US embassy cable - 02HARARE1022

UNCLAS HARARE 001022 
 
SIPDIS 
 
AF/PD FOR COX AND ROBERTSON, AF/S FOR KRAFT AND 
SCHLACHTER, AF/RA FOR DIPALMA, INR/R/MR, NSC FOR 
JENDAYI FRAZER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ZI, PREL, PHUM 
SUBJECT: GOVERNMENT-OWNED MEDIA CRITICIZED 
 
REF:  HARARE 00956 
 
1.   Under the title "Journalism in government media 
   has gone to the dogs," the independent daily "The Daily 
   News'" April 26 editorial criticizes the Government of 
   Zimbabwe's apparent double standard in applying its 
   draconian media control laws.  The editorial points out 
   that state-owned media are free to publish outlandish 
   fabrications, while independent press face constant 
   harassment even for factual reports. 
 
2.   A telling example of this double standard appeared 
   on April 22 and 23 when the government-owned daily 
   "Chronicle" published back-to-back front-page reports 
   that surely violated Zimbabwean law against publishing 
   "falsehoods" or stories that cause "fear, alarm and 
   despondency."  On April 22 the Chronicle ran a front- 
   page story article accusing the opposition Movement of 
   Democratic Change (MDC) of "planning a massive 
   terrorist attack. coordinated by a 'political affairs' 
   officer at the U.S. Embassy. to invoke civil unrest and 
   pave way for military intervention by Britain and the 
   U.S." (see reftel). On April 22, the paper ran a follow- 
   up story claiming that "at least 400 opposition MDC 
   terrorists" infiltrated Zimbabwe during the run up to 
   the March presidential poll. 
 
3.   The "Daily News" April 26 editorial makes the 
   following observations: 
 
   "On several occasions over the past 18 months or 
   so, journalists in the country's privately owned 
   Press have been arrested and detained on spurious 
   charges of publishing falsehoods.  More recently, 
   alleged breaching of a section of the Access to 
   Information and Protection of Privacy Act have been 
   cited as the basis for the arrests of media 
   practitioners - arrests which, incidentally, have 
   become more frequent. . .  We must note here that 
   the law in question infringes upon the people's 
   right to freedom of expression guaranteed in the 
   Constitution of Zimbabwe and enshrined in the 
   Universal Bill of Rights. . .  That fact not 
   withstanding, it is its skewed application which 
   has become a source of grave concern and dismay 
   among the journalistic fraternity.  It is those who 
   publish the truth who get arrested for no other 
   reason than that the truth they publish makes 
   government uncomfortable.  On the other hand, those 
   in the State-controlled media who routinely 
   publish, not just minor falsehoods, but complete 
   fabrications, are left to go scot-free because, 
   apart from tarnishing the image of its 'enemies,' 
   those falsehoods are what the government would like 
   to hear. 
 
    ". . .The 'Chronicle" this week decided to outdo 
    its stablemates by publishing its own incredibly 
    fictitious story. . .the whole story is, of 
    course, utter balderdash, and shows how journalism 
    at the State-controlled media has gone to the 
    dogs.  We, therefore, seriously expect the police 
    to move swiftly against both the writer and the 
    paper's editor because, as must be clear to any 
    right-thinking person, the story is not only a 
    fabrication, but is likely to cause much fear, 
    alarm and despondency.  If they fail to move 
    against the paper, they will have forever 
    forfeited their authority to move against anyone 
    in connection with publishing falsehoods real or 
    imaginary." 
 
SULLIVAN