US embassy cable - 01HARARE3063

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 HARARE 003063 
 
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 WAR AGAINST TERROR; HARARE 
 
 
1.   MAINSTREAM NEWSPAPERS CONTINUE TO DEDICATE 
   SIGNIFICANT SPACE TO WIRE ARTICLES BY REUTERS, AGENCE 
   FRANCE PRESSE, AND THE ASSOCIATED PRESS CENTERING ON 
   THE U.S.-LED MILITARY STRIKES IN AFGHANISTAN.  THE 
   NATIONAL STATE-RUN TELEVISION STATION, ZTV I, IS 
   CARRYING CABLE NEWS NETWORK FOOTAGE ON THE MILITARY 
   CAMPAIGN.  THE NEWS CLIPS ARE BROADCAST DAILY DURING 
   ZTV'S MAIN NEWS PROGRAMS IN ENGLISH AND THE TWO MAJOR 
   VERNACULAR LANGUAGES - SHONA AND NDEBELE.  SIMILAR NEWS 
   BULLETINS ARE ALSO BEING AIRED ON ALL THE FOUR NATIONAL 
   STATE-CONTROLLED RADIO STATIONS. 
 
2.   MEANWHILE, MOST NEWSPAPERS CONTINUE TO PUBLISH 
   OPINION PIECES CENTERING ON THE WAR AGAINST TERROR. 
   SAMPLES OF THE ARTICLES FOLLOW: 
 
3.   UNDER HEADLINE "IMPERIAL AMERICA CHASES OWN 
   SHADOW: BY REFUSING TO ACCEPT REALITY, U. S. PROBLEMS 
   WILL MULTIPLY," THE OCTOBER 14 EDITION OF THE 
   GOVERNMENT-CONTROLLED WEEKLY "THE SUNDAY MAIL" CARRIED 
   THE FOLLOWING OPINION PIECE BY MWESIGA BAREGU: 
 
   ". . . IF THE U. S. AND WEST IN GENERAL COULD VIEW 
THE TRAGIC EVENTS OF SEPTEMBER 11 AS A WAKE-UP CALL. . 
. AND USE THE OCCASION AS A MIRROR TO TAKE A KEEN LOOK 
AT THEMSELVES THEN THE DEATHS OF THE VICTIMS WILL NOT 
HAVE BEEN IN VAIN. . .  IN THIS PIECE I WANT TO ARGUE 
THAT AMERICA IS IN DENIAL WITH RESPECT TO A NUMBER OF 
ILLS THAT AFFLICT IT.  MOREOVER AMERICA LACKS THE 
COURAGE TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND CONFRONT THESE ILLS BECAUSE. 
. . ITS DENIAL ARISES FROM ITS SELF-LOVE AND A 
PERSECUTION COMPLEX. . .  AS TO THE WAR IN AFGHANISTAN 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        HARARE  03063  01 OF 03  160612Z 
MY JURY IS STILL OUT.  IT IS NOT AT ALL CLEAR WHAT THE 
ANGLO-AMERICAN WAR AIMS ARE.  WHAT IS BECOMING 
PROGRESSIVELY CLEAR, HOWEVER, IS THAT THE WAR MAY NOT 
BE ABOUT OSAMA BIN LADEN AND TERRORISM JUST AS THE 
BOMBING OF YUGOSLAVIA WAS NOT ABOUT MILOSEVIC AND HUMAN 
RIGHTS VIOLATIONS.  THE WAR IS ESSENTIALLY ABOUT 
GEOSTRATEGIC INTERESTS IN THAT PART OF THE WORLD. . ." 
 
4.   UNDER HEADLINE "BEYOND BIN LADEN: A WIDER AGENDA; 
   UK, U.S. USE 'TERROR WAR' AS OPPORTUNITY FOR 
   EXPANSIONISM," THE SAME PAPER CARRIED THE FOLLOWING 
   ARTICLE BY TAFATAONA MAHOSO: 
 
   "RESOLUTION 1373 IS THE SECURITY COUNCIL'S RESPONSE 
TO THE SEPTEMBER 11 ATTACKS ON NEW YORK AND WASHINGTON. 
BUT THE DIPLOMATIC SOURCES IN HARARE SAID THE REAL 
PROBLEM FOR THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY WAS THAT THE U. 
S. AND UK NOW SAW THE RECENT TERRORIST ATTACKS ON NEW 
YORK AND WASHINGTON AS YET ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO 
ACQUIRE NEW MILITARY BASES IN CENTRAL ASIA AND TO 
OVERTHROW GOVERNMENTS WHICH HAVE REFUSED TO TOE THE 
ANGLO-AMERICAN LINE. . .  THOSE WARNING THE WORLD 
AGAINST THE BUSH-BLAIR ADVENTURE IN AFGHANISTAN ARE NOT 
JUST CRITICIZING THE CHOICE OF RESPONSE TO TERRORISM IN 
THIS CASE.  THEY ARE OFFERING ALTERNATIVE RESPONSES, 
WHICH INCLUDE: CALLING A SPECIAL SESSION OF THE GENERAL 
ASSEMBLY OF THE U. N. TO CONSIDER THE LINK BETWEEN THE 
DETERIORATION OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND THE 
ESCALATION OF TERRORISM; CALLING FOR SPECIAL WORLD 
FORUM OF RELIGIOUS LEADERS AND RELIGIOUS FAITHS IN 
ORDER TO HARNESS THE POSITIVE INFLUENCE OF RELIGION IN 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 04        HARARE  03063  01 OF 03  160612Z 
PROMOTING PEACE AND HEALING PEOPLE CAUGHT IN CONFLICT; 
CONVENING A SPECIAL CONFERENCE FOR THOSE COUNTRIES AND 
PEOPLES WHO HAVE BEEN VICTIMS OF RELENTLESS TERRORISM, 
SO THAT ACTUAL HISTORICAL TERRORISM IS EXAMINED, USING 
AS EXPERTS THOSE WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED IT. 
REPRESENTATIVES OF THOSE GROUPS ACCUSED OF TERRORISM 
SHOULD ALSO ATTEND THE CONFERENCE, SO THAT REAL 
DIALOGUE MAY BEGIN. . .  THE NORTH AMERICANS AND THEIR 
MEDIA HAVE BECOME PART OF THE TERRORISM PROBLEM BECAUSE 
THEY BEHAVE AS IF THEY THEMSELVES ARE THE FIRST EVER 
VICTIMS OF TERROR AND AS IF THEY AS A COUNTRY THEY ARE 
ENTIRELY CLEAN.  THE PROPOSED APPROACHES WOULD BRING A 
SENSE OF PROPORTION AND, MAYBE, SOLIDARITY TO THE 
DEBATE AND THE OPTIONS." 
 
5.   UNDER HEADLINE "AMERICANS FEAR COUNTER-STRIKES," 
   THE 
   SAME NEWSPAPER CARRIED THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE BY ITS 
   U. S.-BASED CORRESPONDENT TENDAYI MUSEKIWA: 
 
   "THE SEPTEMBER 11 ATTACKS ON U. S. TARGETS. . . HAVE 
   ALTERED THE AMERICAN LANDSCAPE, PERHAPS FOREVER. . . 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
                           UNCLASSIFIED     PTQ5341 
 
PAGE 01        HARARE  03063  02 OF 03  160612Z 
ACTION INR-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   NP-00    AF-00    AID-00   A-00     ACQ-00   CIAE-00 
      INL-00   DODE-00  SRPP-00  DS-00    EUR-00   UTED-00  VC-00 
      TEDE-00  IO-00    LAB-01   VCE-00   DCP-01   NSAE-00  IRM-00 
      TEST-00  USIE-00  IIP-00   DSCC-00  DRL-02   NFAT-00  SAS-00 
        /004W 
                  ------------------2F93E2  160613Z /38 
P 160542Z OCT 01 
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0029 
INFO NSC WASHDC 
AMEMBASSY PRETORIA 
AMEMBASSY LUSAKA 
AMEMBASSY WINDHOEK 
AMEMBASSY GABORONE 
AMEMBASSY LILONGWE 
AMEMBASSY LONDON 
 
UNCLAS SECTION 02 OF 03 HARARE 003063 
 
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: OCII, ZI, PREL, PHUM 
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION WAR AGAINST TERROR; HARARE 
 
   FOR THE FIRST TIME, THE U. S. AND ITS PEOPLE ARE 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        HARARE  03063  02 OF 03  160612Z 
   LEARNING TO DEAL WITH PARANOIA THAT ARISES FROM 
   BEING UNDER ATTACK.  AMERICANS ARE ANXIOUS TO SHOW 
   THAT THEY ARE TOUGH, RESILIENT AND ARMED WITH A 
   STEELY DETERMINATION NOT TO GIVE IN TO TERRORISM. 
   BUT THE NEW POWERS BEING GIVEN TO THE FEDERAL 
   GOVERNMENT TO COMBAT TERRORISM, THE INCREASED 
   SECURITY MEASURES, THE WILLINGNESS TO GIVE UP SOME 
   PERSONAL FREEDOMS, THE NERVOUSNESS ABOUT POSSIBLE 
   BIO-TERRORISM, THE EXPANDING WAR IN AFGHANISTAN AND 
   THE RELUCTANCE TO CRITICIZE, PARODY OR CARTOON MR. 
   BUSH (FOR FEAR OF BEING LABELED UNPATRIOTIC) ARE 
   VIVID REMINDERS THAT THE AURA OF INNOCENCE AND 
   INVINCIBILITY AND THE INCLINATION TOWARD ISOLATION 
   ARE GONE, MAYBE FOREVER." 
 
6.   THE OCTOBER 12 EDITION OF THE INDEPENDENT WEEKLY 
   "THE ZIMBABWE MIRROR" RAN THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE BY THE 
   "SCRUTATOR": 
 
   ". . .ONLY THE MAD AND SENSELESS COULD HAVE REMAINED 
   UNTOUCHED BY THE TERROR AND HORROR OF 11 SEPTEMBER, 
   ESPECIALLY WHEN SO MANY INNOCENT LIVES WERE LOST IN 
   NEW YORK, WASHINGTON AND PITTSBURGH.  BUT IT IS THE 
   REACTION OF THE U.S.A. AND ITS ALLIES THAT IS NOW 
   CAUSING THE SYMPATHY AND COMPASSION TO DISSIPATE SO 
   DANGEROUSLY. . .  EVEN THE PRINCIPLES OF SOVEREIGNTY 
   AND INTERNATIONAL LAW ARE BEING BREACHED WITH 
   IMPUNITY; GONE, TOO, THE IDEA THAT INTERNATIONAL 
   PEACE AND SECURITY SHOULD BE SUSTAINED AND PROMOTED 
   UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE U. N.  SADLY, THE LATTER 
   IS NOW LARGELY FOR THE EXPEDIENT AND CONVENIENT USE 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        HARARE  03063  02 OF 03  160612Z 
   OF THE U.S.A. AND ITS ALLIES.  IN SHORT, ONLY A FEW 
   WOULD STILL BELIEVE THAT THE U.S.A. AND ITS ALLIES 
   ARE PURSUING ONLY OSAMA BIN LADEN AND HIS AL-QAEDA 
   NETWORK; THE OBJECTIVES OF THE WAR OF REVENGE HAVE 
   SO CHANGED IN ITS OBJECTIVES AND TARGETS THAT WE 
   HAVE REASON TO BE SUSPICIOUS ABOUT THE SCOPE OF THIS 
   'CRUSADE. . .'  WE HAVE REASON TO BE FEARFUL, AS 
   MUCH AT PRESIDENT BUSH'S THREAT OF A LONG AND 
   BROADENING WAR FRONT AS AT AL-QAEDA'A WARNING THAT 
   THE U.S. AND ITS ALLIES HAVE, BY ATTACKING 
   AFGHANISTAN 'OPENED A DOOR THEY CAN NEVER CLOSE.'" 
 
7.   UNDER HEADLINE "POVERTY TO RISE IN WAKE OF U.S. 
   TERRORIST ATTACK," THE OCTOBER 12 EDITION OF THE 
   INDEPENDENT WEEKLY "ZIMBABWE INDEPENDENT" RAN THE 
   FOLLOWING STORY BY BARNABAS THONDHLANA: 
 
   "THE SEPTEMBER 11 TERRORIST ATTACKS IN THE U.S. WILL 
   HURT ECONOMIC GROWTH IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES WORLD- 
   WIDE IN 2001 AND 2002, CONDEMNING AS MANY AS 10 
   MILLION MORE PEOPLE TO LIVE IN POVERTY NEXT YEAR, 
   AND HAMPERING THE FIGHT AGAINST CHILDHOOD DISEASES 
   AND MALNUTRITION, THE WORLD BANK SAYS IN A 
   PRELIMINARY ECONOMIC ASSESSMENT RELEASED THIS WEEK. 
   BEFORE SEPTEMBER 11, THE BANK EXPECTED DEVELOPING 
   COUNTRY GROWTH TO FALL FROM 5.5 PERCENT IN 2000 TO 
   2.9 PERCENT IN 2001 AS A RESULT OF SLOWDOWNS IN THE 
   U. S., JAPAN AND EUROPE, AND THEN REBOUND TO 4.3 
   PERCENT IN 2002.  BUT BECAUSE THE ATTACKS WILL DELAY 
   THE RICH COUNTRIES' RECOVERY INTO 2002, THE BANK NOW 
   WARNS THAT DEVELOPING COUNTRIES' GROWTH COULD BE 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 04        HARARE  03063  02 OF 03  160612Z 
   LOWER BY 0.5 - 0.75 PERCENTAGE POINTS IN 2002. . . 
   ." 
 
8.   UNDER HEADLINE "PAKISTAN AND THE WAR AGAINST 
   TERRORISM," THE OCTOBER 8 EDITION OF THE INDEPENDENT 
   DAILY "THE DAILY NEWS" PUBLISHED THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE 
   BY YAYYABA MAHBOOB PIRZADA: 
 
   "THE HORROR AND TERROR OF 11 SEPTEMBER HAS NOW 
TURNED INTO MOMENTS OF SUSPENSE AND WORRY. . .  IT 
DOES, HOWEVER, CALL FOR REFLECTION BY THE ENTIRE WORLD 
LEADERSHIP.  THE U.S. AND THE WEST NEED TO CHANGE THEIR 
POLICIES TOWARDS ISLAM, JUST AS MUCH THE MUSLIM WORLD 
NEEDS TO CORRECT ITS RHETORIC AGAINST 'INFIDELS' AND 
PROMOTE A CULTURE OF DEMOCRACY AND TOLERANCE WITHIN 
THEIR OWN COUNTRIES.  THE SOLUTION TO TERRORISM DOES 
NOT LIE IN 'WAGING WARS,' BUT IN BRINGING THOSE 
RESPONSIBLE TO JUSTICE AND IN ENSURING THAT GOVERNMENTS 
DO NOT TOLERATE OR PROMOTE TERRORIST GANGS.  A MEASURED 
RESPONSE IS CALLED FOR BECAUSE AN ALL-OUT WAR MAY 
POLARIZE THE WORLD FURTHER, THUS PLAYING INTO THE HANDS 
OF THE VERY FORCES WHICH ENCOURAGE TERRORISM.  SINCE 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
                           UNCLASSIFIED     PTQ5343 
 
PAGE 01        HARARE  03063  03 OF 03  160613Z 
ACTION INR-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   NP-00    AF-00    AID-00   A-00     ACQ-00   CIAE-00 
      INL-00   DODE-00  SRPP-00  DS-00    EUR-00   UTED-00  VC-00 
      TEDE-00  IO-00    LAB-01   VCE-00   DCP-01   NSAE-00  IRM-00 
      TEST-00  USIE-00  IIP-00   DSCC-00  DRL-02   NFAT-00  SAS-00 
        /004W 
                  ------------------2F93E9  160613Z /38 
P 160542Z OCT 01 
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0030 
INFO NSC WASHDC 
AMEMBASSY PRETORIA 
AMEMBASSY LUSAKA 
AMEMBASSY WINDHOEK 
AMEMBASSY GABORONE 
AMEMBASSY LILONGWE 
AMEMBASSY LONDON 
 
UNCLAS SECTION 03 OF 03 HARARE 003063 
 
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: OCII, ZI, PREL, PHUM 
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION WAR AGAINST TERROR; HARARE 
 
THE INTERNATIONAL ALLIANCE AGAINST TERRORISM CLAIMS TO 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        HARARE  03063  03 OF 03  160613Z 
FIGHT THIS BATTLE TO PROTECT FREEDOM, IT WILL BE 
EXPECTED TO BE TRANSPARENT IN ITS MOVES.  IT WILL 
REQUIRE GREATER RESOLVE TO UPHOLD THE NORMS OF JUSTICE, 
PARTICULARLY IN THE FACE OF AN ADVERSARY WHO SPURNS 
UNIVERSAL VALUES OF FREEDOM. . .  WE NEED TO WAGE WAR 
AGAINST GLOBAL TERRORISM SO THAT WE CAN HAVE A MORE 
DECENT AND COMPASSIONATE WORLD, WHERE HUMANITY IS NOT 
DEGRADED - THAT MUST REMAIN THE GOAL AND THIS GOAL MUST 
NOT BE COMPROMISED.  IT SHOULD BE A GOAL THAT IS NOT 
NEGOTIABLE." 
 
9.   UNDER HEADLINE "DICTATORS TIGHTEN SCREWS AS WORLD 
   MULLS U. S. ATTACKS," THE SAME EDITION CARRIED THE 
   FOLLOWING PIECE BY TAJUDEEM ABDUL-RAHEEM: 
 
   "THE HORRORS OF THE ATTACKS ON THE U. S. AND THE 
   THREATENING RESPONSES TO THEM HAVE DOMINATED GLOBAL 
   MEDIA ALMOST TO THE TOTAL EXCLUSION OF OTHER ISSUES. 
   THIS HAS GIVEN MANY DICTATORS A KIND OF SABBATICAL 
   TO DO WHAT THEY PLEASE, WITHOUT MUCH FOCUS FROM THE 
   REST OF THE WORLD WHOSE EYES ARE ON WASHINGTON AND 
   THE BLIGHTED TERRAIN OF AFGHANISTAN.  MANY FORMER 
   PARIAH STATES HAVE SUDDENLY BECOME CHERISHED ALLIES 
   IN THE NEW WAR OF 'THOSE WHO ARE WITH US' - THOUGH 
   THE DEFINITION OF 'US' IS VERY AMBIGUOUS - AND THOSE 
   'AGAINST US.'  SUDAN IS 'WITH US' SO WHO IS AGAINST 
   US, OR TO PUT IT DIFFERENTLY, WHO ARE 'US' AGAINST 
   IN SUDAN. . . .?" 
 
10.   UNDER HEADLINE "BOMBING BIN LADEN OUT OF 
   MOUNTAINS 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        HARARE  03063  03 OF 03  160613Z 
   WON'T BE EASY," THE OCTOBER 7 EDITION OF THE 
   GOVERNMENT-CONTROLLED WEEKLY "THE SUNDAY MAIL" RAN 
   THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE BY BRIGADIER FELIX: 
 
   ". . .AMERICA AND THE WEST ARE REACTING EXACTLY AS 
THEY DID IN VIETNAM, MASSIVE MOBILIZATION OF BIG SHIPS, 
STRATEGIC BOMBERS, PRECISION MISSILES, TO BOMB A HEAP 
OF BARREN MOUNTAINS IN AFGHANISTAN WHILE THE ENEMY 
SNORES IN THEIR BACKYARD.  THE CAUSES OF THIS WAR ARE 
NOT DIFFICULTY TO FIND.  THE MOSLEM HATRED TOWARDS 
AMERICA IS U. S. FOREIGN POLICY IN THE MIDDLE EAST. 
THE GREATEST HATRED TOWARDS AMERICA IS ITS SUPPORT TO 
ISRAEL POLITICALLY, TREATING ISRAEL AS THE 53RD STATE 
OF THE U.S. . .  NO U. S. PRESIDENT WOULD LAST A WEEK 
WITHOUT ISRAELI SUPPORT.  TO MANY ARAB EXTREMISTS AND 
MODERATES THIS GIVES ISRAEL MORE POWER AND ARROGANCE 
THAN IT DESERVES, SO ITS POWER MUST BE HIT HARD. . . 
GIVEN THE DEEP RELIGIOUS BELIEFS OF ISLAM, THE 
POTENTIAL TO EXPLODE POLITICALLY, SOCIALLY, 
ECONOMICALLY AND MILITARILY IS HIGH. . . BIN LADEN HAS 
NO TOWN, NO STATE HOUSE TO DEFEND, NEITHER HAS HE GOT 
STRATEGIC INDUSTRIAL, ECONOMIC, COMMUNICATION, MILITARY 
OR AMMUNITION DEPOTS TO DESTROY. . .  IF THE AMERICANS 
COULD NOT BOMB VIETCONG GUERILLAS IN THEIR FOX-HOLE 
TUNNELS, IT IS GOING TO BE TOUGHER TO BOMB BIN LADEN 
OUT OF THOSE BALD-HEADED MOUNTAINS WHICH HAVE NO EASY 
ROADS FOR 'SPECIAL FORCES' TO MOVE.  IF THEY MISS TO 
CAPTURE BIN LADEN 'DEAD OR ALIVE,' HE WILL WIELD EVEN 
MORE POWER AS AN INVINCIBLE 'SPIRITUAL LEADER' GUIDED 
BY ALLAH TO INSTILL MORE DETERMINATION, ZEAL AND POWER 
AMONG THE RELIGIOUS FUNDAMENTALISTS TO KILL 'MORE 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 04        HARARE  03063  03 OF 03  160613Z 
AMERICANS,' MOSTLY INNOCENT CIVILIANS.  A NEW THINKING, 
NEW ANALYSIS OF STRATEGIC OPTIONS FOR THE NEW TYPE OF 
'GUERILLA WARFARE' WITH MASS DESTRUCTION NEEDS TO BE 
WORKED OUT.  MOBILIZATION OF FORCES SO FAR MEANS 
NOTHING." 
 
SULLIVAN 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
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