US embassy cable - 01HARARE919

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 HARARE 000919 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR JFRAZER 
LONDON FOR CGURNEY 
PARIS FOR BWILLIAMS 
NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER 
PASS USAID FOR AFR/SD - DWELLER, AFR/SA - CPALMA, 
NNEWMAN, AA/AFR - VDICKSON-HORTON 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/05/11 
TAGS: PHUM, EAGR, PGOV, EAID, PINR 
SUBJECT: SEVENTY-TWO YEAR OLD FEMALE COMMERCIAL FARMER 
KILLED AMBUSH STYLE IN ZIMBABWE 
 
REFS: A. HARARE 898, HARARE 815, C. 00 HARARE 7065, 
 
D. 00 HARARE 7013 
 
CLASSIFIED BY CHARGE D' AFFAIRES EARL M. IRVING FOR 
REASONS 1.5 (B/D). 
 
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SUMMARY 
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1. (C) ON MARCH 4, A 72-YEAR-OLD WHITE FEMALE COMMERCIAL 
FARMER, GLORIA OLDS, WAS BRUTALLY AND VICIOUSLY 
ASSASSINATED BY AUTOMATIC WEAPONS FIRE IN AN AMBUSH ON 
HER FARM.  HER SON MARTIN WAS KILLED BY "WAR VETS" ON 
HIS FARM, WHICH WAS NEXT TO GLORIA'S, LAST QPRIL AND NO 
ONE HAS YET BEEN ARRESTED.  THE POLICE CLAIM THAT OLDS 
APPEARED TO BE KILLED IN THE COURSE OF A VEHICLE ROBBERY 
ON HER FARM.  THE CFU REGIONAL PRESIDENT, MAC CRAWFORD, 
DISPUTES THE POLICE THEORY, STATING THAT OLDS WAS SHOT 
MULTIPLE TIMES WITH AUTOMATIC RIFLES, THE LAST FEW SHOTS 
DONE AT CLOSE RANGE.  CRAWFORD SPECQLATES THAT OLDS WAS 
MURDERED IN COLD BLOOD IN ORDER TO FURTHER INTIMIDATE 
ZIMBABWE'S WHITE COMMERCIAL FARMERS.  END SUMMARY. 
 
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SEVENTY-TWO YEAR OLD FARMER BRUTALLY MURDERED 
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                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 03        HARARE  00919  01 OF 03  051615Z 
2. (C) BOTH THE GOVERNMENT-CONTROLLED AND INDEPENDENT 
PRESS REPORTED IN THEIR MARCH 5 EDITIONS THAT ON MARCH 
4, GLORIA OLDS, A 72-YEAR-OLD FEMALE WHITE COMMERCIAL 
FARMER, WAS KILLED AMBUSH STYLE AS SHE WAS APPROACHING 
THE SECURITY GATE TO HER FARM, LOCATED NEAR THE TOWN OF 
NYAMANDLOVU, ABOUT ONE HOUR BY ROAD NORTHWEST OF 
BULAWAYO.  THE PRESS REPORTS SPECULATED THAT OLDS WAS 
KILLED AT 6:30 A.M., SINCE THIS IS WHEN SHE REGULARLY 
OPENED THE SECURITY GATES TO HER FARM.  HER BODY WAS 
DISCOVERED BY HER SON DAVID, WHO WENT TO THE FARM AT 9 
A.M., AFTER FAILING TO REACH HIS MOTHER BY PHONE. 
GLORIA OLDS WAS THE MOTHER OF COMMERCIAL FARMER MARTIN 
OLDS, WHO WAS KILLED ON HIS FARM BY "WAR VETS" LAST 
APRIL 18, ZIMBABWE'S INDEPENDENCE DAY.  A PICK-UP TRUCK 
BELONGING TO GLORIA OLDS WAS TAKEN BY THE ASSASSINS 
AFTER SHE WAS KILLED, LEADING THE POLICE TO SPECULATE 
THAT ROBBERY WAS THE MOTIVE BEHIND HER KILLING. 
HOWEVER, COMMERCIAL FARMERS UNION (CFU) OFFICIALS 
DISPUTE THIS THEORY, STATING THAT MONEY AND OTHER 
VALUABLES WERE NOT TAKEN FROM GLORIA OLDS' FARMHOUSE, 
EVEN THOUGH THERE IS EVIDENCE THAT THEY ENTERED THE 
FARMHOUSE TO GET THE KEYS TO THE PICK-UP. 
 
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KILLING WAS A COLD-BLOODED AMBUSH 
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3. (C) ON MARCH 5, ECONOFF SPOKE WITH MAC CRAWFORD, 
PRESIDENT OF THE MATABELELAND REGION OF THE CFU, 
REGARDING THE KILLING OF GLORIA OLDS (OLDS' FARM IS 
LOCATED IN MATABELELAND NORTH.)  CRAWFORD STATED THAT 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 04        HARARE  00919  01 OF 03  051615Z 
THE KILLING OF OLDS WAS AN AMBUSH-STYLE ASSASSINATION, 
SIMILAR TO THAT OF ANOTHER WHITE FARMER, HENRY ELSWORTH 
(REFS C AND D), LAST DECEMBER.  ACCORDING TO CRAWFORD, 
OLDS WOULD GO OUT AND OPEN THE SECURITY GATE TO HER FARM 
EACH DAY AT 6:30 A.M.  THE PHYSICAL EVIDENCE AT THE 
SCENE OF THE KILLING INDICATES THAT OLDS WAS ABOUT A 
METER FROM THE GATE, WHEN SHE WAS FIRST SHOT.  SHE THEN 
TURNED, BLEEDING, IN AN ATTEMPT TO RETURN TO HER 
FARMHOUSE.  SHE WAS THEN SHOT AGAIN.  THE ASSAILANTS 
THEN SHOT THE LOCK OFF THE SECURITY GATE, SHOT THREE OF 
OLDS' DOGS, AND THEN APPROACHED OLDS' BODY.  HOVERING 
OVER HER, THEY SHOT HER A FEW MORE TIMES AT CLOSE RANGE. 
CRAWFORD SAID THAT FIFTEEN SPENT BLACK AND GOLD 
CARTRIDGES FROM AK-47 RIFLES WERE FOUND AT THE SCENE OF 
%GEUNKQIQTHE CRIME, INDICATING THAT AT LEAST TWO DIFFERENT 
WEAPONS MAY HAVE BEEN USED.  CRAWFORD ADDED THAT THE 
CARTRIDGES WERE NEW, AS IF THEY HAD JUST COME OUT OF AN 
ARMORY.  WHEN ECONOFF ASKED HOW HE WAS SURE THAT THE 
WEAPONS USED WERE AK-47S, AND THAT THE CARTRIDGES WERE 
FROM TWO GUNS AND WERE NEW, CRAWFORD STATED THAT HE HAD 
BEEN IN THE MILITARY, AND HE WAS FAMILIAR WITH SUCH 
WEAPONRY. 
 
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ROBBERY: A POSSIBLE MOTIVE 
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                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
                           CONFIDENTIAL     PTQ2669 
 
PAGE 01        HARARE  00919  02 OF 03  051619Z 
ACTION AF-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   NP-00    AGRE-00  AID-00   AMAD-00  ACQ-00   CIAE-00 
      COME-00  INL-00   DINT-00  DODE-00  DOTE-00  SRPP-00  DS-00 
      EB-00    EUR-00   FAAE-00  FBIE-00  VC-00    FRB-00   H-01 
      TEDE-00  INR-00   IO-00    LAB-01   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    STR-00   TRSE-00  USIE-00  BBG-00 
      PMB-00   DSCC-00  PRM-01   DRL-02   G-00     NFAT-00  SAS-00 
        /010W 
                  ------------------CDCC4A  051619Z /38 
P 051606Z MAR 01 
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8355 
INFO NSC WASHDC 
SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY 
AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 
 
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 03 HARARE 000919 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR JFRAZER 
LONDON FOR CGURNEY 
PARIS FOR BWILLIAMS 
NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER 
PASS USAID FOR AFR/SD - DWELLER, AFR/SA - CPALMA, 
NNEWMAN, AA/AFR - VDICKSON-HORTON 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/05/11 
TAGS: PHUM, EAGR, PGOV, EAID, PINR, ZI 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 02        HARARE  00919  02 OF 03  051619Z 
SUBJECT: SEVENTY-TWO YEAR OLD FEMALE COMMERCIAL FARMER 
KILLED AMBUSH STYLE IN ZIMBABWE 
 
4. (C) CRAWFORD DISPUTES THE POLICE THEORY THAT OLDS' 
KILLING WAS THE RESULT OF A ROBBERY.  WHILE HER TOYOTA 
HILUX 4X4 WAS TAKEN BY THE KILLERS, THEY DID NOT STEAL 
OTHER VALUABLES FROM THE FARMHOUSE.  THE KILLERS ENTERED 
OLDS' FARMHOUSE, AND TOOK HER PURSE CONTAINING THE PICK- 
UP KEYS, AS WELL AS SOME CHILDRENS' CLOTHES FROM A 
CLOSET.  HOWEVER, THEY DID NOT TAKE A PILE OF CASH THAT 
WAS SITTING ON THE KITCHEN TABLE, MADE NO EFFORT TO OPEN 
A SAFE THAT HAD THE KEYS IN THE DOOR, TOOK NONE OF THE 
WEAPONS THAT OLDS KEPT IN HER BEDROOM, OR APPARENTLY ANY 
OTHER VALUABLES.  WHEN ASKED WHAT OTHER MOTIVE THERE 
MIGHT BE FOR HER KILLING, CRAWFORD STATED THAT OLDS WAS 
IN THE PROCESS OF EVICTING A FEMALE SHOPKEEPER WHO 
FAILED TO PAY RENT FROM A BUILDING SHE OWNED.  THE 
SHOPKEEPER'S HUSBAND IS A FORMER ZIMBABWE PEOPLES 
REVOLUTIONARY ARMY (ZIPRA) FIGHTER FROM THE INDEPENDENCE 
STRUGGLE.  THERE HAD RECENTLY BEEN A DEMONSTRATION IN 
NYMANDLOVU BY THE AFFIRMATIVE ACTION GROUP (AAG), A 
PRO-ZANU-PF CIVIL SOCIETY GROUP THAT ARGUES FOR GEATER 
BLACK OWNERSHIP OF COMPANIES, DIRECTED AGANST OLDS 
BECAUSE OF THE SHOPKEEPER'S PLIGHT.  HOEVER, CRAWFORD 
DID NOT BELIEVE THAT THIS SITUATIO WOULD HAVE LED 
ANYONE TO BRUTALLY GUN DOWN MRS.OLDS IN COLD BLOOD AT 
HER FARM. 
 
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OR: INTIMIDATION 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 03        HARARE  00919  02 OF 03  051619Z 
---------------- 
 
5. (C)CRAWFORD SPECULATED THAT GLORIA OLDS WAS KILLED 
O SEND A SIGNAL TO THE WHITE COMMERCIAL FARMING 
CMMUNITY.  HE BELIEVED THAT THE MURDER OF A 72-YEAROLD 
FEMALE WIDOW WAS MEANT TO SHOW THAT EVEN ELDRLY OR 
FEMALE FARMERS ARE NOT SAFE ON THEIR FARC.  CRAWFORD 
ALSO BELIEVED THAT OLDS WAS SINGLED UT FOR 
ASSASSINATION BECAUSE SHE WAS THE MOTHER O MARTIN OLDS. 
HER KILLING WOULD RE-IGNITE IN THEMINDS OF WHITE 
FARMERS THE KILLINGS AND VIOLENCETHAT PREVAILED IN THE 
PARLIAMENTARY ELECTION PEROD.  CRAWFORD LINKED THIS 
KILLING TO THE UPCOMIN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION AND 
GOVERNMENT PRESS-TOUTE DIVISIONS WITHIN THE CFU (REFS A 
AND B). 
 
6. C) ZANU-PF HAS BEGUN A CAMPAIGN BY "WAR VETS" IN 
MATABELELAND, A STRONGHOLD OF THE OPPOSITION MOVEMNT 
FOR DEMOCRATIC CHANGE (MDC), TO INTIMIDATE MD 
SUPPORTERS.  AS PART OF THIS CAMPAIGN, A GROUP O 15 TO 
20 "WAR VETS" HAS BEEN GOING RECENTLY FRO FARM TO FARM 
BEATING UP FARM WORKERS AND THREATNING FARMERS SO THAT 
THEY DO NOT SUPPORT THE MDC IN THE UPCOMING PRESIDENTIAL 
ELECTION.  CRAWFORD ADDED THAT THE MATABELELAND REGION 
OF THE CFU WAS ONE OF THE MOST UNITED REGIONS IN ITS 
SUPPORT FOR THE CFU EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP AND ITS 
STRATEGY OF CHALLENGING THE GOZ "FAST-TRACK" 
RESETTLEMENT PROGRAM THOUGH THE COURTS.  AT THE RECENT 
CFU COUNCIL MEETING IN HARARE, CRAWFORD REVEALED THAT IT 
WAS THE MATABELELAND REGION OF THE CFU THAT UNITED THE 
COUNCIL BEHIND THE EMBATTLED CFU EXECUTIVE, AND WARDED 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 04        HARARE  00919  02 OF 03  051619Z 
OFF THE CHALLENGE OF NICK SWANEPOEL AND OTHER RENEGADE 
CFU MEMBERS (REF A).  CRAWFORD WAS ADAMANT THAT IT IS 
FOR THESE REASONS, AND NOT A SIMPLE ROBBERY, THAT GLORIA 
OLDS WAS BRUTALLY KILLED. 
 
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COMMENT 
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7. (C) WE ARE VERY SKEPTICAL THAT GLORIA OLDS WAS KILLED 
IN THE COURSE OF A ROBBERY.  ONE DOES NOT NEED TO SHOOT 
A 72-YEAR-OLD UNARMED GRANDMOTHER MULTIPLE TIMES WITH 
AUTOMATIC RIFLES IN ORDER TO TAKE HER VEHICLE.  WE 
SIMILARLY DOUBT THAT SHE WAS MURDERED AS A RESULT OF THE 
COURT PROCEEDING TO EVICT THE SHOPKEEPER FROM A BUILDING 
SHE OWNED.  WHAT WE DO FIND CREDIBLE IS THAT SHE WAS 
KILLED, IN A BRUTAL AND COLD-BLOODED MANNER, IN ORDER TO 
SOW FURTHER FEAR IN THE WHITE COMMERCIAL FARMING 
COMMUNITY.  THIS COULD INCLUDE THE GOAL OF CAUSING MORE 
FARMERS TO ABANDON THEIR FARMS AND LEAVE ZIMBABWE OUT OF 
FEAR FOR THEIR LIVES AND FAMILY'S SAFETY.  IT COULD ALSO 
AIM TO CREATE FURTHER DIVIDES IN THE CFU, LEADING TO ITS 
ULTIMATE BREAK-UP.  ONE THING THAT WE ARE FAIRLY SURE OF 
IS THAT THIS KILLING WILL JOIN THE LIST OF THE OTHER SIX 
MURDERED WHITE COMMERCIAL FARMERS WHOSE KILLERS HAVE 
NEVER BEEN APPREHENDED OR PROSECUTED SINCE THE FARM 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
                           CONFIDENTIAL     PTQ2641 
 
PAGE 01        HARARE  00919  03 OF 03  051616Z 
ACTION AF-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   NP-00    AGRE-00  AID-00   AMAD-00  ACQ-00   CIAE-00 
      COME-00  INL-00   DINT-00  DODE-00  DOTE-00  SRPP-00  DS-00 
      EB-00    EUR-00   FAAE-00  FBIE-00  VC-00    FRB-00   H-01 
      TEDE-00  INR-00   IO-00    LAB-01   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    STR-00   TRSE-00  USIE-00  BBG-00 
      PMB-00   DSCC-00  PRM-01   DRL-02   G-00     NFAT-00  SAS-00 
        /010W 
                  ------------------CDCB97  051616Z /38 
P 051606Z MAR 01 
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8356 
INFO NSC WASHDC 
SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY 
AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 
 
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 03 OF 03 HARARE 000919 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR JFRAZER 
LONDON FOR CGURNEY 
PARIS FOR BWILLIAMS 
NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER 
PASS USAID FOR AFR/SD - DWELLER, AFR/SA - CPALMA, 
NNEWMAN, AA/AFR - VDICKSON-HORTON 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/05/11 
TAGS: PHUM, EAGR, PGOV, EAID, PINR, ZI 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 02        HARARE  00919  03 OF 03  051616Z 
SUBJECT: SEVENTY-TWO YEAR OLD FEMALE COMMERCIAL FARMER 
KILLED AMBUSH STYLE IN ZIMBABWE 
 
VIOLENCE BEGAN IN FEBRUARY 2000.  END COMMENT. 
 
IRVING 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
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