US embassy cable - 02HARARE286

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MEDIA REPORT PAPER CONDEMNS MEDIA BILL; HARARE

Identifier: 02HARARE286
Wikileaks: View 02HARARE286 at Wikileaks.org
Origin: Embassy Harare
Created: 2002-01-31 13:15:00
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.

311315Z Jan 02

 

                           UNCLASSIFIED     PTO7905

PAGE 01        HARARE  00286  311905Z 
ACTION AF-00    

INFO  LOG-00   CIAE-00  DODE-00  SRPP-00  EUR-00   UTED-00  VC-00    
      H-01     TEDE-00  INR-00   L-00     AC-01    NSAE-00  NSCE-00  
      OMB-01   PA-00    PM-00    PRS-00   ACE-00   P-00     SP-00    
      SS-00    TRSE-00  T-00     USIE-00  PMB-00   DRL-02   G-00     
      SAS-00     /005W
                  ------------------603680  311905Z /03    
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0846
INFO NSC WASHDC
AMEMBASSY PRETORIA 
AMEMBASSY LUSAKA 
AMEMBASSY WINDHOEK 
AMEMBASSY GABORONE 
AMEMBASSY LILONGWE 
AMEMBASSY LONDON 
UNCLAS HARARE 000286 
 
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: MEDIA REPORT PAPER CONDEMNS MEDIA BILL; HARARE 
 
 
1.   UNDER HEADLINE "THE BILL THAT THREATENS ACCESS TO 
    DEMOCRACY" THE INDEPENDENT DAILY "THE DAILY NEWS" DEDICATED 
    ITS JANUARY 29 EDITORIAL TO CONDEMNING THE CONTROVERSIAL 
    ACCESS TO INFORMATION AND PROTECTION OF PRIVACY BILL AS A 
    THREAT TO DEMOCRACY.  EXCERPTS FOLLOW: 
 
2.   "FEW BILLS HAVE CAUSED AS MUCH POLARIZATION IN ZANU PF 
    AS THE CONTROVERSIAL, STALINIST AND MISNAMED ACCESS TO 
    INFORMATION AND PROTECTION OF PRIVACY BILL.  THE TITLE 
    OF THE BILL OUGHT TO HAVE EMPHASIZED ITS PRIMARY 
    OBJECTIVE - TO SILENCE THE INDEPENDENT OR PRIVATELY- 
    OWNED MEDIA. . .WHEN PARLIAMENT RESUMES ITS DEBATE OF 
    THE BILL, IT MUST BE THE HOPE OF ALL FREEDOM-LOVING AND 
    FREE-THINKING PEOPLE THAT IT WILL EITHER BE THROWN OUT 
    OR WATERED DOWN TO CONFORM WITH THE HOPES OF AN 
    ELECTORATE KEEN TO ACHIEVE REAL POLITICAL PLURALISM. 
    IN A REAL DEMOCRACY, NO LAW CIRCUMSCRIBING THE FREEDOM 
    OF THE PRESS CAN BE SEEN AS A DESIRABLE COMPONENT OF 
    THE OPENING-UP OF THE HORIZONS OF FREEDOM FOR THE 
    PEOPLE. . . ." 
 
SULLIVAN 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
> 

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