US embassy cable - 02HARARE2008

UNCLAS HARARE 002008 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR AF/PD, AF/S, AF/RA 
NSC FOR JENDAYI FRAZER 
LONDON FOR GURNEY 
PARIS FOR NEARY 
NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PHUM, KPAO, KMDR, ZI 
SUBJECT:  GOVERNMENT PAPER BLAMES OPPOSITION PARTY AND "THE 
WEST" FOR BOMBING OF RADIO STATION 
 
REF: HARARE 01984 
 
  1.   The government-controlled "Herald" used its August 31 
      editorial to suggest that the bombing of the "Voice of the 
      People" radio station offices on August 29 was the work of 
      western-sponsored "enemies of Zimbabwe" bent on sullying 
      the nation's reputation. 
 
  2.   Under the title "Stop smear campaign" the paper 
      comments: 
 
      ". . .The bombing comes in the wake of plans by 
      members of the white Commonwealth at the Earth 
      Summit on WSSD in South Africa to discuss Zimbabwe. 
      There is no doubt that the whole incident has been 
      timed to embarrass the Zimbabwean government, so 
      that the British and their allies have something to 
      discuss and justify their condemnation of Zimbabwe. 
      The ploy is obvious. . .  The Americans, the British 
      and the European Union have already ganged up 
      calling on the Earth Summit. . .to condemn President 
      Mugabe. . .  They are accusing Zimbabwe of the 
      bombing claiming it is a clear signal that freedom 
      of speech has no place in the country.  As 
      Zimbabweans we are not deterred or surprised by 
      these onslaughts by the West.  They have a mission 
      to accomplish.  The attack on the government before 
      any investigations are concluded shows a high degree 
      of shortsightedness on their part. . . Rushing to 
      conclusions on the radio station's bombing is not 
      justified. . . ." 
 
  3.   Under headline "Bombing of radio station 
      predictable: Attack provides Zim's enemies with 
      chance to launch fresh onslaught" the same newspaper 
      carried the following opinion piece political editor 
      Phillip Magwaza: 
 
      "As expected, Thursday's bombing of the offices of 
      the illegal private radio station (VOP). . .has 
      provided Zimbabwe's sworn political enemies a golden 
      opportunity to launch a fresh attack on the country. 
      Before the ashes of the explosion had gone cold, 
      Britain and the United States were on cue to condemn 
      the bombing, which they linked to previous attacks 
      on the independent media. . .  The cowardly attack 
      was so predictable as it came barely four days 
      before President Mugabe addressed the WSSD in South 
      Africa. 
 
      ". . .It is only logical to assume that the failure 
      by the British, the Americans and the MDC to put 
      Zimbabwe's land reforms on the agenda of the summit 
      could have had something to do with the bomb attack. 
      . . .The recent statement made by the American 
      Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Mr. 
      Walter Kansteiner about working closely with the 
      independent media to topple the government now makes 
      sense. . .  It is a shameful act that after 
      Kansteiner's statement, a house belonging to the so- 
      called independent media is bombed.  What a 
      coincidence. . ." 
 
SULLIVAN