US embassy cable - 02HARARE712

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Identifier:	02HARARE712
Wikileaks:	View 02HARARE712 at Wikileaks.org
Origin:	Embassy Harare
Created:	2002-03-19 10:34:00
Classification:	UNCLASSIFIED
Tags:	ZI PREL PHUM
Redacted:	This cable was not redacted by Wikileaks.

UNCLAS HARARE 000712 
 
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 COMMONWEALTH TROIKA; HARARE 
 
 
1.   THE INDEPENDENT DAILY "THE DAILY NEWS" DEDICATED 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        HARARE  00712  191048Z 
   ITS MARCH 19 EDITORIAL TO THE COMMONWEALTH 
   DELIBERATIONS OVER ZIMBABWE.  THE GOVERNMENT-CONTROLLED 
   DAILY "THE HERALD" USED ITS EDITORIAL TO DISCOURAGING 
   ZIMBABWEANS FROM EMBARKING ON A THREE-DAY WORK 
   STOPPAGE.  EXCERPTS: 
 
2.   UNDER HEADLINE "COMMONWEALTH MUST BE FIRM ON 
   DEMOCRACY," THE "DAILY NEWS" (03/18) COMMENTS: 
 
   ". . .TODAY, THE COMMONWEALTH, ON THE BASIS OF A 
   REPORT BY TWO AFRICAN PRESIDENTS AND THE PRIME 
   MINISTER OF AUSTRALIA, MUST DECIDE WHAT TO DO WITH 
   ZIMBABWE'S FUTURE MEMBERSHIP.  THEY HAVE A REPORT 
   OF THE COMMONWEALTH OBSERVER GROUP TO THE 
   PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION AS THE BASIS OF THEIR 
   RECOMMENDATION TO THE HEADS OF GOVERNMENT.  THAT 
   REPORT WAS CATEGORICAL IN ITS CRITICISM - SOME 
   MIGHT SAY CONDEMNATION - OF THE CONDUCT OF THE 
   ELECTION. . .  THE COMMONWEALTH. . .MUST SEND A 
   LOUD AND CLEAR MESSAGE TO PRESIDENT MUGABE. . . 
   THEY CANNOT AFFORD TO BE EQUIVOCAL WITHOUT RISKING 
   LONG-TERM DAMAGE TO THEIR REPUTATION FOR STICKING 
   TO THEIR OWN RULES. . . ." 
 
3.   UNDER HEADLINE "STAYAWAY CALL EXTREMELY 
   IRRESPONSIBLE," THE "HERALD" (03/18) COMMENTS: 
 
   "THE CALL FOR A THREE-DAY NATIONAL STRIKE BEGINNING 
   TOMORROW BY THE ZCTU, AN AFFILIATE OF THE MDC, IS 
   AN EXTREMELY IRRESPONSIBLE STATEMENT THAT FLIES IN 
   THE FACE OF EFFORTS TO REBUILD THE COUNTRY.  IN ITS 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        HARARE  00712  191048Z 
   OVERZEALOUS CAMPAIGN TO PLEASE ITS DEFEATED 
   PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE, MR. MORGAN TSVANGIRAI, THE 
   CLUELESS LABOR MOVEMENT SHOWS TOTAL DISREGARD FOR 
   THE DEVASTATING EFFECT THE STAYAWAY WILL HAVE ON 
   THE ALREADY FRAGILE ECONOMY IN THE WAKE OF A HIGHLY 
   POLARIZED PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN. . .   THE STAYAWAY 
   WILL BE THE FINAL INDICATOR ON WHETHER THE MOSTLY 
   WHITE EMPLOYERS AND INDUSTRIALISTS ARE GOING TO 
   SPURN THE HAND OF FRIENDSHIP EXTENDED BY PRESIDENT 
   MUGABE. . .  IF COMPANIES WANT TO SHUT DOWN THEIR 
   OPERATIONS, SO BE IT.  BUT LET IT BE KNOWN THAT 
   THEY WILL HAVE LOST ANY GOODWILL THAT THE 
   GOVERNMENT IS TRYING TO EXTEND TO THEM.  THEY WILL 
   EITHER BECOME TOTALLY IRRELEVANT IN THE NEW 
   ZIMBABWE AND SHOULD BE SIDELINED COMPLETELY IN THE 
   GENERAL SCHEME OF THINGS. . .  AT A TIME WHEN 
   NEGOTIATIONS ARE BEING HELD TO BRIDGE THE RIFT 
   BETWEEN THE RULING ZANU PF AND OPPOSITION MDC, THE 
   ZCTU STRIKE IS ILL ADVISED, PREMATURE, ILL- 
   CONCEIVED AND DESERVES NO SERIOUS ATTENTION.  WE DO 
   NOT BELIEVE THAT THE MDC, WHICH HAS AGREED TO 
   ENGAGE ZANU PF IS TALKS, WOULD BE SO PETTY AND 
   NEGOTIATE IN SUCH BAD FAITH.  THE OPPOSITION PARTY 
   SHOULD REIN IN ITS DOGS TO GIVE DIALOGUE A CHANCE." 
 
SULLIVAN 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
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