US embassy cable - 01HARARE2395

UNCLAS HARARE 002395 
 
SIPDIS 
 
AF/PD FOR COX, ROBERTSON, AF/S FOR KRAFT, AF/P, INR/R/MR, 
 
NSC FOR JENDAYI FRAZER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ZI, PREL, PHUM 
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION RAMSEY CLARK AND ZIMBABWE- HARARE 
 
 
1. THE  INDEPENDENT  WEEKLY "THE FINANCIAL  GAZETTE"  DEDICATED 
   ITS AUGU EDITORIAL TO SPEAK AGAINST THE PROPOSED FREEDOM  OF 
   INFORMATION   AN   PROTECTION   OF   PRIVACY    BILL.    THE 
   CONTROVERSIAL  BILL  COULD BECOME B THE  END  OF  THE  YEAR. 
   UNDER HEADLINE "MOYOL FUTILE WAR," THE PAPER COMMENTS: 
 
S 
 
"PERHAPS  RAMSEY  CLARK,  A  FORMER AMERICAN  ATTORNEY-GENERAL, 
CAPTURED  T ESSENCE OF AN INDIVIDUAL'S FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS  MORE 
THA 
N  MOST OF TODAY SCHOLARS WHEN, IN 1977, HE STATED: 'A RIGHT 
IS NOT WHAT SOMEONE GIVES IT IS WHAT NO ONE CAN TAKE FROM YOU-' 
AS  ZIMBABWE  FACES UP TO ITS MOS DEFINING MOMENT  POLITICALLY, 
CLARK'S WORDS MUST SURELY TROUBLE ALL GO AND WOMEN IN THE  LAND 
AS 
RIGHTS  JUST  TO  CLING  TO  POWER.  JONATHAN  MOYO,  ONCE  THE 
GOVERNMENT'S CHIEF FOE AND NOW ITS MOST LOYAL PROPAGANDIST,  IS 
LEADIN HAS BECOME THE MOST 
 
3. 
 
VICIOUS   CAMPAIGN  EVER  TO  SILENCE  ALL  DIVERGENT   VOICES, 
CRUCIALLY   ZIMB  INDEPENDENT  MEDIA,  AHEAD  OF   A   LANDMARK 
PRESIDENTIAL BALLOT THAT THREA TO BURY HIM AND HIS AGEING (SIC) 
MASTERS   .   .   .  MOYO  HAS  COME  TO  SYMBO   THROUGH   HIS 
HIGH-HANDEDNESS AND IRRESPONSIBLE UTTERANCES ALL  THAT  IS  AND 
BAD WITH A GOVERNMENT THAT HAS UTTERLY FAILED ITS CITIZENS .  . 
.  AFTER WHIPPING UP A FRENZY OF EMOTIONS AGAINST ALL WHO  WISH 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
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AND  WANT  ZIMBABWE PROSPER AND BECOME PART  OF  THE  CIVILIZED 
WORLD,  HE  IS  RACING ENACT A LAW AGAINST THE MEDIA  WHICH  HE 
KNOWS RUNS COUNTER TO THE NATI 
 
BASIC FREEDOMS . . . LET IT BE KNOWN THAT AN INDIVIDUAL'S UNFETTERED 
TO RECEIVE AND IMPART INFORMATION, WHICH HE IS SEEKING TO CURTAIL, 
IS CARDINAL PLANK OF ANY DEMOCRACY AND CIVILIZED GOVERNANCE AND THAT 
ZIMBABWEANS DESERVE NO LESS AND NO MORE. 
 
"MOYOLS ATTEMPT TO GAG THE MEDIA AND TO PREVENT IT FROM DOING ITS 
NAT DUTY OF HIGHLIGHTING ZIMBABWE'S GLARING INJUSTICES, LAWLESSNESS 
AND VIOLENCE, CORRUPTION AND OTHER ILLS WILL FAIL SIMPLY BECAUSE 
THEY HAV BASIS IN LAW. BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, THE ENTRENCHED RIGHTS 
(THAT) HE W TO TRAMPLE UPON ARE GOD-GIVEN AND WILL ALWAYS REMAIN SO. 
THE UPCOMING PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION . . . WILL BE FATALLY FLAWED IF 
THE NEW ANTI-DEMOCRACY LEGISLATION IS APPROVED . . . AS AMERICA'S 
INCOMING AMBASSADOR TO ZIMBABWE, JOSEPH SULLIVAN, BLUNTLY TOLD THE 
GOVERNMENT WEEK: I . . . WE CANNOT HAVE GOOD RELATIONS (WITH 
ZIMBABWE) UNTIL THE GOVERNMENT ACTS TO END VIOLENCE AND INTIMIDATION 
AND RESTORES THE RUL LAW AND RESPECTS THE FREEDOM TO OPERATE OF 
POLITICAL PARTIES AND DEMO INSTITUTIONS, INCLUDING AN INDEPENDENT 
MEDIA, CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZAT AND THE JUDICIARY . . . I THERE YOU 
ARE MOYO. ALL ZIMBABWEANS AND THE TRUE FRIENDS AROUND THE GLOBE WANT 
THE SIMPLE BUT CRUCIAL THINGS TO B BUT YOUR GOVERNMENT COULD CARE 
LESS." 
 
HOOKS 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
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POSSIBLY CLASSIFIED