US embassy cable - 01HARARE3365

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 003365 
 
SIPDIS 
 
AF/PD FOR COX, ROBERTSON, AF/S FOR SCHLACHTER, AF/RA FOR 
SWANN, INR/R/MR, NSC FOR JENDAYI FRAZER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ZI, PREL, PHUM 
SUBJECT: MEDIA REPORT 2002 PRESIDENTIAL BALLOT; HARARE 
 
 
1.   ALTHOUGH NO DATE HAS BEEN SET FOR THE 2002 
   PRESIDENTIAL POLL DUE EARLY NEXT YEAR, THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA 
   HAS STARTED RUNNING EDITORIAL COMMENTARIES FOCUSING ON THE 
   LANDMARK PRESIDENTIAL BALLOT.  FOLLOWING ARE EXCERPTS FROM 
   EDITORIALS FOCUSING ON THE DEBATE OVER PROPOSED AMENDMENTS 
   TO THE ELECTORAL ACT: 
 
2.   UNDER HEADLINE "PREPARING THE GROUND FOR ELECTION 
   FRAUD," THE NOVEMBER 12 EDITION OF THE INDEPENDENT DAILY 
   "THE DAILY NEWS" COMMENTS: 
 
   "THE GOVERNMENT'S APPROVAL OF ADDITIONAL AMENDMENTS TO 
   THE ELECTORAL ACT THAT ENTAILS CHANGING REGULATIONS ON 
   POSTAL VOTING, CAMPAIGNING, POLLING AND ON THE VOTER'S 
   ROLL ITSELF. . .IS BOTH REGRETTABLE AND DISHEARTENING. 
   REGRETTABLE BECAUSE THE GOVERNMENT, ARROGANT AS ALWAYS, 
   DECIDED ON THOSE AMENDMENTS ALONE WITHOUT CONSULTING 
   OTHER STAKEHOLDERS FOR CONSENSUS.  THIS MAKES THE 
   AMENDMENTS A PARTISAN AFFAIR CLEARLY MEANT TO MAKE IT 
   EASIER FOR THE GOVERNMENT TO MANIPULATE THE BALLOT IN 
   FAVOR OF ZANU PF. . .   DISHEARTENING BECAUSE THE 
   AMENDMENTS ARE CLEARLY A SELF-SERVING MOVE DESIGNED TO 
   MAKE ALL OTHER ASPIRING CONTESTANTS IN THE NEXT AND 
   SUBSEQUENT ELECTIONS LOSE ALL HOPE OF WINNING AS THE 
   CUMULATIVE EFFECTS OF THE AMENDMENTS IS TO RENDER THE 
   POLITICAL PLAYING FIELD IN ZIMBABWE MUCH MORE UNEVEN 
   THAN IT HAD BEEN HITHERTO.  OVER AND ABOVE THE PHYSICAL 
   DANGERS THOSE WHO BRAVE STANDING AGAINST ZANU PF 
   CANDIDATES FACE BECAUSE OF THE EVER-PRESENT VIOLENCE THE 
   PARTY ALWAYS UNLEASHES AGAINST THOSE WHO OPPOSE IT, THE 
   AMENDMENTS MAKE CONTEST BY ANYONE OUTSIDE ZANU PF A 
   COSTLY, FUTILE EXERCISE. . .  PUT BLUNTLY, THE 
   GOVERNMENT HAS DEVISED AN EASY MECHANISM TO CHEAT ITS 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
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   WAY INTO REMAINING IN POWER. . .  THE GOVERNMENT IS 
   DOING ITS DAMNEDEST TO DISENFRANCHISE ALL ZIMBABWEANS IT 
   THINKS WILL VOTE FOR THE OPPOSITION.  THIS IS CRIMINAL." 
 
3.   UNDER HEADLINE "WE CAN HANDLE ELECTIONS ON OUR OWN," 
   THE NOVEMBER 9 EDITION OF THE GOVERNMENT-CONTROLLED 
   WEEKLY "THE MANICA POST" COMMENTS: 
 
   "A PROPOSAL BY THE GOVERNMENT TO AMEND THE ELECTORAL ACT 
   TO GIVE POWERS TO THE ELECTORAL SUPERVISORY COMMISSION 
   (ESC) TO RECRUIT, TRAIN AND DEPLOY ELECTION MONITORS IN 
   ALL ELECTIONS, BE THEY PRESIDENTIAL OR PARLIAMENTARY BY- 
   ELECTIONS, SHOULD BE WELCOMED BY EVERYONE WHO IS PROUD 
   TO BE ZIMBABWEAN. . .  PREVIOUSLY THE ESC HAS RELIED ON 
   MONITORS TRAINED BY NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS, AN 
   UNHEALTHY SITUATION CONSIDERING THAT THE SUPERVISORY 
   BODY WAS NOT DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN THEIR TRAINING.  THIS 
   PUT ESC IN AN AWKWARD POSITION.  HOW, FOR INSTANCE, 
   COULD IT BE IN CHARGE OF PEOPLE WHOSE TRAINING IT HAD 
   LITTLE TO DO WITH?  ON THE OTHER HAND, HOW MUCH CAN THE 
   NGOS BE TRUSTED TO TRAIN ELECTION MONITORS WHEN SOME OF 
   THEM ARE KNOWN TO BE HOSTILE TO THE ZANU PF GOVERNMENT? 
   . . .IT IS HIGH TIME THE OPPOSITION IS DISABUSED OF THE 
   NOTION THAT ZIMBABWEANS CANNOT HANDLE THEIR OWN AFFAIRS. 
   . . ." 
 
4.   UNDER HEADLINE "THE HOUR HAS COME," THE NOVEMBER 8 
   EDITION OF THE INDEPENDENT WEEKLY "THE FINANCIAL 
   GAZETTE" COMMENTS: 
 
   "ALL THE PIECES OF ZERO HOUR OF ZIMBABWE BEING DESIGNED 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
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   BY THE RULING ZANU PF PARTY ARE FINALLY COMING INTO 
   PLACE, HERALDING FOREBODING TIMES FOR LONG-SUFFERING 
   CITIZENS AND CHALLENGING THE CONSCIENCE OF ALL RIGHT- 
   THINKING MEN AND WOMEN ACROSS THE GLOBE.  AFTER MUCH 
   TIME AND ENERGY HAS BEEN SPENT ON AN EMPTY DIALOGUE WITH 
   THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY AND ZIMBABWEANS, ZANU PF HAS 
   NOW TAKEN OFF THE GLOVES TO SHOW ITS TRUE COLORS: A 
   MONSTER WHICH BELIEVES IT HAS BECOME LARGER THAN LIFE. 
   THUS THE GOVERNING PARTY WILL STAGE-MANAGE THE UPCOMING 
   PRESIDENTIAL BALLOT, WHICH ITS LEADER PRESIDENT ROBERT 
   MUGABE COULD LOSE, UNDER ITS OWN SO-CALLED RULES AND 
   ANYONE UNHAPPY WITH THIS STATE OF AFFAIRS CAN CRY OR 
   YELL UNTIL HELL FREEZES.  SO FOREIGN OBSERVERS WILL ONLY 
   BE ALLOWED INTO ZIMBABWE AT THE BEHEST OF THE 
   GOVERNMENT. . .WHICH MEANS THAT ONLY THOSE PUPPETS FROM 
   'FRIENDLY COUNTRIES' WILL BE INVITED TO LEND THEIR 
   OBVIOUS SUPPORT TO A GIGANTIC FRAUD. . .  ZIMBABWEANS 
   AND THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY MUST THUS PREPARE FOR 
   THE VERY WORST: ZIMBABWEANS WILL HAVE TO DEFEND 
   THEMSELVES AGAINST TERROR GANGS AND VOTE OVERWHELMINGLY 
   TO END THIS TYRANNY WHILE THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
                           UNCLASSIFIED     PTQ1119 
 
PAGE 01        HARARE  03365  02 OF 02  131320Z 
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   VCE-00 
      NSAE-00  TEST-00  USIE-00  IIP-00   DSCC-00  DRL-02   NFAT-00 
      SAS-00     /003W 
                  ------------------3D82A2  131320Z /38 
P 131236Z NOV 01 
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0257 
INFO NSC WASHDC 
AMEMBASSY PRETORIA 
AMEMBASSY LUSAKA 
AMEMBASSY WINDHOEK 
AMEMBASSY GABORONE 
AMEMBASSY LILONGWE 
AMEMBASSY LONDON 
 
UNCLAS SECTION 02 OF 02 HARARE 003365 
 
SIPDIS 
 
AF/PD FOR COX, ROBERTSON, AF/S FOR SCHLACHTER, AF/RA FOR 
SWANN, INR/R/MR, NSC FOR JENDAYI FRAZER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OCII, ZI, PREL, PHUM 
SUBJECT: MEDIA REPORT 2002 PRESIDENTIAL BALLOT; HARARE 
 
   TAKES WHATEVER MEASURES ARE NECESSARY TO ENSURE THAT 
   DEMOCRACY AND SANITY PREVAIL. . . ." 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        HARARE  03365  02 OF 02  131320Z 
 
SULLIVAN 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
>