US embassy cable - 02HARARE2337

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 002337 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR J. FRAZER 
LONDON FOR C. GURNEY 
PARIS FOR C. NEARY 
NAIROBI FOR T. PFLAUMER 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/23/2012 
TAGS: PGOV, PHUM, PREL, EAID, ECON, ASEC, ZI, ZANU-PF 
SUBJECT: RULING PARTY STEPS UP ATTACKS AGAINST NGOS 
 
REF: HARARE 2311 
 
Classified By: Political Officer Audu Besmer for reasons 1.5 b/d 
 
SUMMARY: 
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1. (C) A recent ZANU-PF theft of WFP food in Nsiza and GOZ 
orders to halt NGO food distribution in Binga come amid a 
looming general GOZ crackdown on NGOs.  In mid September the 
GOZ issued a notice for all NGOs to register with the 
Ministry of Social Welfare, or cease operations.  It appears 
that the GOZ is cracking down on NGOs that embarrass or are 
critical of government.  A tightening crackdown against NGOs 
distributing food under the WFP program would be the most 
troubling, as it would lead to starvation.  End Summary. 
 
RULING PARTY DISRUPTS NGO FOOD DISTRIBUTION 
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2. (U) On October 4 local authorities ordered Save the 
Children U.K. to halt food distribution in the Matabeleland 
North town of Binga, five months after forcing the Catholic 
Commission for Justice and Peace (CCJP) to stop distribution 
efforts in the same town.  Authorities accused both 
organizations of supporting the opposition MDC--a charge they 
both deny as contrary to their policy of political 
neutrality.  However, according to a Catholic priest in 
Binga, two CCJP volunteers who did community organizing and 
food distribution work in the Binga area, and were paid a 
stipend of ZWD$5,000 (about US$5.00) per month, won MDC 
council seats in the September rural council elections. 
Zimbabwe Country Director of Save the Children, UK., Chris 
McIvor, met with the Minister of Social Welfare and other GOZ 
officials last week and is optimistic about restarting their 
food distribution in Binga soon.  Tarcisius Zimbiti, Zimbabwe 
Country Director of the CCJP, said he was waiting for the 
"dust to settle" before pursuing a restart of their feeding 
programs.  According to Chris Bowley, Emergencies Manager at 
Save the Children UK., Binga has not received food for the 
past two months.  On October 16, the independent Daily News 
reported that two people in Binga had died recently of 
starvation, and that school children were fainting at their 
desks from hunger. 
 
3. (U) On October 18, ZANU-PF supporters in Insiza stole 
three metric tons of food from WFP implementing partner the 
Organization of Rural Associations for Progress (ORAP), and 
distributed it to ZANU-PF supporters.  WFP halted all food 
distribution in Insiza and requested assurances from GOZ 
against further incidents of this kind.  Insiza will host a 
parliamentary by-election on October 26-27.  (More details on 
this incident are provided reftel). 
 
CRACKDOWN ON NGOs 
----------------- 
4. (C) The Insiza theft, and Binga halt orders come amid a 
general crackdown on NGOs and moves to control their 
activities.  Recently addressing the 51st ordinary session of 
the ruling party, President Mugabe acknowledged the integral 
role of NGOs in assistance programs, but accused some NGOs of 
inappropriately campaigning for a change of the 'elected' 
government.  On October 18, the state-controlled newspaper 
The Herald, reported the Minister of Social Welfare, July 
Moyo as saying there were some NGOs whose agenda was mainly 
to destabilize the country and the government was not going 
to allow such covert activities.  The state-controlled 
newspaper, The Sunday Mail, and The Herald, have recently 
carried a barrage of criticism of Amani Trust, a prominent 
human rights organization which counsels torture victims and 
publicizes human rights violations, for being funded by the 
UK. and U.S. and for "being involved in the politics of 
Zimbabwe."  On October 13, Information Minister Jonathan Moyo 
was quoted in The Sunday Mail as saying, "we must now do 
something about all these NGOs which are receiving British 
dirty money to destabilize Zimbabwe." 
 
5. (C) In mid September the GOZ issued a notice requiring all 
NGOs to register with the Ministry of Social Welfare under 
the Private Voluntary Organizations (PVO) Act, or cease 
operations.  The registration process takes about 8 months 
and NGOs complain it allows the GOZ to direct their programs 
by giving the GOZ access to NGO budgets, funding sources, and 
allowing GOZ representation on NGO governing boards.  Most 
NGOs are currently registered as trusts with the Registrar of 
Deeds and enjoy relative freedom from formal GOZ control. 
The PVO Act, which has been in force in current form since 
1996, is very broad, covering any organization providing 
social services, development or relief assistance, or legal 
aid.  Some private companies might be covered, but trusts, 
churches, schools, and health services providers are 
excepted.  There are differing interpretations over which 
organizations the Act actually covers.  Most NGOs have 
ignored the registration requirement but it is clear that the 
GOZ now intends to enforce it.  To clarify enforcement 
issues, the Attorney General's office is re-drafting the 
legislation and is supposed to have a version ready in the 
coming weeks.  (Note:  While the National Association of NGOs 
(NANGO) has submitted language, the AG's office has not 
consulted formally with any NGOs and it seems likely, given 
the high-profile politics of this issue, that the new 
legislation will be even more draconian than the present. 
End Note.) 
 
COMMENT: 
-------- 
6. (C) It appears that the GOZ intends to crack down on NGOs 
it considers thorns in its side--those that are openly 
critical of government, that publicize information which 
embarrasses the government or that the government does not 
fully control.  The GOZ also appears unwilling to tolerate 
NGOs with any connection to the MDC, although it does not 
apply the same standard to NGOs who employ, or are connected 
to ZANU-PF members.  Many organizations funded by the U.S. 
Government which play a key role in treating human rights 
victims and keeping space open for expression of alternative 
views are likely to comprise the hit list.  Most NGOs with 
which we cooperate are biding their time, hoping their input 
into the new law will make it palatable.  If this effort 
fails, we suspect they will try to find a way around the 
registration requirement or go underground. 
 
7. (C) Further attacks, and a tightening crackdown against 
NGOs distributing food under the WFP program would be the 
most troubling, as slowing or halting their operations would 
most likely lead to starvation in affected areas.  End 
Comment. 
SULLIVAN