US embassy cable - 04HARARE864

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ZFTU- There's no there, there

Identifier: 04HARARE864
Wikileaks: View 04HARARE864 at Wikileaks.org
Origin: Embassy Harare
Created: 2004-05-24 10:10:00
Classification: UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Tags: ELAB PHUM ETRD ECON EINV PGOV ZI ZANU
Redacted: This cable was not redacted by Wikileaks.
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.


 
UNCLAS HARARE 000864 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE FOR AF/S 
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR JFRAZER 
USDOC FOR AMANDA HILLIGAS 
PASS USTR FLORIZELLE LISER 
STATE PASS USAID FOR MARJORIE COPSON 
USDOL FOR ROBERT YOUNG 
STATE FOR MARINDA HARPOLE 
 
E. O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ELAB, PHUM, ETRD, ECON, EINV, PGOV, ZI, ZANU-PF, Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) 
SUBJECT: ZFTU- There's no there, there 
 
  1.   (SBU) Summary: Zimbabwe Federation of Trade Unions 
(ZFTU) is a ZANU-PF shell union seeking to undermine 
Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU). End Summary. 
 
  2.   (SBU) ZCTU is a strong civil society voice for 
workers rights. Its advocacy and support for the 
opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) puts it 
at the top of GOZ reprisal targets. 
 
  3.   (SBU) Two and an half years ago, GOZ created the 
ZFTU to undermine ZCTU credibility and support. Both the 
Employers Confederation of Zimbabwe (EMCOZ) and 
International Labor Organization (ILO) dismiss ZFTU as a 
mere nuisance. ZFTU has created splinter unions to 
compete with ZCTU-affiliated unions. The Solidarity 
Center representative in Zimbabwe stated Zanu-PF may give 
money to ZFTU for a national convention as part of its 
parliamentary election strategy. 
 
  4.   (SBU) EconOff's failed in his numerous attempts to 
make contact with ZFTU. The organization apparently has 
no offices, landline phones, or professional staff. There 
appears to be no there, there. 
 
  5.   (SBU) EconOff did find a cell phone number, but 
suspects it belongs to Joseph Chinotomba- the self-styled 
leader of the war veterans who led the lawless takeover 
of commercial farms. Post decided there was no sense in 
talking to Mr. Chinotomba as any conversation would only 
be misused to legitimize GOZ policies. 
 
  6.   (SBU) Comment: While EconOff suspected ZFTU 
represented merely a ruling party destabilization effort, 
May Day celebrations in which ZFTU raised health and 
safety issues in the workplace suggested otherwise. 
However, in attempting to investigate this organization, 
EconOff comes back to the original conclusion. 
 
Sullivan 

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