US embassy cable - 01HARARE3687

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 003687 
 
SIPDIS 
 
AF/PD FOR COX, ROBERTSON, SCHLACHTER, AF/S FOR KRAFT, 
AF/P, INR/R/MR, NSC FOR JENDAYI FRAZER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ZI, PREL, PHUM 
SUBJECT: ZIMBABWE-US RELATIONS TAKE A BEATING IN 
GOVERNMENT MEDIA 
 
 
1.   PERHAPS A BIT SLOW OUT OF THE GATE, GOVERNMENT OF 
   ZIMBABWE MEDIA AND INFORMATION RESOURCES ARE NOW FULLY 
   ENGAGED IN CRITICISM OF THE ZIMBABWE DEMOCRACY AND 
   ECONOMIC RECOVERY ACT.  SOME OF THAT CRITICISM IS BASED 
   ON DELIBERATE DISTORTION OF THE BILL.  GOVERNMENT-OWNED 
   ELECTRONIC MEDIA HAVE ALSO MANIPULATED REPORTING ON THE 
   VISIT OF ASSISTANT SECRETARY KANSTEINER IN ORDER TO 
   PORTRAY THE BILL AND THE U.S. AS BULLYING ZIMBABWE.  TO 
   ITS CREDIT, HOWEVER, THE GOVERNMENT-OWNED DAILY "THE 
   HERALD" DID PUBLISH THE ENTIRE BILL AND ACCOMPANYING 
   HIRC REPORT. 
 
2.   AMONG THE MEANS USED BY GOVERNMENT-OWNED MEDIA TO 
   DISTORT ZDERA ARE: 
 
-    CONSISTENTLY CALLING IT THE "ZIMBABWE SANCTIONS 
  BILL" RATHER THAN BY ITS CORRECT NAME. 
-    COMPLETE LACK OF COVERAGE OF THE INCENTIVES ZDERA 
  OFFERS. 
-    AD HOMINEM ATTACKS AGAINST THE BILL'S SPONSORS. 
-    CHARACTERIZATION OF THE BILL AS "RACIST" 
  LEGISLATION, FAILING TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE CRITICAL ROLE 
  THE CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS PLAYED IN ITS PASSAGE. 
-    DELIBERATE MANIPULATION OF STATEMENTS BY ASSISTANT 
  SECRETARY KANSTEINER TO GIVE THE IMPRESSION THAT THE 
  UNITED STATES DEMANDED THAT THE SADC PARLIAMENTARY 
  FORUM OBSERVE ZIMBABWE'S PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS. 
-    CITING CAPTIVE AND UNNAMED SOURCES FOR STATEMENTS 
  THAT ZDERA WILL "STARVE" OR "STRANGLE" THE PEOPLE OF 
  ZIMBABWE. 
-    HIGHLIGHTING AND REPEATING COMMENTS BY MEMBERS OF 
  THE SADC MINISTERIAL TEAM CURRENTLY IN HARARE THAT SADC 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        HARARE  03687  01 OF 02  121358Z 
  OPPOSES SANCTIONS. 
-    UNCONFIRMED AND ALMOST CERTAINLY EXAGGERATED 
  REPORTS OF ANTI-ZDERA DEMONSTRATIONS BY CITIZENS IN 
  PROVINCIAL TOWNS. 
 
3.   IN ADDITION TO THE SORT OF "NEWS REPORTING" 
   OUTLINED ABOVE, GOVERNMENT-OWNED PRINT MEDIA ARE ALSO 
   INDULGING THEIR POLITICAL BOSSES WITH LENGTHY OPINION 
   PIECES DENOUNCING ZDERA AND THE U.S. WE OFFER A FEW 
   HIGHLIGHTS. 
 
4.   FROM THE DECEMBER 12 EDITION OF "THE HERALD," 
   UNDER THE TITLE "ANTI-ZIM BILL DRACONIAN -- PRESIDENT'S 
   NATIONALIST AGENDA A THREAT TO U.S. INFLUENCE": 
 
   ". . .AFTER READING THE ZDERA SEVERAL TIMES, I HAVE 
   COME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT THE REAL OBJECTIVES OF 
   THE BILL ARE REVEALED NOT BY ITS STATED INTENTIONS 
   BUT BY ITS CONTRADICTIONS.  IN ITS OPENING 
   PARAGRAPH, THE BILL SAYS ITS INTENTIONS ARE 'TO 
   PROVIDE FOR A TRANSITION TO DEMOCRACY AND TO 
   PROMOTE ECONOMIC RECOVERY IN ZIMBABWE.'  REALLY! 
   ARE WE NOW TO BELIEVE THAT AFTER HOLDING REGULAR 
   ELECTIONS IN THE YEARS 1980, 1985, 1990, 1995, 
   1996, AND 2000, ZIMBABWE HAS SOMEHOW STOPPED BEING 
   A DEMOCRACY?  AND IF THE AMERICAN GOVERNMENT IS 
   KEEN TO PROMOTE THE 'TRANSITION TO DEMOCRACY,' WHY 
   HAS IT NOT DRAFTED AN APPROPRIATE BILL FOR SOMALIA, 
   THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO AND THE SUDAN.? 
   IT IS A MEASURE OF THE ARROGANCE OF THE PEOPLE THAT 
   CRAFTED THIS BILL THAT THEY THINK ZIMBABWE'S 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 04        HARARE  03687  01 OF 02  121358Z 
   SOVEREIGNTY CAN BE BOUGHT FOR A PALTRY US$26 
   MILLION! .PRESIDENT GEORGE BUSH WAS ULTIMATELY 
   ELECTED PRESIDENT OF THE U.S., NOT BY THE AMERICAN 
   PEOPLE, BUT BY ONE VOTE, WHEN THE SUPREME COURT 
   VOTED BY 5 TO 4 IN FAVOR OF PREVENTING A RECOUNT OF 
   THE VOTES IN FLORIDA THAT MIGHT HAVE RETURNED AL 
   GORE AS THE PRESIDENT.  THE AMERICANS MUST BE 
   REMINDED THAT THEIR PATRONIZING AND PATERNALIST 
   ATTITUDE TOWARDS ZIMBABWE IS SLOWLY ERODING THEIR 
   INFLUENCE IN THIS COUNTRY.  THEY MUST BE REMINDED 
   THAT IN 25 YEARS TIME, 40 PERCENT OF AMERICA'S 
   POPULATION WILL BE COMPOSED OF PEOPLE WITH A BLACK 
   OR BROWN SKIN." 
 
5.   FROM THE DECEMBER 9 EDITION OF THE "THE SUNDAY 
   NEWS," UNDER THE TITLE "ANOTHER STAGE OF RACIST 
   OPPRESSION": 
".THE ZDERA PASSED BY THE U.S. CONGRESS. . .IS A 
MANIFESTLY RACIST PIECE OF LEGISLATION.  A COUNTRY, 
WHICH NEVER MISSES AN OPPORTUNITY TO TELL THE WORLD 
THAT IT IS A BASTION OF DEMOCRACY IS NOW GANGING UP 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
                           UNCLASSIFIED     PTQ7142 
 
PAGE 01        HARARE  03687  02 OF 02  121358Z 
ACTION INR-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   NP-00    AF-00    ACQ-00   CIAE-00  INL-00   USNW-00 
      DODE-00  DS-00    EUR-00   E-00     UTED-00  VC-00    TEDE-00 
      LAB-01   VCE-00   NSAE-00  TEST-00  USIE-00  DSCC-00  DRL-02 
      NFAT-00  SAS-00     /003W 
                  ------------------4A6A00  121359Z /38 
P 121302Z DEC 01 
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0512 
INFO NSC WASHDC 
AMEMBASSY PRETORIA 
AMEMBASSY LUSAKA 
AMEMBASSY WINDHOEK 
AMEMBASSY GABORONE 
AMEMBASSY LILONGWE 
AMEMBASSY LONDON 
 
UNCLAS SECTION 02 OF 02 HARARE 003687 
 
SIPDIS 
 
AF/PD FOR COX, ROBERTSON, SCHLACHTER, AF/S FOR KRAFT, 
AF/P, INR/R/MR, NSC FOR JENDAYI FRAZER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OCCI, ZI, PREL, PHUM 
SUBJECT: ZIMBABWE-US RELATIONS TAKE A BEATING IN 
GOVERNMENT MEDIA 
 
WITH ANGLO-SAXON BULLIES TO SCARE ZIMBABWE INTO 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        HARARE  03687  02 OF 02  121358Z 
REVERSING ITS LAND REFORM PROGRAM.  .PRIME MINISTER 
TONY BLAIR AND PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH ARE ANGRY WITH 
THE GOVERNMENT OF ZIMBABWE FOR THREATENING THEIR 
ECONOMIC INTERESTS BY EXPROPRIATING LAND STOLEN FROM 
OUR ANCESTORS BY BRITISH SETTLER COLONIALISTS. 
AMERICA'S RACIST RAGE, AS EPITOMIZED BY THE ACT, SEEKS 
TO BRING BACK BRITISH COLONIAL OPPRESSION, EXPLOITATION 
AND UNDEMOCRATIC RULE.  THE PASSING OF THE LEGISLATION 
IS TIMED TO COINCIDE WITH NEXT YEAR'S PRESIDENTIAL 
ELECTIONS.  CLEARLY THE WEST HAS A SINISTER POLITICAL 
AGENDA.  THE U.S. AND BRITAIN WANT TO INSTALL A PUPPET 
REGIME IN THIS COUNTRY TO PAVE THE WAY FOR THE PLUNDER 
OF OUR NATURAL RESOURCES. . .  THEY ARE NOW RE- 
COLONIZING AFRICA UNDER THE GUISE OF PROMOTING LIBERAL 
DEMOCRACY, HUMAN RIGHTS AND THE RULE OF LAW. . ." 
 
6.   WE ARE CONFIDENT THAT MORE OF THIS SORT OF 
   REPORTING AND COMMENTARY LIES AHEAD. WE EXPECT, FOR 
   EXAMPLE, THAT ZDERA WILL BE THE FOCUS OF CONSIDERABLE 
   ATTENTION AND CRITICISM AT THE ZANU-PF NATIONAL 
   CONFERENCE SCHEDULED FOR DECEMBER 13-15 IN VICTORIA 
   FALLS. 
 
7.   THROUGH PRESS CONFERENCES, INTERVIEWS, 
   DISTRIBUTION OF INFORMATION AND STEADY CONTACT WORK 
   WITH EDITORS AND REPORTERS, WE ARE DOING EVERYTHING WE 
   CAN TO ENSURE THAT THE PEOPLE OF ZIMBABWE HAVE ACCESS 
   TO ACCURATE INFORMATION ABOUT U.S. POLICY.  OUR 
   UNWILLINGNESS TO LIE AND OUR LACK OF ACCESS TO THE 
   ELECTRONIC MEDIA IN ZIMBABWE JUST MAKE THE CHALLENGE OF 
   GETTING OUT OUR STORY ALL THAT MUCH MORE INTERESTING. 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        HARARE  03687  02 OF 02  121358Z 
 
SULLIVAN 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
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