US embassy cable - 04HARARE691

UNCLAS HARARE 000691 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
FOR U/S GLOBAL AFFAIRS DOBRIANSKY FROM AMB. SULLIVAN 
ALSO PLEASE PASS DRL A/S CRANER, AF AA/S SNYDER, AF/S 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM, KCRM, KWMN, KFRD, PREL, SMIG, KPAO, ZI, TIP 
SUBJECT: TIP AND OUR AGENDA IN ZIMBABWE 
 
REF: HARARE 356 
 
1.  (SBU) As the TIP process progresses to conclusion, I 
wanted to register my serious concern over Zimbabwe's 
proposed inclusion on Tier 3.  As you know, the GOZ's 
comprehensive maladministration has precipitated ongoing 
political and economic crises that are exacting a tragic toll 
on the population.  This Embassy has devoted considerable 
effort to documenting the many dimensions of the growing 
catastrophe, perhaps most significantly in the area of human 
rights where we have collaborated with DRL to produce the 
best product possible.  This painstaking documentation has 
been central to our efforts to effect change here; its 
integrity is the foundation inside Zimbabwe and outside of 
our credibility with civil society, the media, the 
opposition, and elements within the GOZ itself.  Lauded by 
the Department and outside activists alike, the Embassy's 
submission to the Human Rights Report exemplifies the 
diligence of our effort and our commitment to hitting hard 
and on target.  Our recent TIP submission (ref) was assembled 
with the same seriousness of purpose.  The Embassy has made 
no apologies for the GOZ's abysmal record across the board 
and has been at the forefront of efforts to impose and to 
expand sanctions targeting the perpetrators of both 
individual abuses and the crisis generally. 
 
2.  (SBU) Against this backdrop, I have two fundamental 
objections to Zimbabwe's inclusion on Tier 3.  First, our 
extensive contacts with human rights organizations, Churches, 
law enforcement authorities, and media on the ground here 
have been unable to substantiate that there is any 
significant TIP problem here.  The existing anecdotal 
evidence of which we are aware is either dated and/or 
insufficient to offer any basis for quantification (e.g., one 
case study of a minor prostitute in the Child and Law 
Foundation's August 2003 Zimbabwe report).  We do know that 
the various guises of TIP are criminalized under Zimbabwean 
law.  For all their abuses or inaction in political cases, 
Zimbabwe's police remain responsive on apolitical crimes, 
such as TIP-related activities.  When we have engaged the GOZ 
on alien smuggling, including in the context of 
counter-terrorism efforts, the GOZ has been cooperative. 
They have been cooperative in TIP-related outreach efforts by 
NGOs, including training workshops.  I know that my staff has 
been feeding details of all this to country desk and to G/TIP 
staff and trust that the submissions will receive full 
consideration. 
 
3.  (SBU) I am most concerned about the potentially adverse 
effect that a Tier 3 designation would have on our efforts to 
address Zimbabwe's other substantial problems -- problems 
that are only too well-documented and central to the 
country's deep crisis.  Zimbabwe is mired in a highly 
polarized contest between democratic and authoritarian camps. 
 The USG plays an important role in shaping the intellectual 
debate inside Zimbabwe and, increasingly significantly, 
throughout the region over pivotal issues in Zimbabwe's 
crisis.  The Department has countered shrill GOZ propaganda 
and disinformation with strident criticism on specific, 
documented problems.  The judiciousness of our attacks and 
our disassociation from sensationalized, unsubstatiated 
allegations against the GOZ are critical to our credibility 
with local audiences and with key regional players whose 
greater involvement we are encouraging.  A Tier 3 sanction 
resting on anecdotal evidence and innuendo would play into 
the hands of GOZ propagandists and deal a setback to our 
credibility with domestic and regional audiences. 
 
4.  (SBU) The USG is taking on the GOZ on a full gamut of 
human rights issues -- free and fair elections, press 
freedoms, politically motivated violence to name a few.  The 
Embassy fully appreciates TIP's important place in our global 
human rights and law enforcement agenda and will continue to 
investigate and press TIP-related issues as they come to our 
attention and in the context of our overall efforts to 
promote an improved human rights environment here.  At this 
time, however, we are not convinced that Zimbabwe's record to 
date on TIP justifies a Tier 3 listing.  We are concerned 
that a Tier 3 designation could bring into question our 
credibility and adversely affect our ability to engage the 
GOZ and other regional partners.  On the basis of the 
evidence we have seen, we believe that we would be best 
served by inclusion of Zimbabwe on Tier 2.  If we establish 
that TIP is a significant problem here we will confront the 
GOZ with the evidence and seek action, but until we can 
establish the magnitude of any problem, I strongly urge that 
Zimbabwe be kept off Tier 3. 
SULLIVAN