US embassy cable - 04HARARE632

UNCLAS HARARE 000632 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR AF/PD FOR CEFIRD, LWKOENGESTER, AF/S FOR DELISI, 
MRAYNOR 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KPAO, ZI 
SUBJECT: GOVERNMENT OF ZIMBABWE (GOZ) BUYS PAS BUILDING 
 
 
  1.   SUMMARY. GOZ HAS PURCHASED THE BUILDING HOUSING PAS 
     HARARE AND IS EVICTING ALL THE OTHER TENANTS BUT EXEMPTING 
     PAS. IT IS STILL UNCLEAR IF THE BUILDING WILL BE USED BY 
     THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS OR THE MININSTRY OF LOCAL 
     GOVERNMENT.  LONG TERM PAS EMPLOYEES HAVE SUGGESTED SEVERAL 
     SCENARIOS TO EXPLAIN WHY PAS IS EXEMPTED FROM THE MOVE, 
     NONE OF THEM FAVORABLE FOR PUBLIC AFFAIRS.  SEVERAL 
     SCENARIOS ARE POSSIBLE AFTER THE GOZ MOVES IN AFTER SEPT 
     30, 2004. THIS IS AN INFORMATION CABLE AND NO ACTION IS 
     REQUESTED AT THIS TIME. END SUMMARY. 
 
 
  2.   PAS IS LOCATED OUTSIDE THE EMBASSY ON A DOWNTOWN 
     STREET IN AN OLDER BUILDING WITH PAS ON THE FIRST AND 
     SECOND FLOORS AND OTHER TENANTS ON THE FLOORS ABOVE.  WHILE 
     PAS HAS A DOOR DESIGNATED FOR ITS USE, IT SHARES A COMMON 
     LOBBY AND HAS ONLY A STAIR RAIL BETWEEN THE LOBBY AND THE 
     STAIRS LEADING TO THE FIRST FLOOR. EVERYONE COMING TO PAS 
     IS IN CLEAR VIEW OF EVERYONE IN THE LOBBY. 
 
 
 
  3.   LONG TERM FSNS REACTED BADLY TO THIS NEWS. THE LOBBY 
     ISSUE IS RIGHT ON THE TOP OF THEIR FEARS.  IF THE GOZ 
     FOLLOWS ITS NORMAL POLICY THEY WILL BE SETTING UP THEIR 
     GUARDS TO MONITOR ENTRANCE INTO THEIR OFFICES AND THIS 
     COULD MAKE OUR PATRONS LEERY OF COMING TO PAS FOR FEAR OF 
     FINDING THEMSELVES ON A LIST.  THE OFF-SITE LOCATION OF PAS 
     HAS MADE IT EASY FOR REPORTERS AND ACTIVISTS AND OPPOSITION 
     LEADERS TO COME AND GO WITHOUT BEING NOTICED.  THE VERY 
     BUSY STREET AND THE HEAVY TRAFFIC IN AND OUT OF THE PAS IRC 
     AND EDUCATIONAL ADVISING HAS MASKED THEIR COMINGS AND 
     GOINGS. 
 
  4.   FSNS HAVE ALSO VOICED CONCERN THAT THEY WILL BE 
     FOLLOWED, QUESTIONED ABOUT THEIR EMPLOYMENT AND HARASSED. 
     THEY ARE CONVINCED THAT OUR PHONES WILL BE BUGGED AND THERE 
     WILL BE CAMERAS WATCHING US. THEY HAVE ALSO POINTED OUT 
     THAT THE BUILDING CONTROLS OUR ELECTRICITY.  THEY HAVE 
     SUGGESTED THAT WE WILL ONLY BE EXEMPT UNTIL IT GETS CLOSER 
     TO ELECTIONS WHEN WE WILL BE ASKED TO MOVE, RESULTING IN A 
     PERIOD OF INACTIVITY DUE TO LACK OF CONNECTIONS, ETC.  A 
     SUDDEN MOVE WOULD BE VERY DIFFICULT DUE TO THE NEED FOR SO 
     MANY PHONE LINES, INTERNET CONNECTIVITY ETC.  AT THE 
     MOMENT, EVEN GETTING ADDITIONAL PHONE LINES CAN TAKE 
     MONTHS. 
 
  5.   IS ANY OF THIS REASONABLE?  POSSIBLY, BUT IT IS ALSO 
     POSSIBLE THAT THE GOZ BOUGHT THE BUILDING BECAUSE IT NEEDED 
     MORE SPACE DOWNTOWN, OR SIMPLY TO KEEP A BETTER EYE ON THE 
     BUILDING ACROSS FROM PAS THAT HOUSES THE OPPOSITION MDC 
     OFFICES.  NONETHELESS, WITH ELECTIONS LOOMING IN MARCH AND 
     OUR BELIEF THAT NO FOREIGN REPORTERS WILL BE GIVEN VISAS, 
     PAS HAD BEEN PLANNING ON USING THE NEW DVC EQUIPMENT TO LET 
     THE PRESS SPEAK DIRECTLY TO PEOPLE INVOLVED IN THE 
     ELECTION, INCLUDING ACTIVISTS, NGOS AND POLITICIANS.  PAO 
     MET WITH THE INTERNATIONAL AND SOUTH AFRICAN PRESS WHEN IN 
     PRETORIA LAST WEEK. IN ANTICIPATION OF BEING ABLE TO KEEP 
     THE PRESS INVOLVED VIA DVC, WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON GETTING 
     ACCESS TO A 516K LINE THAT SHOULD PRODUCE CLOSE TO 
     TELEVISION QUALITY TRANSMISSION.  ONE SUSPECTS THAT THE GOZ 
     WOULD NOT BE HAPPY WITH THIS AND COULD INDEED TRY TO STOP 
     IT BY INTIMIDATION, HAVING US MOVE OR SHUTTING OFF THE 
     POWER. 
 
  6.   AS WE FIND MORE INFORMATION WE WILL KEEP YOU INFORMED. 
     NO ACTION IS REQUESTED AT THIS TIME.  UNTIL THE GOZ MOVES 
     IN THIS IS ALL SPECULATIVE.  SULLIVAN