO-DOOR BEATINGS.  IT COULD ALSO 
PRESAGE A MORE INTENSE CRACKDOWN ON THE MDC SHOULD THE 
OPPOSITION RESORT TO MASS ACTION.  END COMMENT. 
 
IRVING 
 
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