US embassy cable - 05HARARE165

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 000165 
 
SIPDIS 
 
INFO ALL EUROPEAN DIPLOMATIC POSTS 
ALL DIPLOMATIC POSTS 
NSC WASHDC 
 
AF/S FOR BNEULING 
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR C. COURVELLE, D. TEITELBAUM 
TREASURY FOR OREN WYCHE-SHAW, STATE PASS USAID FOR MARJORIE 
COPSON 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/31/2009 
TAGS: EAGR, PGOV, ZI, ECON, EINV, Agriculture 
SUBJECT: WHITE FARMER GROUPS STILL AT ODDS 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Christopher Dell for reason 1.4 b/d 
 
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Summary 
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1. (C) A recent appeal by a branch of the Commercial Farmers 
Union (CFU) requesting financial assistance for a reception 
for Vice President Joyce Mujuru has divided white farmers. 
The CFU, which has defended the appeal, told us privately it 
was part of an effort to rebuild ties with the GOZ.  However, 
the more hard line Justice for Agriculture (JAG) group has 
reacted angrily to the appeal with numerous letters on its 
web site denouncing the reception as a sell-out.  End summary. 
 
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CFU Appeal 
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2. (C) As a goodwill gesture toward the ZANU-PF government, 
the CFU,s Midlands chapter recently asked members to 
contribute Z$ 1 million (US$ 161) for a Jan. 12 reception in 
honor of recently-appointed VP Mujuru.  The CFU,s letter to 
members - reprinted on the JAG news service - urged them to 
treat this collection as "a strategy that will ultimately 
lead to benefits of sorts in the future."  Both CFU and JAG 
officials told us that this marks the first time since the 
GOZ began fast-track land reform in 2001 that a CFU chapter 
has asked members to sponsor a ZANU-PF function. 
 
3. (C) CFU President Doug Taylor Freeme said in December that 
this approach would be in in line with his efforts to rebuild 
relations with GOZ leaders whom he considers reasonable, such 
as Vice President Joseph Msika, Lands Minister John Nkomo and 
Reserve Bank President Gideon Gono.  Taylor-Freeme - whose 
remaining membership is still farming on a reduced scale - 
also told us on Jan. 5 that he has largely given up both on 
the compensation route and on the MDC,s prospects to take 
power.  The CFU President even confided that he now prefers a 
"moderate" ZANU-PF to MDC government.  As part of an 
agreement between Lands Minister Nkomo and Taylor-Freeme, the 
CFU President said several of his white members in Chinoyi 
(Mashonaland West) have even applied for classification as A2 
farmers (large-scale land reform beneficiaries) since 
December. 
 
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JAG Reaction 
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4. (SBU) However, white farmers in the more hard line Justice 
for Agriculture (JAG) have reacted angrily, condemning such 
overtures as "appeasement of the enemy."  A delegation of JAG 
members told us Jan 12 that most of their members would never 
again sit at a negotiating table with the ZANU-PF nor return 
to large-scale commercial farming in Zimbabwe.  They said 
their current strategy was solely to obtain compensation for 
losses from either the international community or from an MDC 
government.  Excerpts from JAG,s electronic discussion group 
reflect their rancor toward the GOZ and, increasingly, the 
CFU: 
 
- "We only needed one or two in our midst that chickened out 
. . . By doing their deals (CFU members) bought time for 
themselves, but at what expense? . . . (We must) not sup with 
the devils."  - Former farmer TM Lambert 
 
- "I am absolutely horrified at the compromise of integrity 
by these few farmers remaining on their land. . .  I am 
disgusted to hear and read of farmers who are basically 
working for the thugs who stole the land."  - Former farmer 
Liz Stewart 
 
- "The CFU have continued to attempt to appease the 
Zimbabwean government for the last 59 months. . . The CFU 
said dialogue was the only way forward. .  . As a former 
farmer and CFU member, I hang my head in disgust and shame." 
- Former farmer Cathy Buckley 
 
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Comment 
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5.  (C) Animosity between CFU and JAG has increased to such 
an extent that white farmers no longer present a united 
front.  Given that nearly all CFU members supported the MDC 
in the 2002 presidential elections, a turn toward a ZANU-PF 
faction from the 500 or so still-active white farmers signals 
a noteworthy evolution.  If the Nkomo faction within the 
ruling party can stave off further farm seizures, it may have 
a shot at beginning a process of reconciliation with 
remaining white farmers - a necessary step, in our view, 
toward recovery in the farming sector. 
DELL