US embassy cable - 01HARARE917

UNCLAS HARARE 000917 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR JENDAYI FRAZER 
 
LONDON FOR CHARLES GURNEY 
 
PARIS FOR BISA WILLIAMS 
 
NAIROBI FOR TERRY PFLAUMER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
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TAGS: PHUM, PGOV, PINS, ZI 
SUBJECT: ZIMBABWE POLICE INTENSIFY ATTACKS ON HIGH- 
DENSITY SUBURB RESIDENTS 
 
 
SENSITVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED, PROTECT ACCORDINGLY.  NOT FOR 
INTERNET POSTING. 
 
1.  (U) SINCE MID-FEBRUARY, HEAVILY ARMED POLICE HAVE 
RAIDED HOMES, BEAT RESIDENTS, AND BROKEN UP LARGE 
GATHERINGS IN ST. MARY'S DISTRICT OF CHITUNGWIZA, THE 
SPRAWLING TOWNSHIP 30 KM SOUTH OF HARARE, ACCORDING TO 
PRESS REPORTS.  THE MARCH 5 EDITION OF THE INDEPENDENT 
"THE DAILY NEWS" REPORTED THAT HUNDREDS OF POLICE 
DESCENDED ON A GATHERING OF 3,000 ASSEMBLED TO HEAR MDC 
PRESIDENT MORGAN TSVANGIRAI COMMEMORATE THE OPENING OF A 
NEW MARKETPLACE ON MARCH 3.  TSVANGIRAI CANCELLED HIS 
SPEECH AFTER HEAVILY ARMED POLICE TORE INTO THE PEACEFUL 
CROWD UNPROVOKED AND BEAT THEM WITH BATONS.  THE POLICE 
REPORTEDLY FOLLOWED FLEEING PEOPLE INTO SUPERMARKETS TO 
CLUB THEM, AND BEAT COMMUTERS DISEMBARKING FROM A NEARBY 
BUS STAND.  ACCORDING TO THE NEWSPAPER, ONE OF THE 
POLICE OFFICERS ON THE SCENE STATED: "WE ARE UNDER 
INSTRUCTIONS FROM OUR SUPERIORS NOT TO ALLOW TSVANGIRAI 
TO ADDRESS RALLIES IN CHITUNGWIZA.  WE WILL MAKE SURE 
THIS WILL NOT HAPPEN." 
 
2.  (U) THESE REPORTS FOLLOW A STORY IN THE MARCH 1 
EDITION OF "THE DAILY NEWS" THAT REPORTED REGULAR POLICE 
RAIDS ON THE SUSPECTED HOMES OF MDC YOUTHS IN ST. MARY'S 
DISTRICT.  IF THE YOUTHS ARE NOT FOUND AT THEIR PARENTS' 
HOMES, THE PARENTS ARE BEATEN.  THE ARTICLE DESCRIBED A 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
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POLICE, ARMY AND CIO CAMPAIGN OF TERROR THAT HAS FORCED 
MORE THAN 100 MDC YOUTHS TO SLEEP "IN THE BUSH" BECAUSE 
THE SECURITY FORCES ARE CONSTANTLY PURSUING THEM.  MANY 
OF THOSE BEING PURSUED HAVE BEEN ARRESTED ON TRUMPED-UP 
CHARGES AND TORTURED A NUMBER OF TIMES BEFORE, ACCORDING 
TO "THE DAILY NEWS."  ST. MARY'S IS ALSO THE DISTRICT OF 
JOB SIKHALA, THE MDC PARLIAMENTARIAN WHO IN THE LAST 
MONTH HAS BEEN BEATEN IN HIS HOME AT LEAST ONCE AND 
ESCAPED FROM UNKNOWN ASSAILANTS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE 
NIGHT ON ANOTHER OCCASION. 
 
3.  (SBU) POLOFF CONTACTED AMANI TRUST DIRECTOR TONY 
REELER (PROTECT) MARCH 5 ABOUT THE CHITUNGWIZA 
INCIDENTS.  HE DID NOT HAVE CASUALTY FIGURES FOR THE 
RIOT SQUAD ATTACKS ON MARCH 3, EXPLAINING THAT HIGH- 
DENSITY SUBURB RESIDENTS ARE AFRAID TO REPORT INCIDENTS 
OF VIOLENCE TO THE POLICE, OR EVEN TO HOSPITAL STAFF WHO 
TREAT THEM.  MANY OTHERS DO NOT SEE MUCH POINT IN 
REPORTING BEATING INCIDENTS BECAUSE THEY KNOW THE POLICE 
WILL NOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT THEM, REELER STATED.  THE 
ATTACKS IN CHITUNGWIZA HAVE BEEN GOING ON FOR WEEKS, 
REELER POINTED OUT. 
 
4.  (SBU) COMMENT: ZIMBABWEAN SECURITY FORCES ARE 
CLEARLY TAKING NO CHANCES IN CHITUNGWIZA, WHICH REMAINS 
THE LARGEST POTENTIAL HOTBED FOR ANTI-GOVERNMENT 
DEMONSTRATIONS IN ZIMBABWE.  THE POLICE ATTACKS AGAINST 
MDC YOUTH INDICATES THAT THE GOZ IS NOT WAITING FOR THE 
MDC TO ORGANIZE IN CHITUNGWIZA, AND IS DOING EVERYTHING 
IN ITS POWER TO PREVENT ANY KIND OF ANTI-GOVERNMENT 
UNREST FROM SPINNING OUT OF CONTROL.  END COMMENT. 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
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IRVING 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
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