US embassy cable - 88HARARE5924

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 05924 
 
S/CT FOR WHARTON 
 
E.O. 12356: N/A 
TAGS:  ZI, KPRP, PTER 
SUBJECT:  ZIMBABWE - 1988 ANNUAL TERRORISM REPORT 
 
REF:  A) STATE 357278, B) STATE 279799 
 
 
1.  THE FOLLOWING IS OUR SUBMISSION FOR THE ANNUAL 
TERRORISM REPORT AS OUTLINED IN REF A: 
 
COURT PROSECUTIONS INVOLVING TERRORISM IN 1988 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
2.  THERE WERE TWO NOTEWORTHY COURT CASES INVOLVING 
INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM IN 1988.  THE FIRST CONCERNED 
SIX INDIVIDUALS ACCUSED OF A STRING OF SOUTH AFRICAN 
DIRECTED BOMBINGS OF SUSPECTED ANC TARGETS IN HARARE AND 
BULAWAYO OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS.  THE SECOND WAS THE 
CASE OF A MOZAMBICAN NATIONAL ACCUSED OF BEING A RENAMO 
TERRORIST. 
 
3.  ONE OF THE SIX ALLEGED SOUTH AFRICAN AGENTS, RORY 
MAGUIRE, WAS CONVICTED AND SENTENCED IN JULY TO SEVEN 
YEARS FOR HIS ROLE IN THE BOMBINGS.  THREE OTHERS-- 
KEVIN WOODS, MICHAEL SMITH AND PHILLIP CONJWAYO--ARE 
BEING TRIED AT PRESENT.  TWO--BARRY BAWDEN AND GUY 
BAWDEN--STILL AWAIT TRIAL. 
 
4.  THE ACCUSED RENAMO TERRORIST, JOHN SAMUEL MATAVEYA, 
WAS CONVICTED IN NOVEMBER ON SIX OF SEVEN COUNTS OF 
MURDER, ATTEMPTED MURDER, ARMED ROBBERY AND POSSESSION 
OF ARMS OF WAR.  MATAVEYA KILLED TWO CIVILIANS, 
INCLUDING A YOUNG BOY, IN APRIL 1987.  HIS WAS THE FIRST 
TRIAL IN ZIMBABWEAN COURTS OF AN ALLEGED RENAMO 
TERRORIST. 
 
 
PLO STATUS 
---------- 
5.  THE PLO IS ACCORDED FULL DIPLOMATIC STATUS INCLUDING 
AN ACCREDITED AMBASSADOR.  THIS IS UNCHANGED SINCE 1987. 
 
 
PUBLIC STATEMENTS IN SUPPORT OF TERRORISM 
----------------------------------------- 
6.  NONE. 
 
 
MAJOR COUNTERTERRORISM EFFORTS IN 1988 
-------------------------------------- 
7.  THE MAJOR COUNTERTERRORISM ACTIONS THIS YEAR HAVE 
BEEN: 
 
-- CONTINUING EFFORTS TO COUNTER AND CONTAIN RENAMO 
INCURSIONS INTO EASTERN ZIMBABWE AND ESPECIALLY RENAMO 
ATTACKS ON BORDER CIVILIAN POPULATIONS.  THOUGH THE 
LEVEL OF SUCH RENAMO ACTIVITY MAY HAVE DROPPED, 
CIVILIANS ALONG THE BORDER ARE STILL SUBJECT TO MURDER, 
MUTILATION AND DISAPPEARANCE. 
 
-- THE ARREST AND ELIMINATION OF A MAJOR NETWORK OF 
SOUTH AFRICAN AGENTS APPARENTLY RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL 
BOMBING ATTACKS AGAINST SUSPECTED ANC TARGETS IN RECENT 
YEARS. 
 
-- THE AMNESTY DECLARED IN APRIL WHICH, ALONG WITH THE 
UNITY AGREEMENT BETWEEN ZANU AND ZAPU, EFFECTIVELY ENDED 
DISSIDENT VIOLENCE IN MATABELELAND.  113 DISSIDENTS 
TURNED THEMSELVES IN ACCOUNTING FOR MOST ALL THOSE 
BELIEVED TO BE OPERATING IN THE BUSH. 
 
RESPONSE OF THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM 
------------------------------- 
8.  THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM HAS RESPONDED TO CASES OF 
ALLEGED TERRORISM BROUGHT BEFORE IT IN LINE WITH 
INTERNATIONALLY ACCEPTED STANDARDS FOR AN INDEPENDENT 
AND PROFESSIONAL JUDICIARY.  SO FAR THIS YEAR THERE HAVE 
BEEN TWO CONVICTIONS, AS OUTLINED ABOVE, WHILE OTHER 
TRIALS ARE STILL UNDER WAY. 
 
SUPPORT FOR INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM 
----------------------------------- 
9.  ZIMBABWE ACCORDS THE ANC REPRESENTATIVE IN HARARE 
OFFICIAL STATUS AND SUPPORTS THE ANC'S POLITICAL GOAL OF 
AN END TO APARTHEID.  SOME 250 SOUTH AFRICAN EXILES FIND 
REFUGE IN ZIMBABWE.  IN THE PAST, THE SOUTH AFRICAN 
GOVERNMENT HAS CHARGED THAT THE ANC HAS LAUNCHED ATTACKS 
WITHIN SOUTH AFRICA FROM ZIMBABWEAN TERRITORY.  BUT THE 
ZIMBABWEAN GOVERNMENT MAKES A GENUINE EFFORT TO CONTROL 
ANC ACTIVITY ON ZIMBABWEAN TERRITORY.  THERE IS NO 
EVIDENCE OF ANY PERMANENT ANC MILITARY PRESENCE IN 
ZIMBABWE. 
 
 
RAWLINGS