US embassy cable - 01HARARE1016

C O N F I D E N T I A L HARARE 001016 
 
SIPDIS 
 
LONDON FOR GURNEY 
 
PARIS FOR WILLIAMS 
 
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR JENDAYI FRAZER 
 
PASS USAID FOR AFR/SA - C. PALMA 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/14/11 
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, ZI 
SUBJECT: GOVERNMENT OF ZIMBABWE RESPONSES TO MALLOCH- 
BROWN LETTER 
 
REF: HARARE 783 
 
CLASSIFIED BY CHARGE D'AFFAIRES EARL M. IRVING FOR 
REASONS 1.5 B/D. 
 
1.  (U) THE MARCH 14 EDITION OF THE GOVERNMENT OF 
ZIMBABWE (GOZ)-CONTROLLED "THE HERALD" NEWSPAPER 
REPORTED THAT ON MARCH 13 THE MINISTER OF FOREIGN 
AFFAIRS, STAINSLAUS MUDENGE, HANDED TO UNITED NATIONS 
DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM (UNDP) RESIDENT REPRESENTATIVE 
VICTOR ANGELO THE LETTER CONTAINING THE GOZ'S RESPONSE 
TO THE DECEMBER 15 LETTER OF UNDP ADMINISTRATOR MARK 
MALLOCH BROWN.  ALTHOUGH THE PRO-GOVERNMENT DAILY DID 
NOT REVEAL THE CONTENTS OF THE LETTER, IT REPORTED 
THAT ANGELO "PLEDGED TO STUDY THE RESPONSE 
'POSITIVELY,'" AND FORWARD IT IMMEDIATELY TO MALLOCH 
BROWN IN NEW YORK.  THE ARTICLE FURTHER STATED THAT 
MUDENGE HAD TOLD UN SYG KOFI ANNAN AND MALLOCH BROWN 
AT A RECENT MEETING AT THE UN IN NEW YORK THAT THE 
RECOMMENDATIONS IN MALLOCH BROWN'S LETTER HAD ALREADY 
BEEN OVERTAKEN BY THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE "FAST- 
TRACK" PROGRAM, AND THAT WHAT THE UNDP SHOULD NOW BE 
CONSIDERING WAS HOW TO AID THE "70,000 PEOPLE" THAT 
THE GOZ CLAIMS HAVE BEEN PERMANENTLY RESETTLED UNDER 
THE PROGRAM. 
 
2. (C) SPEAKING TO CHARGE ON MARCH 14, ANGELO WAS 
CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC THAT THE GOZ RESPONSE PROVIDED 
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AN OPENING WITH WHICH THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY 
COULD WORK.  HE REPORTED THAT THE ZIMBABWEANS HAD 
ACCEPTED PLACEMENT OF THE TECHNICAL UNIT WITHIN UNDP 
PREMISES AND ACKNOWLEDGED THAT ADDITIONAL DIALOGUE ON 
THE LAND REFORM PROCESS WAS NECESSARY AND THAT IT 
SHOULD TAKE PLACE UNDER THE AEGIS OF THE NATIONAL 
ECONOMIC CONSULTATIVE FORUM.  THE UNDP RESREP SAID 
THAT THE GOZ'S LETTER CONDITIONALLY ACCEPTED THE 
ESTABLISHMENT OF A TRUST FUND MANAGED BY UNDP. 
FINALLY, THE LETTER MADE AN APPEAL FOR HUMANITARIAN 
ASSISTANCE TO THE VICTIMS OF FLOODING AS A RESULT OF 
EXCESSIVE RAINS IN ZIMBABWE.  ANGELO CONCLUDED WITH 
HIS ASSESSMENT THAT THE GOZ HAD ADVANCED SOME 
"POSITIVE HYPOTHESES" IN ITS RESPONSE. 
 
3.  (C) COMMENT: THE GOZ'S RESPONSE TO THE MALLOCH 
BROWN LETTER, BASED ON MUDENGE'S COMMENTS IN "THE 
HERALD" ARTICLE, WILL LIKELY NOT PROVIDE A WAY FOR THE 
GOZ TO GET OUT OF THE CORNER THEY HAVE PLACED 
THEMSELVES IN ON THE LAND ISSUE.  ANGELO'S ACCOUNT, 
WHILE ADMITTEDLY HURRIED, IS SILENT ON THE GOZ'S 
RESPONSE TO MALLOCH BROWN'S RECOMMENDATIONS CONCERNING 
THE FOLLOWING: THE NEED FOR A RETURN OF THE RULE OF 
LAW ON THE OCCUPIED COMMERCIAL FARMS, AGREEING THAT 
COMPULSORY ACQUISITION OF LAND FOLLOWS THE RULES 
ESTABLISHED BY LAW WITH OWNERS HAVING FULL RIGHT TO 
COURT-ORDERED REMEDIES, COMMENCING SETTLEMENT ON LANDS 
ALREADY STATE-OWNED AND LEGALLY ACQUIRED, ACCEPTING 
AND SUPPORTING COMPLEMENTARY APPROACHES TO LAND REFORM 
BY LOCAL STAKEHOLDERS, AND ACCEPTING THAT THE 
OVERARCHING GOAL OF LAND REFORM SHOULD BE REDUCING 
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POVERTY IN RURAL AREAS AND THAT ITS BENEFACTORS BE 
SELECTED WITH THAT IN MIND IN A TRANSPARENT MANNER. 
OUR MOST RECENT SOUNDINGS OF THE GOZ POSITION SUGGEST 
THE LATTER WILL CONTINUE TO ESCHEW ADVICE FROM THE 
UNDP AND DONOR NATIONS AND PROCEED WITH THE CHAOTIC, 
POLITICALLY DRIVEN "FAST-TRACK" RESETTLEMENT EXERCISE. 
WHILE THE EVER SUNNY ANGELO MAY SEE A LIGHT AT THE END 
OF THE TUNNEL, FROM WHAT WE KNOW OF THE GOZ'S POSITION 
AND THE LIKELY CONTENTS OF THE RESPONSE TO THE MALLOCH 
BROWN LETTER, THE UNDP INITIATIVE ON LAND REFORM IS 
DEAD ON THE GROUND IN ZIMBABWE.  UNDER THESE 
CIRCUMSTANCES, WE WOULD BE LOATH TO PROVIDE ANY 
FURTHER MATERIAL SUPPORT FOR THE TSU OR ANY OTHER UN 
INITIATIVES ON THIS SUBJECT AT THIS TIME.  END 
COMMENT. 
 
IRVING 
 
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