US embassy cable - 02HARARE1812

UNCLAS HARARE 001812 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR AF/PD (DALTON), AF/S (SCHLACHTER), INR/R/MR 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KMDR, PGOV, PHUM, EAID, KPAO, ZI 
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION FOOD AID; HARARE 
 
 
  1.   Under headline "Flush out rogue NGOs" the government- 
      controlled daily "The Chronicle" dedicated its August 7 
      editorial to calling on the government to excommunicate all 
      non-governmental organizations (NGOs) accused of "abusing 
      the privilege" to hand out drought relief supplies to rural 
      communities.  The editorial comes a day after the newspaper 
      (08/06) published a story in which Home Affairs Minister 
      John Nkomo is quoted as having said that the government 
      would soon ban NGOs that are abusing the privilege to 
      distribute drought relief supplies to rural communities by 
      "spreading anti-government vitriol" and "misinforming 
      villagers that the food shortages were caused by the on- 
      going land reform program."  Excerpts: 
 
  2.    ". . .It is. . .mind-boggling that some political 
      nonentities are lying to beneficiaries of the drought 
      relief program and suggesting that it was the discredited 
      opposition that was sourcing the food.  It is a pity that 
      these political upstarts have perfected the art of lying to 
      an extent that they even believe their own lies.  We urge 
      the government not to waver in its resolve to flush out 
      rogue NGOs that are being used by imperialists out to 
      discredit it and divide the people of this country. 
      President Mugabe has assured the nation that nobody will 
      starve and the government is working tirelessly to ensure 
      that every family has a meal on its table everyday.  Credit 
      for these efforts should not be claimed by rogues who want 
      to make us believe that they are politicians working for 
      the people when their only interest is to line their 
      pockets.  The government should carry out an audit of NGOs 
      in the country and find out whether they are operating 
      within the parameters that they proffered when they applied 
      for registration.  There is no way that we can allow 
      political parties to use NGOs as party structures. . . ." 
 
WHITEHEAD