US embassy cable - 02HARARE1885

UNCLAS HARARE 001885 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR AF/PD (COX, DALTON), AF/S (SCHLACHTER), AF/RA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, OIIP, KPAO, KMDR, ZI 
SUBJECT: MEDIA REPORT AFRICAN-AMERICAN CRITICIZES POWELL; 
HARARE 
 
 
  1.   A group of African-Americans, who flew into the 
      country last week at the invitation of the Zimbabwean 
      government, has accused U. S. Secretary of State Colin 
      Powell of extreme dislike of Africa.  According to an 
      article carried on page two of the August 19 edition of the 
      government-controlled daily "The Herald," Mr. Elombe Brath 
      of the Patrice Lumumba Coalition said: "I went to the same 
      school with Powell and everyone knew that he never had any 
      love for Africa."  Excerpts of the article published under 
      headline "`Powell has never loved Africa'" follow: 
 
  2.   "U. S. Secretary of State Colin Powell has never had 
      any love or appreciation for Africa and therefore will 
      never do or say anything positive about the continent, a 
      visiting American said yesterday.  Mr. Elombe Brath of the 
      Patrice Lumumba Coalition said he knew Mr. Powell well 
      enough as they grew up together in the U. S.  `I went to 
      the same school with Powell and everyone knew that he never 
      had any love for Africa,' Mr. Brath said during a meeting 
      with the ZANU PF national chairman and Minister of Home 
      Affairs, (Mr.) John Nkomo, at the party headquarters.  `We 
      went to the same church and lived along the same street and 
      he is known for his views against Africa. . .'  According 
      to him, Mr. Powell was being `used' by the U. S. 
      administration in its fight against the `people of color. 
      The Washington system says blacks have no rights.'  Mr. 
      Powell, who was branded as an `Uncle Tom' and `White House 
      nigger' by South African students during a visit to that 
      country early last year, went on to attack President Mugabe 
      and his government.  "He criticized the ongoing land reform 
      program and accused (Mr.) Mugabe of `clinging to power.' 
 
  3.   "Mr, Brath said that most average black people knew 
      that (Mr.) Mugabe was the most `dangerous' person in 
      that his views were `inimical' to the interests of 
      Western powers while advancing those of blacks. 
      `President Mugabe is on the verge of making history 
      in Africa.  He is an example for the whole of the 
      continent.  For instance, he made the correct 
      decision to intervene in the Democratic Republic of 
      Congo, which in history will become one of the most 
      important decisions ever made.'  He also scoffed at 
      the U. S. presidential election, saying it was a 
      `mockery' for anyone to say Mr. George Bush was 
      fairly elected. . . ." 
 
WHITEHEAD