US embassy cable - 02HARARE292

UNCLAS HARARE 000292 
 
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 "WEST BIASED AGAINST ZIMBABWE"; 
HARARE 
 
 
1.   UNDER HEADLINE "WEST BIASED AGAINST ZIMBABWE: SOME 
    LOCAL SCRIBES HAVE BECOME MASCOTS OF NEO-COLONIALISM," THE 
    JANUARY 31 EDITION OF THE GOVERNMENT-CONTROLLED DAILY "THE 
    HERALD" CARRIED AN OPINION PIECE BY OLLEY MARUMA THAT IS 
    CRITICAL OF THE U. S. FOREIGN POLICY.  ARTICLE EXCERPTS 
    FOLLOW: 
 
2.   ". . .WHAT IS BAFFLING IS WHY THE AMERICANS ARE 
    PREPARED TO TAKE PUNITIVE MEASURES AGAINST THE ZIMBABWE 
    ARMY, WHEN THEY ARE QUITE PREPARED TO CO-OPERATE WITH PEREZ 
    MUSHARAF. . .A MAN WHO USURPED POWER THROUGH A MILITARY 
    COUP?  IS IT BECAUSE ZIMBABWE IS A SMALL AFRICAN STATE THAT 
    SHOULD BE TREATED LIKE A 
    VASSAL. . . ?  ALTHOUGH MUSHARAF'S GOVERNMENT USES A 
    WIDE RANGE OF LEGAL AND CONSTITUTIONAL POWERS TO CURB 
    PRESS FREEDOM, THE AMERICAN CONGRESS STILL HAS NOT COME 
    UP WITH A PAKISTANI DEMOCRACY BILL.  IN PAKISTAN, THE 
    AUTHORITIES HAVE FREQUENTLY DETAINED AND THREATENED 
    JOURNALISTS, INTERFERED WITH NEWSPAPER DISTRIBUTION. . 
    .BUT THE ONLY WORDS WE HAVE HEARD ABOUT MUSHARAF FROM 
    AMERICAN OFFICIALS ARE GLOWING TRIBUTES ABOUT HIS 
    COURAGE IN FIGHTING TERRORISM. . .IN SEPTEMBER 2001, 
    PAKISTAN BANNED CABLE OPERATIONS FROM AIRING INDIAN 
    CABLE AND SATELLITE TV CHANNELS ON THE GROUNDS THAT THE 
    INDIAN MEDIA WAS PROMOTING 'ANTI-PAKISTAN PROPAGANDA.' 
    BUT WHEN ZIMBABWE AUTHORITIES CLOSE DOWN A PIRATE RADIO 
    STATION BECAUSE IT IS OPERATING WITHOUT A LICENSE, 
    THEIR ACTIONS ARE VILIFIED ALL OVER THE WEST AND THEY 
    ARE ACCUSED OF 'SUPPRESSING THE MEDIA. . .'  ANOTHER 
    LEADER WHO HAS ESCAPED CENSURE FOR HER DUBIOUS 
    USURPATION OF POWER IS THE PRESIDENT OF THE 
    PHILIPPINES, GLORIA ARROYO. . .THE REASON BOTH MRS. 
    ARROYO AND GENERAL MUSHARAF HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY 
    CENSURE FROM AMERICAN OFFICIALS FOR THEIR USURPATION OF 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        HARARE  00292  012228Z 
    POWER IS THAT THEY ARE BOTH SERVING AMERICAN SECURITY, 
    ECONOMIC AND STRATEGIC INTERESTS.  BOTH. . .HAVE 
    ALLOWED THEIR TERRITORIES TO BE USED BY AMERICAN TROOPS 
    TO FIGHT THE ABU SAYYAF AND THE TALIBAN RESPECTIVELY. 
    SO WHY THE DEMONIZATION OF PRESIDENT MUGABE AND HIS 
    GOVERNMENT?  HE HAS BROKEN OUT OF THE STRAIGHTJACKET OF 
    KOWTOWING TO AMERICAN AND BRITISH INTERESTS.  HE HAS 
    CHANGED THE BALANCE OF POWER IN SOUTHERN AFRICA TOWARDS 
    THE BLACKS BY MAKING THEM MASTERS OF THEIR OWN 
    LAND. . . ." 
 
SULLIVAN 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
>