US embassy cable - 01HARARE2595

UNCLAS HARARE 002595 
 
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 U. N. RACE CONFERENCE; HARARE 
 
 
1. LENGTHY EDITORIALS IN TWO GOVERNMENT-CONTROLLED 
NEWSPAPERS FOCUS ON THE U. N. CONFERENCE ON RACISM, 
XENOPHOBIA AND INTOLERANCE TAKING PLACE IN DURBAN, 
SOUTH AFRICA.  EDITORIAL EXCERPTS FOLLOW: 
 
2. UNDER HEADLINE "RESOLVE EVILS OF RACISM AT U. N. 
TALKS," THE SEPTEMBER 4 EDITION OF THE DAILY "HERALD" 
COMMENTS: 
 
"THE U. N. CONFERENCE ON RACISM HAS LED. . .TO MUCH 
HEAT AND SOME REGRETTABLE ACTIONS, INCLUDING 
YESTERDAY'S WITHDRAWAL BY THE U. S. AND ISRAEL.  THE 
TWO ITEMS THAT HAVE RAISED THE GREATEST EMOTIONS ARE 
THE SLAVE TRADE FROM AFRICA THAT ENDED LAST CENTURY 
AND THE ACTIONS OF ISRAEL IN THE OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN 
TERRITORIES. . .THERE ARE TWO ASPECTS THAT NEED TO BE 
ADDRESSED.  THE FIRST IS THE FORMAL APOLOGY FROM THOSE 
COUNTRIES THAT PRACTICED THE TRADE. . .THE SECOND 
ASPECT IS TRYING TO PUT RIGHT SOME OF THE LINGERING 
EFFECTS OF THE TRADE.  WHETHER THESE EFFORTS ARE 
CALLED 'REPARATIONS' OR WHETHER THEY ARE CALLED 'EXTRA 
DEVELOPMENT AID' IS LESS IMPORTANT THAN A REALISTIC 
EFFORT TO END THE UNDERDEVELOPMENT OF AFRICA.  THE 
GENERAL FEELING THAT ISRAEL IS PRACTICING A FORM OF 
APARTHEID IN PALESTINE HAS TO BE HONESTLY 
ADDRESSED. . .ALL FORMS OF DISCRIMINATION BASED ON 
RACE, RELIGION, CULTURE, NATIONALITY AND THE LIKE ARE 
EVIL.  ALL MUST BE CONDEMNED. . .SURELY THE MOST VITAL 
PART OF THE U. N. CONFERENCE IS FACING DOWN HORRORS 
THAT HAVE DONE SO MUCH HARM TO PEOPLE, BOTH TO THE 
VICTIMS AND, MORALLY, TO THE VICTIMIZERS.  AND SURELY 
SUCCESS AT THE CONFERENCE IS TO RECOGNIZE THE EVILS OF 
RACISM AND XENOPHOBIA IN ALL THEIR FORMS, AND TO 
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RESOLVE THAT SUCH HORRORS AND SUCH EVILS CAN NEVER 
AGAIN BE TOLERATED. . . ." 
 
3. UNDER HEADLINE "U. S. ATTITUDE SMACKS OF DIPLOMATIC 
ARROGANCE," THE SEPTEMBER 2 EDITION OF THE WEEKLY 
"SUNDAY MAIL" COMMENTS: 
 
"NOT SO LONG AGO, AMERICAN SECRETARY OF STATE, GENERAL 
COLLIN (SIC) POWELL WAS IN SOUTHERN AFRICA, 
PONTIFICATING ABOUT DEMOCRACY, TRANSPARENCY AND MANY 
OTHER 'FREEDOMS.'  HE WAS FETED IN SOME QUARTERS WHERE 
WHAT HE SAID WAS TAKEN AS A FITTING LECTURE TO 
AFRICA'S 'WAYWARD LEADERS.'  WE, AMONG OTHERS, 
DISMISSED HIM AS AN 'UNCLE TOM. . .'  NOW HE HAS 
FAILED TO SHOW UP IN DURBAN FOR THE WORLD CONFERENCE 
ON RACISM, XENOPHOBIA AND INTOLERANCE.  THIS WAS 
CONFIRMATION THAT NEITHER POWELL NOR THE UNITED STATES 
GOVERNMENT IS FIT TO GIVE AFRICA ANY LECTURE ON 
DEMOCRACY AND TOLERANCE, WHEN THEY CANNOT TOLERATE 
DIVERGENT VIEWS.  IN FUTURE DEALINGS WITH DEVELOPING 
COUNTRIES IN GENERAL AND AFRICA IN PARTICULAR, THE 
UNITED STATES AND SPECIFICALLY POWELL, WILL FACE A 
SERIOUS CREDIBILITY CRISIS.  IT HAS BECOME OBVIOUS 
THAT THEY PREACH THINGS THAT THEY DO NOT PRACTICE 
THEMSELVES.  THE CREDIBILITY CRISIS WILL ALSO EXTEND 
TO U. N. SECRETARY GENERAL, KOFFI ANNAN.  ALREADY 
DELEGATES TO THE CONFERENCE ARE QUESTIONING IF THEIR 
RESOLUTIONS WILL BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY BY THE U. N. GIVEN 
THE EXTENT TO WHICH IT PANDERS TO AMERICAN FOREIGN 
POLICY AND 
INTERESTS. . .THE DEMONSTRATIONS GOING ON IN DURBAN 
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ARE ALSO A SHARP INDICTMENT ON THE FOREIGN POLICIES OF 
THE U. S. AND ITS ALLIES.  WE NOW WONDER HOW THE U. S. 
PLANS TO DEAL WITH THE ISSUE OF SLAVERY AND 
COLONIALISM WHEN IT SENDS A JUNIOR DELEGATION THAT IS 
ONLY MATCHED BY THAT OF ISRAEL.  THE ISSUE OF ZIONISM 
BEING EQUATED TO RACISM, WHICH HAS CAUSED SUCH A 
FURORE, IS AN ISSUE THAT WILL FOR LONG CONTINUE TO BE 
DEBATED AT VARIOUS FORUMS, WITH OR WITHOUT THE CONSENT 
OF THE UNITED STATES.  WE DO NOT SEE WHY IT SHOULD NOT 
REMAIN ON THE AGENDA IN DURBAN.  IT IS DEBATABLE. . 
.BUT THE FACT THAT THE U. S. CAN DECREE WHAT THE WORLD 
SHOULD AND SHOULD NOT DISCUSS IS REALLY THE HEIGHT OF 
DIPLOMATIC ARROGANCE. . . ." 
ROTH 
 
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