US embassy cable - 00HARARE6578

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WAR VETERANS INVADE SUPREME COURT CONFIDENTIAL

Identifier: 00HARARE6578
Wikileaks: View 00HARARE6578 at Wikileaks.org
Origin: Embassy Harare
Created: 2000-11-24 14:54:00
Classification: CONFIDENTIAL
Tags: PGOV PHUM 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.

241454Z Nov 00

 

                           CONFIDENTIAL     PTQ8605

PAGE 01        HARARE  06578  241456Z 
ACTION AF-00    

INFO  LOG-00   NP-00    AID-00   AMAD-00  CIAE-00  INL-00   DODE-00  
      SRPP-00  DS-00    EB-00    EUR-00   VC-00    H-01     TEDE-00  
      INR-00   IO-00    L-00     VCE-00   AC-01    NSAE-00  OIC-02   
      OMB-01   OPIC-01  PA-00    PM-00    PRS-00   ACE-00   P-00     
      SP-00    SSO-00   STR-00   TRSE-00  USIE-00  PMB-00   DSCC-00  
      PRM-02   DRL-02   G-00     NFAT-00  SAS-00   SWCI-00    /010W
                  ------------------A37DCD  241456Z /38    
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7698
INFO NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE
SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY NAIROBI PRIORITY 
C O N F I D E N T I A L HARARE 006578 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR GAYLE SMITH 
 
LONDON FOR GURNEY 
 
PARIS FOR BISA WILLIAMS 
 
NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/24/2010 
TAGS: PGOV, PHUM, ZI 
SUBJECT: WAR VETERANS INVADE SUPREME COURT 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
 
PAGE 02        HARARE  06578  241456Z 
 
CLASSIFIED BY DCM EARL M. IRVING FOR REASONS 1.5 (B) AND 
(D). 
 
1.  (C) SUPREME COURT CHIEF JUSTICE ANTHONY GUBBAY TOLD 
USAID HARARE DIRECTOR DEPP THAT AT 11:00 AM NOVEMBER 24 
SEVERAL MEMBERS OF THE NATIONAL LIBERATION WAR VETERANS 
ASSOCIATION BROKE INTO THE SUPREME COURT'S HEARING 
CHAMBER AND STAGED AN UNRULY DEMONSTRATION AGAINST THE 
COURT.  THE JUSTICES WERE SCHEDULED TO RENDER A 
JUDGMENT, OSTENSIBLY ON THE CONTINUING ILLEGAL LAND 
OCCUPATIONS, THAT MORNING.  THE VETERANS KNOCKED DOWN A 
SECURITY OFFICER AND SENT A WOMAN EMPLOYEE OF THE COURT 
FLYING AS THEY FOUGHT TO GAIN ACCESS TO THE CHAMBER.  WE 
LEARNED FROM MOVEMENT FOR DEMOCRATIC CHANGE ADVISOR CLIVE 
PUZEY THAT SENIOR COMMERCIAL FARMERS' UNION OFFICIAL DAVID 
HASLUCK WAS FORCED TO FLEE THE SCENE THROUGH A KITCHEN 
WINDOW. 
 
2.  (C) THE SUPREME COURT JUDGES WERE IN THE ROBING 
CHAMBER AT THE TIME THE DISTURBANCE BEGAN. HAD THE 
DEMONSTRATORS WAITED A FEW MORE MINUTES THEY WOULD HAVE 
FOUND THE JUDGES SEATED AND HEARING ARGUMENTS. IT TOOK 
FIFTEEN MINUTES FOR POLICE TO ARRIVE AND DISPERSE THE 
DEMONSTRATORS, ACCORDING TO GUBBAY.  NONE OF THE JUSTICES 
WERE HARMED AND THE SESSION WAS IMMEDIATELY CANCELED.  THE 
COURT CLOSED ITS DOORS AND A TENSE CALM PREVAILED AROUND 
THE COURTHOUSE AT MID-AFTERNOON. CHIEF JUSTICE GUBBAY, 
DETERMINED NOT TO YIELD TO INTIMIDATION, APPEARED ON TIME 
FOR A 2:00 PM SPEECH OUTSIDE THE COURT, WHICH HE DELIVERED 
SEEMINGLY UNRUFFLED. 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 03        HARARE  06578  241456Z 
 
MCDONALD 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
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