US embassy cable - 03HARARE1477

UNCLAS HARARE 001477 
 
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, KMDR, ZI 
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION PRESIDENT BUSH ON "CAPTIVE NATIONS 
WEEK"; HARARE 
 
 
  1.   Under headline "Africa must resist" the 
      government-controlled Bulawayo-based weekly "Sunday 
      News" dedicated its July 20 editorial to criticizing 
      President George W. Bush for including Zimbabwe on 
      the list of country's he said, in a proclamation to 
      mark "Captive Nations Week," were guilty of 
      oppression and human rights abuses.  Excerpts: 
 
  2.   "On Friday, in the aftermath of his road show in 
      Africa, President George W. Bush demonized Zimbabwe 
      accusing the government of `violence, corruption and 
      mismanagement.'  When a United States President who 
      came to power through electoral fraud decides to 
      bully an African country from his base in Texas yet 
      he had a golden opportunity to confront Zimbabwe 
      head-on when he toured Africa. . .the world should 
      question his racist convictions.  In a proclamation 
      issued to mark `captive nations week. . .' the 
      warmongering cowboy directed his rightwing insults 
      at Zimbabwe, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Belarus and 
      Myanmar. . .For Africa, the announcement of this 
      so-called blacklist is a non-event.  That is why 
      Africa refused to be bullied and actually elected 
      President Mugabe Vice-Chairman of the African Union 
      during the meddlesome U. S. leader's visit to the 
      continent.  Less than two and a half years after he 
      came to power. . .President Bush has been dismal. 
      Instead of pursuing enlightened policies abroad, he 
      has championed imperial conquest.  Thankfully, 
      Africa has resisted this onslaught." 
 
SULLIVAN