US embassy cable - 01HARARE3301

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MEDIA REPORT - NEW YORK COURT DECISION ON PRESIDENT MUGABE AND ZANU-PF.

Identifier: 01HARARE3301
Wikileaks: View 01HARARE3301 at Wikileaks.org
Origin: Embassy Harare
Created: 2001-11-05 13:24:00
Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
Tags: ZI PREL PHUM
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.

051324Z Nov 01

 

                           UNCLASSIFIED     PTQ1601

PAGE 01        HARARE  03301  051421Z 
ACTION INR-00   

INFO  LOG-00   NP-00    AF-00    A-00     ACQ-00   CIAE-00  DODE-00  
      DS-00    EUR-00   UTED-00  VC-00    TEDE-00  LAB-01   L-00     
      VCE-00   NSAE-00  NSCE-00  TEST-00  USIE-00  IIP-00   DSCC-00  
      DRL-02   NFAT-00  SAS-00     /003W
                  ------------------39F925  051421Z /38    
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0201
INFO AMEMBASSY PRETORIA 
AMEMBASSY LUSAKA 
AMEMBASSY WINDHOEK 
AMEMBASSY GABORONE 
AMEMBASSY LILONGWE 
AMEMBASSY LONDON 
UNCLAS HARARE 003301 
 
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 REPORT - NEW YORK COURT DECISION ON 
PRESIDENT MUGABE AND ZANU-PF. 
 
 
1.   THE GOVERNMENT-CONTROLLED DAILY "THE HERALD" DEDICATED 
   ITS NOVEMBER 3 EDITORIAL TO THE RECENT DEFAULT JUDGEMENT 
   AGAINST PRESIDENT ROBERT MUGABE ISSUED BY AN U.S. 
   FEDERAL COURT.  THE RULING THAT PRESIDENT ROBERT MUGABE, 
   IN HIS CAPACITY AS THE FIRST SECRETARY OF THE RULING 
   ZANU-PF PARTY, IS LIABLE FOR DAMAGES RELATED TO 
   POLITICAL VIOLENCE IN ZIMBABWE WAS NOT WELL RECEIVED BY 
   THE PAPER.    UNDER HEADLINE "U. S. COURT'S RULING 
   DEFIES LOGIC," THE PAPER COMMENTS: 
 
2.   "THE RECENTLY PASSED U. S. FEDERAL COURT'S RULING 
   DECLARING THAT PRESIDENT MUGABE CAN BE SUED IN THAT 
   COUNTRY AS THE FIRST SECRETARY OF ZANU PF, DEFIES ALL 
   LOGIC AND IS A TYPICAL EXAMPLE OF AMERICAN ARROGANCE 
   TOWARDS THE REST OF THE WORLD. . .  BUT WE ALL KNOW THAT 
   THE MEANING OF JUSTICE AND FAIR PLAY HAS A DIFFERENT 
   INTERPRETATION IN AMERICA TO THAT OF THE REST OF THE 
   WORLD.  OTHERWISE, WHERE ELSE IN THE WORLD WOULD A 
   LEARNED JUDGE PASS SUCH JUDGEMENT WITHOUT GIVING 
   AUDIENCE TO THE OTHER PARTY?  ANY PROPERLY CONSTITUTED 
   COURT WITH THE DESIRE TO UPHOLD THE INTERESTS OF JUSTICE 
   WOULD, BEFORE HEARING SUCH A CASE, EQUIP ITSELF WITH 
   UNBIASED EVIDENCE OF THE SITUATION ON THE GROUND ON THE 
   GIVEN COUNTRY. . .  IN THIS CASE IT SEEMS THE PRESIDING 
   JUDGE ALREADY HAD A PRECONCEIVED IDEA ABOUT ZIMBABWE AND 
   SAW IT FIT TO DISREGARD THE RULES OF JUSTICE.  DESPITE 
   THE LAID-DOWN RULES, THE U. S. COURT ISSUED A DEFAULT 
   JUDGEMENT AGAINST ZANU PF WITHOUT ENSURING THAT THE 
   RESPONDENT HAD BEEN PROPERLY SERVED. . .  THEREFORE, 
   SINCE IT IS QUITE APPARENT THAT SERVICE WAS NOT PROPERLY 
   EFFECTED, THE COURT SHOULD HAVE REFUSED THE HEAR THE 
   MATTER. . . ." 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
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SULLIVAN 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
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