US embassy cable - 01HARARE1023

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 HARARE 001023 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR JENDAYI FRAZER 
 
LONDON FOR CHARLES GURNEY 
 
PARIS FOR BISA WILLIAMS 
 
NAIROBI FOR TERRY PFLAUMER 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/15/11 
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, PINR, ZI 
SUBJECT: AF A/PDAS BELLAMY HEARS DEFIANCE, VILIFICATION 
OF THE BRITISH AND LITTLE GIVE-AND-TAKE IN MEETINGS WITH 
GOVERNMENT OF ZIMBABWE OFFICIALS 
 
 
CLASSIFIED BY CHARGE D'AFFAIRES EARL M. IRVING FOR 
REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D). 
 
1.  (C) SUMMARY: ON MARCH 8 AND 9, ACTING PRINCIPAL 
DEPUTY ASSISTANT SECRETARY MARK BELLAMY MET WITH 
MINISTER OF STATE FOR NATIONAL SECURITY NICHOLAS GOCHE, 
THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS' PERMANENT SECRETARY 
WILLARD CHIWEWE, AND HOME AFFAIRS MINISTER JOHN NKOMO. 
BELLAMY REITERATED U.S. CONCERN FOR THE BREAKDOWN IN THE 
RULE OF LAW AND AMERICAN UNWILLINGNESS TO LOOK THE OTHER 
WAY WHEN DEMOCRATIC PRINCIPLES AND HUMAN RIGHTS ARE AT 
STAKE.  ALL THREE SEEMED TO RESPOND FROM THE SAME 
SCRIPT.  THE MEETINGS WERE CHARACTERIZED BY A GOVERNMENT 
VILIFICATION OF THE UK FOR ZIMBABWE'S PROBLEMS, A 
LABELING OF THE MDC AS AN ILLEGITIMATE PARTY BANKROLLED 
BY FOREIGN INTERESTS, AN EXPLANATION OF THE "FAST-TRACK" 
LAND PROGRAM AS THE UNFINISHED BUSINESS OF THE 
LIBERATION STRUGGLE, AND AN UNAPOLOGETIC ATTITUDE ABOUT 
THE VIOLENCE PERPETRATED BY WAR VETERANS.  END SUMMARY. 
 
U.S. CONCERN GROWING 
-------------------- 
 
2.  (C) IN ALL THREE OF HIS MEETINGS WITH GOZ OFFICIALS, 
ACTING PRINCIPAL DEPUTY ASSISTANT SECRETARY BELLAMY 
STATED THAT THE NEW U.S. ADMINISTRATION WILL BE LOOKING 
MORE CLOSELY AT ZIMBABWE.  THERE IS GROWING CONCERN IN 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 03        HARARE  01023  01 OF 03  150818Z 
WASHINGTON OVER THE WORSENING POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC 
CRISES IN ZIMBABWE, BELLAMY POINTED OUT, AND THAT THE 
USG IS CONSIDERING WHAT SHOULD BE ITS ROLE IN OVERCOMING 
THESE CRISES.  THE EROSION OF THE RULE OF LAW IN 
ZIMBABWE IS HAVING AN IMPACT ON THE ENTIRE REGION, AS 
FOREIGN INVESTORS STEER CLEAR OF SOUTHERN AFRICA.  THE 
HUMAN RIGHTS SITUATION, WITH ATTACKS ON THE JUDICIARY, 
MEDIA, AND OPPOSITION, ARE OF PARTICULAR CONCERN, THE 
ACTING PDAS SAID.  HE FURTHER STRESSED THAT THE U.S. 
DOES NOT SEEK AN ADVERSARIAL RELATIONSHIP WITH ZIMBABWE, 
BUT IT CANNOT LOOK THE OTHER WAY WHEN BASIC HUMAN RIGHTS 
ARE ABUSED AGAIN AND AGAIN WITH IMPUNITY. 
 
THE UK IS TO BLAME FOR OUR PROBLEMS 
----------------------------------- 
 
3.  (C) EVERY MINISTER WITH WHOM BELLAMY MET RESPONDED 
BY VILIFYING THE UK IN THE MOST STRIDENT LANGUAGE AND 
PLACED THE BLAME FOR ZIMBABWE'S TROUBLES AT THEIR FEET. 
IN A LONG, RAMBLING DISCOURSE, GOCHE BLAMED THE BRITISH 
FOR THWARTING ZIMBABWE'S ATTEMPTS AT LAND REFORM SINCE 
DAY ONE.  HE CITED THE 1997 LETTER BY MINISTER CLARE 
SHORT TO THE ZIMBABWEAN MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE THAT 
STATED THE LABOR GOVERNMENT WAS NOT INTERESTED IN 
COLONIAL MATTERS AND WOULD NOT HONOR OBLIGATIONS 
UNDERTAKEN BY THE PREVIOUS GOVERNMENT.  GOCHE REPORTED 
THAT MUGABE, UPON HEARING THE LETTER READ ALOUD, SAID, 
"IF THEY WON'T HONOR THEIR OBLIGATIONS, WE WON'T 
EITHER."  THE SECURITY MINISTER PROFESSED THE BELIEF 
THAT THE BRITISH DID NOT WANT ZANU-PF TO DELIVER LAND TO 
ITS SUPPORTERS IN THE RURAL AREAS, AND THAT IT WANTED TO 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 04        HARARE  01023  01 OF 03  150818Z 
CAPITALIZE ON DISAFFECTION IN THE URBAN AREAS IN ORDER 
TO OUST MUGABE. 
 
4.  (C) MINISTER NKOMO SAID THE GOZ FELT "BETRAYED" BY 
THE UK, AND THAT IT IS "PREPARED TO FIGHT" THEM.  THE 
BRITISH ARE ESSENTIALLY MAKING A RACIAL ISSUE OUT OF 
THEIR CONDEMNATION OF ZIMBABWE, AND SIMPLY WANT TO 
PROTECT THEIR "KITH AND KIN," I.E. WHITE ZIMBABWEANS, HE 
ARGUED.  NKOMO COMPLAINED THAT THE BRITISH WOULD NOT 
ALLOW THE GOZ TO USE LAND ROVERS THEY HAD SOLD TO THEM 
TO EXPEL WAR VETERANS FROM OCCUPIED FARMS.  NKOMO AND 
MFA PERMSEC CHIWEWE CASTIGATED THE UK (AND THE U.S. AS 
WELL) FOR FAILING TO DELIVER ON PROMISES TO FUND LAND 
REFORM IN ZIMBABWE.  CHIWEWE ITERATED THE GOZ'S GREAT 
CONCERN THAT THE U.S. IS FALLING UNDER THE SWAY OF THE 
UK'S POLICY ON ZIMBABWE, AND URGED THE U.S. TO PROVIDE 
LEADERSHIP IN HELPING ZIMBABWE.  BELLAMY RESPONDED THAT 
THE U.S. WILL MAKE ITS OWN DECISIONS ON ZIMBABWE AND 
WILL NOT BE "SWAYED" BY OTHER NATIONS. 
 
MDC A STOOGE OF FOREIGN INTERESTS 
--------------------------------- 
 
5.  (C) ALL THREE INTERLOCUTORS CHARACTERIZED THE 
OPPOSITION MDC AS A CREATION OF FOREIGN INTERESTS FUNDED 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
                           CONFIDENTIAL     PTO5985 
 
PAGE 01        HARARE  01023  02 OF 03  150818Z 
ACTION AF-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   NP-00    ACQ-00   CIAE-00  INL-00   USNW-00  DINT-00 
      DODE-00  DOTE-00  SRPP-00  DS-00    EB-00    EUR-00   FAAE-00 
      FBIE-00  VC-00    H-01     TEDE-00  INR-00   L-00     VCE-00 
      AC-01    DCP-01   NSAE-00  OMB-01   OPIC-01  PA-00    PM-00 
      PRS-00   ACE-00   P-00     SP-00    SSO-00   TRSE-00  USIE-00 
      R-00     PMB-00   DSCC-00  DRL-02   G-00     NFAT-00  SAS-00 
      SWCI-00    /007W 
                  ------------------D1F66F  150818Z /38 
O 150815Z MAR 01 
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8430 
INFO NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE 
SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY 
AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 
 
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 03 HARARE 001023 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR JENDAYI FRAZER 
 
LONDON FOR CHARLES GURNEY 
 
PARIS FOR BISA WILLIAMS 
 
NAIROBI FOR TERRY PFLAUMER 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/15/11 
TAGS:  PGOV, PREL, PINR, ZI, SA 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 02        HARARE  01023  02 OF 03  150818Z 
SUBJECT: AF A/PDAS BELLAMY HEARS DEFIANCE, VILIFICATION 
OF THE BRITISH AND LITTLE GIVE-AND-TAKE IN MEETINGS WITH 
GOVERNMENT OF ZIMBABWE OFFICIALS 
 
ALMOST ENTIRELY WITH FOREIGN MONEY.  CHIWEWE STATED THAT 
ZIMBABWEANS HAVE STRUGGLED TO UPHOLD HUMAN RIGHTS WITH 
THOSE THAT ONCE POINTED GUNS AT THEM, BUT WHEN THEY 
START GETTING MONEY FROM OUTSIDE TO THREATEN ZIMBABWE'S 
VALUES AND PRINCIPLES, IT BECOMES A DIFFERENT STORY.  HE 
FLATLY ACCUSED THE U.S. AND UK OF "FANNING" THE MDC SO 
THAT IT COULD OUST PRESIDENT MUGABE.  HE SAID THE U.S. 
NOT ONLY WANTS TO SEE ZANU-PF OUT OF POWER, IT WANTS TO 
SEE THE MDC IN STATE HOUSE.  BELLAMY ASSURED THE PERMSEC 
THAT THE U.S. HAS NO INTEREST IN WHICH PARTY GOVERNS 
ZIMBABWE, ONLY IN HOW IT ATTAINS POWER.  NKOMO STATED 
THAT ZIMBABWE WAS "UNDER SIEGE" AND HAD TO PROTECT ITS 
SOVEREIGNTY FROM THE FOREIGN-FUNDED LACKEYS OF THE MDC. 
GOCHE CLAIMED THAT THE BRITISH HAD CHANNELED A LARGE 
AMOUNT OF MONEY THROUGH THEIR HIGH COMMISSION IN MALAWI 
TO FUND THE START-UP OF THE OPPOSITION PARTY. 
 
UNFINISHED BUSINESS OF THE LIBERATION STRUGGLE 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
6.  (C) CHIWEWE STATED THAT THE LAND ISSUE IS THE 
"UNFINISHED BUSINESS" OF THE LIBERATION STRUGGLE, THAT 
THE MASSES ARE STILL LIVING AS THEY WERE IN 1980, OR 
EVEN IN 1890, WHEN THE BRITISH FIRST ARRIVED.  IF THE 
DONORS ARE NOT GOING TO HELP US WITH LAND, CHIWEWE 
BLUSTERED, THEN "LET US BE THE POOREST COUNTRY IN THE 
WORLD IF IT MEANS ZIMBABWEANS HAVE THEIR OWN LAND.  IF 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 03        HARARE  01023  02 OF 03  150818Z 
WE FAIL (TO GIVE THEM LAND), THEN LET THE PEOPLE TURN US 
OUT."  NKOMO BLAMED IMF AND WORLD BANK FOR CAUSING THE 
FAILURE OF THE 1998 DONORS CONFERENCE AGREEMENT, AND THE 
COMMERCIAL FARMERS UNION (CFU) FOR STALLING PROGRESS 
SINCE THEN.  NKOMO SAID HE WAS DISAPPOINTED WITH HIS 
FRIENDS IN THE CFU, THAT THEY HAD BETRAYED HIS TRUST. 
MANY IN THE CFU ARE NOT "SERIOUS-MINDED" AND ONLY MAKE 
OFFERS FOR A SETTLEMENT AS A DELAYING TACTIC, NKOMO 
OPINED.  GOCHE ADMITTED THAT THE GOZ HAD MADE MISTAKES 
IN THE LAND RESETTLEMENT EXERCISE, BUT IF IT FINDS A 
SOLUTION TO THE ISSUE, ITS PROBLEMS WILL BE SOLVED. 
 
NO PROBLEM WITH THE WAR VETS 
---------------------------- 
 
7.  (C) THE GOZ OFFICIALS GENERALLY TOOK AN UNAPOLOGETIC 
ATTITUDE TOWARD THE WAR VETERANS' RAMPAGE ACROSS THE 
COUNTRY.  CHIWEWE ARGUED THAT THE GOVERNMENT'S LAND 
RESETTLEMENT EXERCISE AND THE FARM OCCUPATIONS BY WAR 
VETERANS ARE SEPARATE ISSUES.  THE POLICE AND ARMY 
SHOULD NOT BE ASKED TO FIGHT THEIR FELLOW LIBERATION 
FIGHTERS, THE PERMSEC CONTENDED.  THE HOME AFFAIRS 
MINISTER IMPLIED THAT THE WAR VETERANS ARE "WORKING TO 
MAKE THE ENVIRONMENT SECURE FOR THE PRESIDENTIAL 
ELECTION."  IN THE PAST, AFTER THE POLICE REMOVED WAR 
VETS FROM OCCUPIED FARMS, THEY WOULD SIMPLY RETURN A FEW 
DAYS LATER, NKOMO REMARKED.  "WE ARE NOW IN CONTROL OF 
THE WAR VETS," HE CLAIMED.  A LOT OF CRIMINALS ARE 
RUNNING AROUND CLAIMING TO BE WAR VETERANS, BUT THE GOZ 
IS CRACKING DOWN ON THEM WITH A NEW CONSTABULARY FORCE 
THAT WILL HAVE ENOUGH PERSONNEL TO FIGHT THE CRIMINALS, 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 04        HARARE  01023  02 OF 03  150818Z 
THE MINISTER ASSERTED.  HIS MINISTRY HAS COMPILED A LIST 
OF 740 CASES OF VIOLENT ACTS TO BE PROSECUTED, ONE OF 
WHICH HAS ALREADY SEEN THE CONVICTION OF A COP-KILLER, 
NKOMO REPORTED.  GOCHE REPORTED THAT THE GOVERNMENT AND 
THE WAR VETS HAD REACHED AN UNDERSTANDING ON MARCH 7 
THAT WOULD SOON SEE THE OCCUPIERS MOVE OFF UNLISTED 
FARMS GAZETTED FOR COMPULSORY ACQUISITION. 
 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
8.  (C) BELLAMY'S MEETINGS WITH GOCHE, CHIWEWE, AND 
NKOMO LEFT THE IMPRESSION OF A WELL-COORDINATED 
PROPAGANDA ASSAULT ORCHESTRATED FROM ON HIGH.  THE 
THEMES CONVEYED BY ALL THREE WERE REMARKABLY SIMILAR, 
AND THE LANGUAGE USED WAS SOME OF THE MOST STRIDENT WE 
HAVE HEARD TO DATE.  THE OFFICIALS' COMMENTS AND TONE 
STRUCK A NOTE OF DESPERATION IN THEIR EFFORT TO CONVINCE 
THE U.S. OF THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF THE ZIMBABWEAN 
POSITION.  THERE WAS VERY LITTLE GIVE-AND-TAKE, AND THEY 
CONCEDED VERY FEW POINTS.  IT IS ALSO SIGNIFICANT THAT 
NONE OF THE OFFICIALS SEEMED VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE 
STATE OF THE ECONOMY OR WHAT THE OUTSIDE WORLD MIGHT DO 
TO HELP WITH IT.  THE ECONOMY JUST DOES NOT SEEM TO BE 
PART OF THEIR POLITICAL CALCULUS.  BASED ON WHAT THESE 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
                           CONFIDENTIAL     PTO5986 
 
PAGE 01        HARARE  01023  03 OF 03  150818Z 
ACTION AF-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   NP-00    ACQ-00   CIAE-00  INL-00   USNW-00  DINT-00 
      DODE-00  DOTE-00  SRPP-00  DS-00    EB-00    EUR-00   FAAE-00 
      FBIE-00  VC-00    H-01     TEDE-00  INR-00   L-00     VCE-00 
      AC-01    DCP-01   NSAE-00  OMB-01   OPIC-01  PA-00    PM-00 
      PRS-00   ACE-00   P-00     SP-00    SSO-00   TRSE-00  USIE-00 
      R-00     PMB-00   DSCC-00  DRL-02   G-00     NFAT-00  SAS-00 
      SWCI-00    /007W 
                  ------------------D1F671  150818Z /38 
O 150815Z MAR 01 
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8431 
INFO NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE 
SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY 
AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 
 
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 03 OF 03 HARARE 001023 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR JENDAYI FRAZER 
 
LONDON FOR CHARLES GURNEY 
 
PARIS FOR BISA WILLIAMS 
 
NAIROBI FOR TERRY PFLAUMER 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/15/11 
TAGS:  PGOV, PREL, PINR, ZI, SA 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 02        HARARE  01023  03 OF 03  150818Z 
SUBJECT: AF A/PDAS BELLAMY HEARS DEFIANCE, VILIFICATION 
OF THE BRITISH AND LITTLE GIVE-AND-TAKE IN MEETINGS WITH 
GOVERNMENT OF ZIMBABWE OFFICIALS 
 
OFFICIALS TOLD US, THE ZANU-PF LEADERSHIP APPEARS TO BE 
DIGGING IN ITS HEELS FOR A FIGHT WITH THE INTERNATIONAL 
COMMUNITY, AND APPEARS EVER MORE READY TO SACRIFICE THE 
INTERESTS OF THE COUNTRY FOR ITS OWN INTEREST OF STAYING 
IN POWER.  END COMMENT. 
 
9.  (U) A/PDAS BELLAMY CLEARED THIS MESSAGE. 
 
IRVING 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
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