US embassy cable - 03HARARE1149

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 001149 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR J. FRAZER 
LONDON FOR C. GURNEY 
PARIS FOR C. NEARY 
NAIROBI FOR T. PFLAUMER 
BANGKOK FOR WIN DAYTON 
DS/OP/AF 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/31/2013 
TAGS: PGOV, PHUM, PINR, ASEC, ZI 
SUBJECT: POSSIBLE MARCHES JUNE 6, BUSINESS ALMOST AS USUAL 
- MASS ACTION DAY FOUR 
 
REF: A. HARARE 1136 
     B. HARARE 1122 
     C. HARARE 1101 
     D. HARARE 1097 
     E. HARARE 1081 
 
Classified By: Political Officer Audu Besmer for reasons 1.5 b/d 
 
Summary: 
-------- 
 
1. (C) Reports continued on June 5 that security forces beat 
MDC activists in high-density suburbs around Harare on the 
previous night; there were numerous unconfirmed reports that 
riot police even beat patients, and bystanders at the Avenues 
Clinic in central Harare on June 4.  The MDC called for 
nationwide marches on June 6, but it is unclear whether the 
MDC expects its membership to show up in force, or whether 
their strategy is simply to cause people to be cautious on 
Friday and stay home.  Police seized weapons at the house of 
an MDC activist on June 4; the MDC MP for the area said they 
were planted.  Most businesses appeared to be open as normal 
on June 5.  End Summary. 
 
Reports of Beatings 
------------------- 
 
2. (U) There were reports from several sources that riot 
police beat patients and bystanders at the Avenues Clinic in 
downtown Harare on June 4.  Elisabeth Sibotshiwe, the 
Principle Matron on duty at the time, acknowledges that 
police did visit Avenues on that day, but denies that they 
assaulted anyone inside the building.  There were unconfirmed 
reports that riot police questioned, beat, and arrested two 
people outside the clinic.  The police then allegedly entered 
the waiting area shouting, and assaulted patients, 
journalists and bystanders with fists and batons. 
 
3. (C) MDC Presidential Advisor, Gandi Mudzingwa, and MDC MP 
for St. Mary's Job Sikhala reported that security forces beat 
MDC activists for the second night in a row in the 
high-density suburbs of Highfield, Budiriro, Glen Norah and 
Chitungwiza near Harare on the night of June 4 - 5.  They 
both acknowledged that fewer people were beaten on that night 
than on the previous one.  Sibotshiwe said that Avenues was 
"quiet"; she was not seeing an above average number of 
beating victims in the Avenues Clinic casualty ward on June 5. 
 
Marches? 
-------- 
 
4. (C) The MDC ran a full-page ad in the independent Daily 
News on June 5 calling for marches into centers of town on 
June 6.  According to Mudzingwa, the marches were to start at 
10 am, and were likely to be small-scale events with the 
leadership and primary activists participating.  Sikhala said 
that most activists who had been arrested earlier in the week 
had been released, and were organizing for the marches. 
Mudzingwa said that even with the earlier arrests, there was 
still considerable enthusiasm within the party faithful to 
march.  When confronted with the possibility that security 
forces might prevent a march before it even started, Sikhala 
suggested that the strategy was to promote the march and at 
the very least people might be afraid to leave their homes - 
helping to log the stayaway as a full week's exercise. 
 
Weapons Seized 
-------------- 
 
5. (C) On June 5, the government-owned The Herald reported 
that a cache of weapons was found at the house of an MDC 
activist in St. Mary's (a high-density suburb of Harare). 
The GOZ did not claim that these weapons were intended for 
use in this week's demonstrations, but state media used the 
seizure as part of its propaganda effort to paint the MDC as 
a violent party.  Sikhala confirmed that the weapons were 
found, but he said that police planted them previous to the 
seizure.  The Herald reported that police seized 22 sticks of 
dynamite, 5 kilograms of fertilizer, one nine mm round of 
ammunition, 22 electric detonators, electric wires, and other 
less dangerous items.  Sikhala did not confirm what weapons 
were actually seized. 
 
Treason Trial 
------------- 
 
6. (U) On June 4 in the treason trial of MDC President Morgan 
Tsvangirai, the state asked the judge to change Tsvangirai's 
 
SIPDIS 
bail conditions to bar him from making inflammatory 
statements that might cause public disorder.  The State was 
referring to Tsvangirai's comments, reported in the press, 
urging Zimbabweans to participate in the June 2 - 6 mass 
action.  The Defense argued that the law under which the 
State argued its case, Section 24 of the draconian Public 
Order and Security Act (POSA), was too vague, and therefore 
unconstitutional.  Justice Paddington Garwe said he would 
deliver his judgment on the issue on June 6. 
 
Business Almost as Usual 
------------------------ 
 
7. (U) Driving around Harare on June 5, Poloff observed that 
only about 15 percent of shops in downtown Harare, and 50 
percent of businesses in the light industrial areas of Harare 
were closed.  Pedestrian and vehicle traffic in downtown 
Harare seemed normal.  Activity in the high-density suburb of 
Mbare seemed normal. 
 
8. (SBU) One or two groups of 3 police officers were visible 
in downtown Harare on June 4; they assumed very relaxed 
postures. 
 
9. (C) According to Richard Pope, a furniture manufacturer in 
Bulawayo, about 30 percent of his workers did not show up on 
June 5.  His factory was open, but running at reduced 
capacity.  He said many other factories nearby were open and 
operating, most with an average of 75 percent of their normal 
workforces.  He said activity around Bulawayo seemed almost 
normal with most banks and businesses open. 
 
Comment: 
-------- 
 
10. (C) There are various factors influencing whether the 
June 6 marches come off.  MDC activists are shell-shocked 
from arrests and beatings earlier this week, but still 
enthusiastic, and even angrier now because they could not get 
earlier marches off the ground.  Security forces are now 
practiced in methods to quell marches before they happen. 
With failed marches earlier this week, MDC leaders are not 
confident a march can be pulled off on June 6.  But it 
appears they are going ahead with the plan, under the notion 
that at least preparation efforts on both sides will cause 
ordinary Zimbabweans to stay at home and thus make the 
stayaway a week long exercise.  End Comment. 
SULLIVAN