US embassy cable - 03HARARE1180

C O N F I D E N T I A L HARARE 001180 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR J. FRAZER 
LONDON FOR C. GURNEY 
PARIS FOR C. NEARY 
BANGKOK FOR WIN DAYTON 
DS/OP/AF 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/10/2008 
TAGS: PGOV, PHUM, PINR, ZI 
SUBJECT: HIGH COURT TO HEAR TSVANGIRAI BAIL APPLICATION; 
BISHOPS CONTINUE TO PRESS FOR DIALOGUE 
 
Classified By: POLITICAL OFFICER PEGGY BLACKFORD FOR REASONS 1.5B/D 
 
 
 
 
 
TSVANGIRAI REMAINS IN CUSTODY:  NCUBE EXPECTED TO BE RELEASED 
 
SIPDIS 
TODAY 
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1. (SBU)  Morgan Tsvangirai, MDC President, arrived in 
Magistrates Court this morning looking tired and dressed in a 
track suit rather than his usual business attire.  A large 
contingent of his supporters were on hand outside the court 
to cheer him on but they were outnumbered by Law and Order 
Police who jammed the court room.  At the hearing the 
Magistrate placed Tsvangirai on remand until July 10. 
(Remand is similar to arraignment and means that the judge 
has found the State has sufficient evidence to hold the 
suspect.)  Normally the Magistrate would have entertained a 
bail hearing at the same time; however, Magistrate's Court 
does not have the authority to set bail on treason charges. 
Instead Tsvangirai's attorney planned to ask for bail this 
afternoon before the High Court which decided to hear the 
case in camera.  According to the attorney, the 
Attorney-General requested a delay in the hearing which has 
been rescheduled to tomorrow morning, June 11. 
 
2.  (SBU)   Welshman Ncube, Secretary-General of the MDC, who 
was also detained on new treason charges yesterday was being 
held in Harare Central Prison. His attorney reported that he 
believed Ncube would be released today. 
 
 
BISHOPS BRIEF MDC ON DISCUSSIONS WITH ZANU-PF LEADERS 
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3.  (C)  Special Advisor to MDC President Tsvangirai, Gandi 
Mudzingwa, told PolOff that the MDC leadership had been 
briefed by the local bishops on their progress in getting 
ZANU-PF to the negotiating table.  According to the bishops, 
high ranking ZANU-PF leaders including Nathan Shamuyarira and 
John Nkomo have assured them that ZANU is committed to 
dialogue and is looking to find a way forward rather than to 
review old grievances.  MDC leaders reminded the bishops that 
MDC President, at their last briefing, had emphasized the 
need for President Mugabe to make a public commitment to 
dialogue.  Mudzingwa remains skeptical that such a commitment 
will be forth coming in the near future. 
 
COMMENT 
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4. (C)  Today's "Daily News" editorial asks, "Could crackdown 
herald peace talks?" and reviews Mugabe's history of 
negotiating only after doing everything possible to weaken 
his opponent as he did in the eighties when he co-opted 
Joshua Nkomo and his ZAPU party into the ZANU ranks.  This 
may,indeed, be Mugabe's strategy.  Even Mugabe must recognize 
that while he may have won last week's battle, it will only 
gain him a little time unless the serious issues facing the 
economy are resolved.  It would explain why rumors of ZANU-PF 
overtures to the MDC are rife at the same time the GOZ is 
doing all within its power to undercut the MDC leadership in 
public. 
SULLIVAN