US embassy cable - 02HARARE2073

C O N F I D E N T I A L HARARE 002073 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR JENDAYI FRAZER 
LONDON FOR CGURNEY 
PARIS FOR CNEARY 
NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/10/2012 
TAGS: PGOV, EAGR, PHUM, ZI 
SUBJECT: SHOOTOUT ON COMMERCIAL FARM 
 
 
Classified By: political section chief Matt Harrington.  Reasons: 1.5 ( 
B) and (D). 
 
1.  (C) Late in the morning of September 10, commercial 
farmer Ian Cochrane reportedly engaged in a shootout with 
three men on his property near Karoi, some 250 km northwest 
of Harare.  Miraculously, no one was hurt, and only a vehicle 
belonging to a nearby farmer who came to help was damaged. 
 
2.  (C) The account of the incident was relayed to us by two 
other commercial farmers in Karoi -- Chris Shepherd and Alan 
Parsons -- who are reliable embassy contacts and received a 
report directly from Cochrane.   According to our sources, 
Cochrane had gone to the aid of his mother, who was besieged 
by settlers in her residence, some 400 meters from Cochrane's 
own house.  He forced his way through a group of 
demonstrating settlers by firing his shotgun into the ground, 
then ran to the back of the house when he found the front 
locked.  He encountered three men, two holding shotguns and 
the other an automatic rifle.  One of the men -- Patrick 
Maponga -- has played a leading role in recent efforts to 
evict commercial farmers in the area and is believed by area 
residents to be a major in the Zimbabwean military.  Maponga 
and his two compatriots, we are told, opened fire on 
Cochrane, who responded in kind, and a shootout ensued.  We 
understand that Cochrane is now safely inside his mother's 
residence, the three attackers have fled, and police have 
responded to the scene. 
 
3.  (C) Comment: Although details are still fuzzy, at first 
blush, this incident has the definite appearance of a 
(potentially deadly) set-up.  Although we may never know the 
intent of the three armed men, it is clear that the 
government will use it to the fullest in its propaganda 
campaign against white farmers.  We expect Ian Cochrane to 
play the prominent role of villain in the 
government-controlled press on September 11, and the GOZ 
could use this incident to justify an intensified crackdown 
on "resistant" commercial farmers. 
SULLIVAN