US embassy cable - 02HARARE752

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MEDIA REPORT MEDIA ACT CHALLENGED; HARARE

Identifier: 02HARARE752
Wikileaks: View 02HARARE752 at Wikileaks.org
Origin: Embassy Harare
Created: 2002-03-22 09:40:00
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.

220940Z Mar 02

 

                           UNCLASSIFIED     PTQ4929

PAGE 01        HARARE  00752  220955Z 
ACTION AF-00    

INFO  LOG-00   NP-00    AS-01    A-00     ACQ-00   CIAE-00  DODE-00  
      DS-00    EUR-00   UTED-00  VC-00    TEDE-00  INR-00   LAB-01   
      VCE-00   NSAE-00  TEST-00  USIE-00  IIP-00   DSCC-00  DRL-02   
      NFAT-00  SAS-00     /004W
                  ------------------78FC5A  220955Z /38    
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1296
INFO NSC WASHDC
AMEMBASSY PRETORIA 
AMEMBASSY LUSAKA 
AMEMBASSY WINDHOEK 
AMEMBASSY GABORONE 
AMEMBASSY LUSAKA 
AMEMBASSY LONDON 
UNCLAS HARARE 000752 
 
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 REPORT MEDIA ACT CHALLENGED; HARARE 
 
 
1.   UNDER HEADLINE "MEDIA ACT TOTALLY REEKS OF 
   INTOLERANCE, XENOPHOBIA," THE INDEPENDENT DAILY "THE 
   DAILY NEWS" DEDICATED ITS MARCH 22 EDITORIAL TO URGING 
   JOURNALISTS TO CHALLENGE THE RECENTLY ENACTED ACCESS TO 
   INFORMATION AND PROTECTION OF PRIVACY ACT, SAYING "THIS 
   ACT MUST BE FOUGHT TO THE BITTER END."  EXCERPTS: 
 
2.   ". . .THE ACCESS TO INFORMATION AND PROTECTION OF 
   PRIVACY ACT. . .IS REPLETE WITH. . .RESTRICTIONS 
   AND BARRIERS.  IT REEKS OF THE INTOLERANCE AND 
   XENOPHOBIA THAT HAS CHARACTERIZED (THE MUGABE) 
   ADMINISTRATION FOR MANY YEARS NOW. . .  THAT THE 
   ACT WAS EVEN SIGNED INTO LAW AFTER ITS ELOQUENT 
   CONDEMNATION LAST YEAR BY THE CHAIRMAN OF THE 
   PARLIAMENTARY LEGAL COMMITTEE, EDDISON ZVOBGO, IS 
   TESTIMONY TO THE GOVERNMENT'S COMMITMENT TO 
   DICTATORSHIP DRESSED UP AS DEMOCRACY.  EVERY 
   JOURNALIST WORTH THEIR SALT MUST FEEL MORALLY 
   OUTRAGED THAT THE GOVERNMENT CAN BE SO UNCOUTH AS 
   TO TRY TO MUZZLE THEM WHILE PROTESTING TO THE 
   OUTSIDE WORLD THAT THERE IS FREEDOM OF THE PRESS IN 
   THIS COUNTRY.  THIS ACT MUST BE FOUGHT TO THE 
   BITTER END.  JOURNALISM IN ZIMBABWE MUST CONTINUE 
   TO PROMOTE THE FREE FLOW OF ANY AND ALL INFORMATION 
   AMONG THE PEOPLE UPON WHICH CITIZENS AND FOREIGNERS 
   CAN MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS." 
 
SULLIVAN 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
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