US embassy cable - 03HARARE1034

UNCLAS HARARE 001034 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR AF/PDPA FOR DALTON, MITCHELL AND SIMS 
NSC FOR JENDAYI FRAZER 
LONDON FOR GURNEY 
PARIS FOR NEARY 
NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, KPAO, ZI 
SUBJECT: STATE-CONTROLLED PAPER HAILS JOURNALIST'S 
EXPULSION 
 
 
  1.   Under headline "Meldrum's expulsion was long 
      overdue" the editorial in the May 28 edition of the 
      government-controlled daily "The Herald" said:  "After 
      painting the situation in Zimbabwe in dark colors and 
      generally portraying the country as a lawless community 
      on the very brink of collapse, American-born journalist 
      and suspected intelligence officer, Andrew Meldrum, has 
      finally been deported.  We feel that the expulsion of 
      Meldrum, who in addition to reproducing false and 
      damaging stories about Zimbabwe, compiled damning, 
      often fabricated reports on the country, was long 
      overdue.  Zimbabwe has the right, without undue 
      external influence or coercion, to decide who lives or 
      works within its borders." 
 
  2.   Comment:  The Herald's editorial, nearly 2 weeks 
      after Meldrum's expulsion, indicates some degree of 
      official tetchiness about the continuing international 
      coverage and condemnation of the event.  It is worth 
      noting that the Herald editorial makes no mention of 
      most damaging fact about the expulsion - that is was 
      carried out in direct defiance of orders from the High 
      Court of Zimbabwe. 
 
SULLIVAN