US embassy cable - 02HARARE2444

UNCLAS HARARE 002444 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR AF/PD, AF/S, AF/RA, AF/PDPA 
NSC FOR JENDAYI FRAZER 
LONDON FOR GURNEY 
PARIS FOR NEARY 
NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, KPAO, ZI 
SUBJECT: DAILY NEWS CRITICIZES POLITICAL USE OF FOOD 
AID 
 
 
  1.   Under headline "SADC ministers must act to avert 
      disaster" the independent daily "The Daily News" 
      dedicated its November 8 editorial to criticizing the 
      government of Zimbabwe for politicizing the 
      distribution and purchase of much-needed maize-meal in 
      the country.  The editorial also called on the 
      Southern African Development Community (SADC) to 
      "exert" pressure on the government of Zimbabwe in 
      order to "avert a looming humanitarian crisis." 
      Excerpts: 
 
  2.   "Recent developments in which ZANU PF has 
      demanded membership cards from hungry rural and urban 
      dwellers only serve to strengthen the need for 
      international pressure to ensure non-governmental 
      organizations are allowed direct participation, in 
      order to save millions of Zimbabweans from starvation. 
      Villagers in Binga, Insiza, and urban dwellers in 
      Budiriro, Chitungwiza, Kuwadzana, Mufakose and Warren 
      Park have in the past week been required to produce 
      membership cards of the ruling party before being 
      allowed to buy maize-meal.  This is the most callous 
      conduct anyone can ever imagine from a government. . . 
      This is one example of how a government has 
      deliberately plotted to wage a war against its own 
      citizens for daring to exercise their right to belong 
      to a party of their choice.  It is because the 
      government no longer listens to anyone, internally, 
      that pressure from outside should be applied in order 
      to avert an imminent humanitarian crisis. . .  That a 
      government can sanction the starvation of hundreds of 
      thousands of people because they differ politically is 
      reprehensible, disgraceful and 
      horrendous. . .  Pressure must be exerted on the 
      government to avert a looming humanitarian 
      crisis. . ." 
 
SULLIVAN