US embassy cable - 02HARARE689

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 000689 
 
SIPDIS 
 
AF/PD FOR COX AND ROBERTSON, AF/S FOR KRAFT AND 
SCHLACHTER, AF/RA FOR SWANN, INR/R/MR, NSC FOR JENDAYI 
FRAZER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ZI, PREL, PHUM 
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION MUGABE WINS POLL; HARARE 
 
 
1.   EDITORIALS IN THE GOVERNMENT-CONTROLLED AND THE 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
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   PRIVATE NEWSPAPERS REMAIN SHARPLY DIVIDED ABOUT 
   PRESIDENT ROBERT MUGABE'S VICTORY IN THE JUST-ENDED 
   PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION IN ZIMBABWE.  WHILE THE 
   INDEPENDENT PRESS CHARACTERIZES MUGABE'S VICTORY AS 
   "STOLEN," THE GOVERNMENT-CONTROLLED MEDIA TRUMPETS 
   HIS WIN AS "A TRIUMPH FOR DEMOCRACY."  EDITORIAL 
   EXCERPTS FOLLOW: 
 
2.   UNDER HEADLINE "ELECTION RESULT FLIES IN THE FACE 
   OF CIVILIZATION," THE INDEPENDENT DAILY "THE DAILY 
   NEWS" (03/15) COMMENTS: 
 
   "PRESIDENT MUGABE HAS MANAGED TO ACHIEVE WHAT TO 
   EVERYBODY LOOKED AN IMPOSSIBILITY: HANGING ON TO 
   POWER WHEN ALL INDICATIONS WERE THAT NEARLY 
   EVERYONE, INCLUDING MANY OF THOSE IN THE INNER 
   CIRCLE OF HIS PARTY, WANTED HIM TO GO.  IT WAS AN 
   UNSPOKEN NATIONAL CONSENSUS THAT THE MAN HAD BECOME 
   AN UNSUSTAINABLE LIABILITY TO THE COUNTRY AND 
   SHOULD HAVE NO FURTHER BUSINESS RUNNING THE AFFAIRS 
   OF STATE.  IT IS. . .A VERY SAD COMMENTARY ON A MAN 
   WHO ROSE TO POLITICAL PROMINENCE ON THE BASIS OF 
   HIS UNCOMPROMISING ADVOCACY FOR UNIVERSAL SUFFRAGE 
   TO BE SEEN TO HAVE DONE EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO DENY 
   HIS FELLOW CITIZENS THAT VERY RIGHT AS THE ONLY WAY 
   OF ENSURING HE HANGS ON TO POWER AGAINST THE WILL 
   OF HIS COMPATRIOTS. . . THIS ELECTION IS LIKELY TO 
   GO DOWN IN HISTORY AS PROBABLY THE MOST FRAUDULENT 
   POLL IN THE 21ST CENTURY." 
 
3.   "UNDER HEADLINE "OVER 1,2 M ZIMBABWEANS REFUSE TO 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
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   BE COERCED," THE INDEPENDENT WEEKLY "ZIMBABWE 
   INDEPENDENT" (03/15) COMMENTS: 
 
   "'YOU WON THE ELECTION, BUT I WON THE COUNT,' 
   FORMER NICARAGUAN DICTATOR ANASTASIO SOMOZA IS 
   REPORTED AS HAVING ONCE BOASTED.  THAT WOULD BE AN 
   APT VIEW OF PRESIDENT MUGABE'S TRANSPARENTLY STOLEN 
   'VICTORY' IN LAST WEEKEND'S PRESIDENTIAL POLL. . . 
   MEANWHILE, 1,2 MILLION ZIMBABWEANS HAVE DECLARED 
   THEY WILL NOT BE INTIMIDATED OR COERCED AND THAT 
   THEY WON'T ACCEPT MUGABE'S VIOLENT LAND SEIZURES. 
   WE SALUTE THOSE BRAVE PEOPLE." 
 
4.   UNDER HEADLINE "A TRIUMPH FOR DEMOCRACY," THE 
   GOVERNMENT-CONTROLLED DAILY "THE HERALD" (03/15) 
   COMMENTS: 
   AS EXPECTED ZANU PF CANDIDATE ROBERT MUGABE ROMPED 
   HOME TO VICTORY WITH A MASSIVE VOTE.  THAT THE ZANU 
   PF CANDIDATE WON THE PRESIDENCY AND THAT THE 
   SITUATION IS CALM, IS SOMETHING WHICH IS NOT GOING 
   DOWN WELL IN CERTAIN QUARTERS OF THE WESTERN WORLD. 
   ZIMBABWE IS SUPPOSED TO BE EXPERIENCING A BLOODBATH 
   THIS VERY HOUR BECAUSE THE VOTE WAS 'STOLEN' FROM 
   THE MDC.  THE VOTE IS VIEWED AS A 'FRAUD.'  THE MDC 
   SHOULD HAVE WON, COME WHAT MAY! 
   . . .WE HAVE SAID IN THE PAST THAT THIS WAS THE 
   TIME FOR AFRICA TO MAKE A FINAL STAND ON ITS 
   POLITICAL PROCESSES.  AFRICANS MUST OBSERVE AND 
   PASS JUDGEMENT ON THEIR OWN ELECTIONS AND NOT 
   ANYONE ELSE FROM OUTSIDE THE CONTINENT. . .  LET US 
   SHOW THE WORLD THAT WE CAN MANAGE OUR OWN AFFAIRS." 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 04        HARARE  00689  01 OF 02  150936Z 
 
5.   UNDER HEADLINE "ZIMBABWEANS SHAME DETRACTORS," 
   THE 
   BULAWAYO-BASED GOVERNMENT-CONTROLLED DAILY 
   "CHRONICLE" (03/15) COMMENTS: 
 
   "WE ARE HUMBLED BY THE MATURITY OF ZIMBABWEANS WHO 
   HAVE SHAMED DETRACTORS SUCH AS THE BRITISH AND 
   AUSTRALIANS WHO WERE PREACHING HATE-MONGERING IN 
   ORDER TO INCITE GENOCIDE.  ZIMBABWEANS, IN THEIR 
   WISDOM, HAVE SHOWN THE WORLD THAT THEY NEED NOT 
   SHED BLOOD IN ORDER TO MAKE A POLITICAL STATEMENT. 
   IF THERE IS GENOCIDE, THE PEOPLE WHO WILL DIE ARE 
   ZIMBABWEANS AND NOT AUSTRALIANS OR BRITONS.  WE 
   URGE THE LOSING CANDIDATES IN THE PRESIDENTIAL 
   ELECTION TO ACCEPT THAT PRESIDENT MUGABE IS THE 
   PEOPLE'S CHOICE. . .  COUNTRIES THAT WANTED TO RE- 
   COLONIZE ZIMBABWE THROUGH THE BACK DOOR HAVE BEEN 
   SHAMED AND WE SHOULD NOT PLAY INTO THEIR HANDS BY 
   ENGAGING IN UNNECESSARY SQUABBLES.  NOW IS THE TIME 
   TO PUT OUR HEADS TOGETHER AND MAP THE WAY FORWARD 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
                           UNCLASSIFIED     PTQ6412 
 
PAGE 01        HARARE  00689  02 OF 02  150936Z 
ACTION INR-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   NP-00    AF-00    A-00     ACQ-00   CIAE-00  DODE-00 
      DS-00    EUR-00   UTED-00  VC-00    TEDE-00  LAB-01   VCE-00 
      NSAE-00  TEST-00  USIE-00  IIP-00   DSCC-00  DRL-02   NFAT-00 
      SAS-00     /003W 
                  ------------------7518A3  150936Z /38 
P 150925Z MAR 02 
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1227 
INFO NSC WASHDC 
AMEMBASSY PRETORIA 
AMEMBASSY LUSAKA 
AMEMBASSY WINDHOEK 
AMEMBASSY GABORONE 
AMEMBASSY LILONGWE 
AMEMBASSY LONDON 
 
UNCLAS SECTION 02 OF 02 HARARE 000689 
 
SIPDIS 
 
AF/PD FOR COX AND ROBERTSON, AF/S FOR KRAFT AND 
SCHLACHTER, AF/RA FOR SWANN, INR/R/MR, NSC FOR JENDAYI 
FRAZER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OCII, ZI, PREL, PHUM 
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION MUGABE WINS POLL; HARARE 
 
   AS WE SEEK TO REVIVE THE AILING ECONOMY." 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        HARARE  00689  02 OF 02  150936Z 
 
SULLIVAN 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
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