US embassy cable - 01HARARE3740

UNCLAS HARARE 003740 
 
SIPDIS 
 
AF/PD FOR COX, ROBERTSON, AF/S FOR KRAFT, AF/RA FOR SWANN, 
INR/R/MR, NSC FOR JENDAYI FRAZER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ZI, PREL, PHUM 
SUBJECT: MEDIA REPORT ZDERA; HARARE 
 
 
1.   THE MAINSTREAM PRINT PRESS CONTINUES TO PUBLISH 
    OPINION PIECES ON THE ZIMBABWE DEMOCRACY AND ECONOMIC 
    RECOVERY ACT (ZDERA) OF 2001.  THIS WEEK THE ACT WAS 
    INCLUDED ON THE AGENDA AT THE JUST-ENDED FIFTH ZANU PF 
    NATIONAL PEOPLE'S CONFERENCE IN VICTORIA FALLS.  A QUICK 
    SAMPLE OF THE OPINION PIECES AND WHAT WAS SAID ABOUT THE 
    ZDERA AT THE ZANU PF CONGRESS FOLLOW: 
 
2.   UNDER HEADLINE "WHY WE SHOULD SUPPORT THE ZIMBABWE 
    DEMOCRACY BILL," THE DECEMBER 14 EDITION OF THE INDEPENDENT 
    WEEKLY "ZIMBABWE INDEPENDENT" CARRIED THE FOLLOWING PIECE 
    BY PAUL MAVHIMA: 
 
    ". . .THE PASSAGE OF THE BILL IS A GOOD INDICATOR THAT 
    THE WORLD IS WATCHING ZIMBABWE AND THAT THERE IS NOW 
    ZERO TOLERANCE EVEN FROM ITS AFRICAN-AMERICAN FRIENDS 
    WHO COULD HAVE BLOCKED THE BILL IF THEY HAD REALLY 
    WANTED TO DO SO.  IT WOULD BE UNUSUAL TO FIND A 
    SITUATION WHERE THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY WOULD NOT 
    TAKE STEPS IN CONDEMNING A GOVERNMENT THAT IS KILLING 
    ITS OWN PEOPLE. . . ." 
 
3.   UNDER HEADLINE "DEMOCRACY BILL: U.S.'S WAY OF TESTING 
    THE TURBULENCE," THE DECEMBER 15 EDITION OF THE GOVERNMENT- 
    CONTROLLED DAILY "CHRONICLE" RAN THE FOLLOWING FEATURE 
    ARTICLE BY KENNEDY MAVHUMAHASHA: 
 
    "DETRACTORS OF ZIMBABWE'S LAND REFORMS EXPECT U.S. 
    PRESIDENT GEORGE BUSH TO SIGN THE ZDERA 2001 INTO LAW 
    SOON REGARDLESS OF STRONG REPRESENTATIONS FROM AFRICA 
    AGAINST THE PIECE OF LEGISLATION.  ANALYSTS SAID THAT 
    THE FACT THAT THE ACT, CRITICIZED WIDELY FOR BEING 
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    'DRACONIAN AND RACIST,' EASILY SAILED THROUGH THE 
    AMERICAN SENATE AND CONGRESS REFLECTED THE HARD-LINE 
    RESOLVE IN THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION TO HAVE ITS WAY 
    AGAINST ZIMBABWE. . . ." 
 
4.   THE DECEMBER 17 EDITION OF THE GOVERNMENT-CONTROLLED 
    DAILY "THE HERALD" PRINTED CRITICISM OF ZDERA FROM 
    CONGRESSWOMAN CYNTHIA MCKINNEY AND CHIEF ELDER OSIRIS 
    AKKEBALA.  THE PAPER PRINTED THEIR REMARKS ON THE OPINION 
    PAGE UNDER HEADLINES "BILL PERPETUATES PRIVILEGES," AND 
    "AMERICA STICKS IMPERIALIST HANDS IN SOVEREIGN AFFAIRS OF 
    ZIMBABWE," RESPECTIVELY. 
 
5.   THE DECEMBER 16 EDITION OF THE GOVERNMENT-CONTROLLED 
    WEEKLY "THE SUNDAY MAIL" CARRIED AN OPEN LETTER TO 
    CONGRESSMAN PAYNE SIGNED BY FRIENDS OF ZIMBABWE, BROOKLYN, 
    NY, UNDER HEADLINE "HANDS OFF ZIMBABWE" [NB: WE NOTE THAT 
    THE ANONYMOUS AUTHOR OF THIS LETTER USES DISTINCTLY NON- 
    AMERICAN RHETORIC AND VOCABULARY]: 
 
    "AS ONE OF 40,000,000 BLACK PEOPLE WHOM THE 
    CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS IS SUPPOSED TO REPRESENT, I 
    WAS APPALLED TO LEARN THAT YOU HAVE CO-SPONSORED A 
    VERSION OF THE ZDERA OF 2001.  IN WHATEVER LANGUAGE IT 
    IS COUCHED, THIS ACT IS STILL NOTHING BUT A SANCTIONS 
    BILL AGAINST THE SECOND LONGEST STABLE DEMOCRACY ON THE 
    AFRICAN CONTINENT.  ITS ALLEGED CONCERN ABOUT THE 'RULE 
    OF DEMOCRACY' CONCEALS ITS REAL GOAL, WHICH IS TO 
    PUNISH AN AFRICAN LEADERSHIP, WHICH HAS HAD THE COURAGE 
    TO ACT ON THE RIGHT OF AFRICAN PEOPLE TO RECLAIM LAND 
    WHICH WAS STOLEN FROM THEM. . .  I ALSO CANNOT 
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    UNDERSTAND HOW YOU, WHO OPPOSED SANCTIONS AGAINST CUBA, 
    CAN NOW ADVOCATE THEM AGAINST ZIMBABWE, A COUNTRY WHOSE 
    ECONOMY IS ALREADY DEVASTATED.  THE CAMPAIGNS AGAINST 
    IRAQ AND CUBA HAVE PROVEN THAT SANCTIONS DON'T WORK. . 
    ." 
 
6.   UNDER HEADLINE "U.S., U.K. GOVERNMENTS WARNED," THE 
    DECEMBER 15 EDITION OF THE GOVERNMENT-CONTROLLED DAILY "THE 
    HERALD" CARRIED THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE BY PHILLIP MAGWAZA: 
 
    "THE ZIMBABWE NATIONAL LIBERATION WAR VETERANS 
    ASSOCIATION YESTERDAY (DECEMBER 14) WARNED THE AMERICAN 
    AND BRITISH GOVERNMENTS THAT THERE WILL BE NO PEACE IN 
    THE COUNTRY ONCE THE ZIMBABWE SANCTIONS BILL IS PASSED 
    INTO LAW BY U.S. PRESIDENT GEORGE BUSH. . .'  ONCE THE 
    BILL IS PASSED, THERE SHOULD BE NOTHING THAT WILL STOP 
    US FROM TAKING ACTION.  WE ARE GOING TO FIGHT ON THE 
    DAY THE BILL IS PASSED.  THERE WILL BE NO PEACE IN THIS 
    COUNTRY. . . .,' WAR VETERANS ACTING CHAIRMAN PATRICK 
    NYARUWATA IS QUOTED AS SAYING. . . ." 
 
SULLIVAN 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
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