US embassy cable - 02HARARE1780

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Identifier:	02HARARE1780
Wikileaks:	View 02HARARE1780 at Wikileaks.org
Origin:	Embassy Harare
Created:	2002-08-05 10:12:00
Classification:	UNCLASSIFIED
Tags:	PREL PGOV KPAO KMDR ZI
Redacted:	This cable was not redacted by Wikileaks.

UNCLAS HARARE 001780 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR AF/PD, AF/S, INR/R/MR 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, KPAO, KMDR, ZI 
SUBJECT: MEDIA REPORT TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS; HARARE 
 
 
  1.   Under headline "Ban sanction campaigners" the 
      government-controlled daily "Chronicle" dedicated its 
      August 5 editorial to calling on the government of Zimbabwe 
      to retaliate against the "smart sanctions" imposed by the 
      European Union and the United States against Robert 
      Mugabe's administration.  Excerpts: 
 
  2.   ". . .We believe that the government, being the 
      people's representative, should not let neo-colonialists 
      have a field day dragging the good name of the country and 
      its citizens in mud.  The time to act is now.  It is high 
      time that the government responded to this wanton blackmail 
      by first blacklisting the local champions of sanctions 
      against Zimbabwe, principal among them Morgan Tsvangirai of 
      the dubious opposition party, MDC (Movement for Democratic 
      Change). . .If Tsvangirai et al want to continue on their 
      anti-Zimbabwe crusade, they must travel on British or 
      American documents because the interests that they are 
      serving have nothing to do with the people of this country. 
      We believe, therefore, that the first step that the 
      government should take is to withdraw the privilege of 
      using the Zimbabwean passport. 
 
      "In addition, politicians from Britain and America 
      should be barred from coming into this country, as 
      they only want to poison the populace.  We have in 
      mind, Tony Blair, George Bush and their 
      Chihuahuas. . .There is no need for the government 
      to waste resources going to court when it wants to 
      deport British and American spies.  It should just 
      deport them in the same fashion that Zimbabweans are 
      being humiliated in the hands of British and 
      American immigration officials.  Why should we 
      continue to treat enemies with kid gloves when it is 
      clear that they want to destroy us?" 
 
WHITEHEAD