US embassy cable - 02HARARE2687

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 002687 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR JENDAYI FRAZER 
LONDON FOR CGURNEY 
PARIS FOR CNEARY 
NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/20/2012 
TAGS: OPDC, PREL, ZI 
SUBJECT: LETTER TO PRESIDENT THABO MBEKI FROM MDC LEADER 
TSVANGIRAI 
 
 
SIPDIS 
 
REF: HARARE 2620 
 
Classified By: Political Section Chief Matt Harrington.  Reasons:  1.5 
(B) and (D). 
 
1. (c) As reported reftel, we received a copy of a letter 
sent by MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai to South African 
President, Thabo Mbeki.  The letter was delivered in person 
to President Mbeki's office by Tsvangirai's special advisor. 
As of November 20, Tsvangirai had not yet received a response. 
 
2. (c) Begin Text of Tsvangirai-Mbeki letter: 
 
8th November, 2002 
 
His Excellency 
President Thabo Mbeki 
Republic of South Africa 
 
I greet you in the name of African brotherhood. 
 
Your Excellency, I write to you to raise a few issues of 
concern to ourselves as party to the dialogue co-sponsored by 
yourselves and President Obasanjo.  I want to believe that we 
all accept that there is a political crisis in Zimbabwe 
emanating from the presidential election that was not 
conducted in a free and fair manner.  Your Excellency as 
member of the Commonwealth troika are party to the March 2002 
decision of the organization to suspend Zimbabwe, 
(government), from the councils of the same resulting from 
its failure to uphold certain principles concerning the 
conduct of elections. 
 
We in the party salute your decision and indeed your boldness 
to arrive at it.  Indeed the election in Zimbabwe was not 
free and fair and the political crisis in the country is 
about a stolen election and is therefore a crisis of 
legitimacy. 
 
In-spite of the outcome we further salute your intervention 
through the inter-party dialogue initiative, which without 
your wisdom would not have taken place.  The crisis of 
legitimacy in Zimbabwe remains compounding the crisis of 
governance that has been with us for some time now.  The very 
acceptance by the parties to enter into dialogue on the 
agreed agenda is a recognition that there is a political 
crisis in the country needing resolution through dialogue.  I 
still believe that dialogue is ultimately inevitable to the 
resolution of the crisis in Zimbabwe. 
 
Your Excellency while appreciating your role in trying to 
resolve the crisis in Zimbabwe I wish to raise here two 
issues of concern to us in the party. 
 
Firstly, I note that since the inter-party dialogue stalled 
many South African government delegations have visited 
Zimbabwe engaging the ZANU(PF) government.  The last such 
delegation was led by Foreign Minister, Nkosazana Zuma, not 
too long ago. 
 
We in the party do not mind your continued engagement of the 
government on the various issues concerning the political 
crisis in the country.  However, we believe that if Your 
Excellency recognizes that the political crisis in the 
country still persists and that you still consider yourself 
as an impartial broker to the resolution of the crisis then 
South African government delegations to the country engaging 
the ZANU(PF) government should also take the courtesy of at 
least allowing a briefing from ourselves as party to the 
effort to finding a resolution of the crisis.  I believe that 
the failure by the various South African government 
delegations to engage our party compromises your image as an 
impartial broker. 
 
Secondly, I note with concern the statement by Foreign 
Minister, Nkosazana Zuma, during her last visit to Zimbabwe 
in which she says that South Africa does not see any signs of 
a looming bloodbath in Zimbabwe.  I want to believe that her 
statement was irresponsible.  We in the party have made all 
efforts and against all odds to contain public anger by 
counseling patience on a restless population.  But we could 
be reaching a stage where that may no longer be possible 
especially given the increasing arrogance of the ZANU(PF) 
government on the one hand and the growing impatience of the 
masses on the other hand.  I want to believe that the 
Minister's statement is unfortunate and therefore should be 
withdrawn. 
 
Your Excellency, the Zimbabwe crisis is real and needs 
resolution rather than management. 
 
I avail myself, Your Excellency, this opportunity to renew 
the assurances of my highest consideration. 
 
Yours Sincerely, 
 
 
Morgan Tsvangirai 
President 
End Text 
SULLIVAN