US embassy cable - 03HARARE1028

UNCLAS HARARE 001028 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR AF/PDPA FOR DALTON, MITCHELL AND SIMS 
NSC FOR JENDAYI FRAZER 
LONDON FOR GURNEY 
PARIS FOR NEARY 
NAIROBI FOR NEARY 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, KPAO, KMDR, ZI 
SUBJECT: MORE NEGATIVE COMMENTARY IN GOVERNMENT MEDIA 
TO POWELL-NCUBE MEETING 
 
1. Under the headline "Archbishop Ncube shameless" the 
government-controlled daily "Herald's" May 24 editorial 
criticized Archbishop Pius Ncube for meeting with 
Secretary Powell. Excerpts follow: 
 
SIPDIS 
 
2. "Like the proverbial Judas Iscariot, Roman Catholic 
Archbishop Pius Ncube was in Washington on Tuesday to 
sacrifice his country to the altar of the mighty U.S. 
and to be thanked by the Americans for being in tune 
with their grand plans on Zimbabwe. . .  Instead of 
reporting to God, who is his Master, he now reports to 
the American Government.  He shamelessly scurries to 
the imperial master for advice and guidance on how to 
deal with the Zimbabwean government.  Archbishop Ncube 
knows that Colin Powell wields enough power to order 
the overthrow of a government as the Americans have 
already done in Afghanistan and Iraq. . .  Instead of 
seeking God's intervention for whatever he believes 
needs to be solved in Zimbabwe, Archbishop Ncube has 
gone to the U.S. for them to do to Zimbabwe what Pilate 
and Herod did to Jesus Christ.  The Archbishop knows 
very well that the American Government has no higher 
moral ground than anyone else on human rights or the 
rule of law as its track record in Iraq, Afghanistan or 
the U.S. is atrocious. . .  It would have been 
understandable if the Archbishop was called to the 
Vatican to be thanked by the Pope for standing up to 
what he believes to be right.  He has lost the dignity 
and sanctity of the cloth he wears. . ." 
 
SULLIVAN