This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.



                           CONFIDENTIAL     PTQ8680

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FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7133
INFO NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE
SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 HARARE 005270 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR GAYLE SMITH 
LONDON FOR CHARLES GURNEY 
PARIS FOR BISA WILLIAMS 
PASS USTR FOR ROSA WHITAKER 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/15/10 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM ZI ZANU PF
SUBJECT:  GOVERNMENT RESORTS TO HAM-FISTED INTIMIDATION 
CAMPAIGN AGAINST THE PARLIAMENTARY OPPOSITION 
 
REF: A) HARARE 5214  B) HARARE 5187 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 02        HARARE  05270  01 OF 03  181642Z 
 
CLASSIFIED BY AMBASSADOR MCDONALD.  REASONS: 1.5 (B) AND 
(D). 
 
SUMMARY 
------- 
 
¶1.  (C) IN THEIR TWO-DAY RAID ON MDC OFFICES, POLICE AND 
CIO AGENTS SEIZED PAPER FILES AND DISKETTES, AND 
DOWNLOADED COMPUTER FILES.  SEIZED DOCUMENTS INCLUDED THE 
MDC'S MEMBERSHIP LISTS, FUNDING SOURCES, STRATEGIES FOR 
THE PARLIAMENTARY LEGAL CHALLENGES AND THE 2002 
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION, AND EVIDENCE GATHERED ON THE 
MURDERS AND OTHER VIOLENCE COMMITTED DURING THE PRE- 
ELECTION CAMPAIGN.  ALL THE SEIZED INFORMATION WAS 
RETURNED ON SEPTEMBER 16 ON THE INSTRUCTION OF A HIGH 
COURT ORDER.  MDC MP TENDAI BITI SPECULATED THAT THE 
SERVING OF LEGAL PAPERS ON PRESIDENT MUGABE IN NEW YORK 
HAD EMBARRASSED HIM AND LED HIM TO RETALIATE.  HOME 
AFFAIRS MINISTER JOHN NKOMO IS EXPECTED TO SPEAK TO 
PARLIAMENT ABOUT THE RAIDS ON SEPTEMBER 19, AND BITI HAS 
HEARD THAT NKOMO MAY LINK SENIOR MDC OFFICIALS TO ILLEGAL 
ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING WEAPONS IMPORTATIONS. 
 
¶2.  (C) LAST WEEK'S RAIDS WERE THE LATEST CHAPTER IN THE 
GOZ'S CAMPAIGN OF INTIMIDATION AGAINST THE MDC.  IT IS 
UNCLEAR HOW FAR THE GOVERNMENT PLANS TO GO, AND THE USG 
NEEDS TO BE PREPARED WITH A STRONG RESPONSE IF IT BECOMES 
CLEAR THAT THE GOZ IS TRYING TO ELIMINATE THE MDC AS A 
VIABLE OPPOSITION PARTY.  NKOMO'S SEPTEMBER 19 SPEECH 
SHOULD PROVIDE A GUIDE TO THE GOVERNMENT'S INTENTIONS. 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 03        HARARE  05270  01 OF 03  181642Z 
END SUMMARY. 
 
DOCUMENTS AND COMPUTER FILES SEIZED 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶3.  (C) ACCORDING TO MDC ADVISOR CLIVE PUZEY, THE RAID ON 
THE OFFICES OF THE OPPOSITION MDC CONCLUDED ON FRIDAY, 
SEPTEMBER 15.  HE STATED THAT POLICE, ACCOMPANIED BY 
AGENTS OF THE CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE ORGANIZATION (CIO), 
SEIZED ALL OF THE MDC'S PAPER FILES AND COMPUTER 
DISKETTES, AND DOWNLOADED ALL OF THE PARTY'S COMPUTER 
FILES.  INCLUDED IN THE SEIZED INFORMATION, PUZEY SAID, 
WERE THE PARTY'S MEMBERSHIP LISTS, FINANCIAL RECORDS, 
STRATEGIES FOR THE 2002 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION AND FOR 
THEIR LEGAL CHALLENGES RELATED TO THE JUNE PARLIAMENTARY 
ELECTIONS, AND ALL THE EVIDENCE COLLECTED ON THE MURDERS 
AND OTHER SIGNIFICANT VIOLENCE COMMITTED DURING THE PRE- 
ELECTION PERIOD. 
 
¶4.  (C) LATE ON SEPTEMBER 15, POLOFF SPOKE WITH SEKAYI 
HOLLAND, THE MDC'S SECRETARY FOR INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS 
AND UNSUCCESSFUL PARLIAMENTARY CANDIDATE.  HOLLAND WAS 
PRESENT AT THE MDC'S EASTGATE OFFICE AND PROVIDED AN 
ACCOUNT OF THE SECOND RAID BY POLICE AND CIO OFFICERS. 
HOLLAND REPORTED THAT EARLY IN THE MORNING ON SEPTEMBER 15 
THE POLICE ORDERED EVERYONE OUT OF THE BUILDING BUT, AS THE 
MOST SENIOR MDC OFFICIAL PRESENT, HOLLAND REFUSED TO LEAVE. 
SHE REPORTED THAT THE POLICE, ACCOMPANIED BY THE CIO, 
PROCEEDED TO USE RAMMING RODS TO BREAK DOWN THE DOORS TO 
SEVERAL OFFICES, INCLUDING THAT OF MDC PRESIDENT MORGAN 
TSVANGIRAI.  THE OFFICERS TOOK THE WHOLE DAY TO REMOVE 
 
SIPDIS 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 04        HARARE  05270  01 OF 03  181642Z 
VIRTUALLY ALL THE PAPER AND COMPUTER FILES.  THE CIO 
OFFICERS THREATENED TO TAKE HOLLAND TO THEIR HEADQUARTERS, 
BUT DECIDED NOT TO UPON LEAVING AT THE END OF THE DAY. 
HOLLAND WAS SHAKEN, BUT OTHERWISE UNHARMED. 
 
¶5.  (C) IN A MEETING ON SEPTEMBER 18 WITH THE AMBASSADOR, 
DCM, AND POLOFF, MDC SECRETARY-GENERAL WELSHMAN NCUBE AND 
MDC MP (AND SHADOW FOREIGN MINISTER) TENDAI BITI PROVIDED 
ADDITIONAL DETAILS ON THE RAID.  ACCORDING TO NCUBE, IT 
WAS CLEAR THAT THE GRENADE ATTACK ON MDC HEADQUARTERS 
EARLIER IN THE WEEK HAD BEEN A PRETEXT FOR THE GOVERNMENT 
TO GET ITS HANDS ON LISTS OF MDC PATRONS AND STRATEGIES. 
THE MDC SECRETARY-GENERAL AFFIRMED THAT, DURING THE RAID, 
THE POLICE AND CIO AGENTS APPEARED TO BE MOST INTERESTED 
IN THE DOCUMENTS AND COMPUTER FILES RELATING TO FINANCIAL 
TRANSACTIONS AND THE MDC'S FUNDING SOURCES.  THEY SEIZED, 
INTER ALIA, A LETTER FROM MORGAN TSVANGIRAI TO THE 
INTERNATIONAL REPUBLICAN INSTITUTE (IRI) CONCERNING IRI'S 
WORKSHOPS FOR NEW MDC MPS, A LETTER THANKING A DUTCH NGO 
FOR PROVIDING ASSISTANCE, AND LETTERS OF CONGRATULATIONS 
TO THE MDC FROM A VARIETY OF ORGANIZATIONS SENT AFTER THE 
PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS. 
 
¶6.  (C) NCUBE INSISTED THAT NONE OF THE SEIZED 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
                           CONFIDENTIAL     PTQ8681 
 
PAGE 01        HARARE  05270  02 OF 03  181642Z 
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O 181644Z SEP 00 
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7134 
INFO NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE 
SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY 
 
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 03 HARARE 005270 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR GAYLE SMITH 
LONDON FOR CHARLES GURNEY 
PARIS FOR BISA WILLIAMS 
PASS USTR FOR ROSA WHITAKER 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/15/10 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM ZI ZANU PF
SUBJECT:  GOVERNMENT RESORTS TO HAM-FISTED INTIMIDATION 
CAMPAIGN AGAINST THE PARLIAMENTARY OPPOSITION 
 
INFORMATION HAD ANYTHING TO DO WITH "SECURITY-RELATED 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 02        HARARE  05270  02 OF 03  181642Z 
MATTERS."  HE REPORTED THAT THE GOZ HAD NOT OBTAINED ALL 
THE COMPUTER FILES AT THE EASTGATE OFFICE, AS THE MDC 
STAFF THERE HAD MANAGED QUICKLY TO SWITCH SOME OF THEIR 
COMPUTERS WITH A SYMPATHETIC ARCHITECTURAL FIRM NEXT 
DOOR.  THE PAPER FILES AND 21 COMPUTER DISKETTES WHICH 
WERE TAKEN WERE RETURNED TO THE MDC ON SATURDAY 
AFTERNOON, SEPTEMBER 16, AFTER A HIGH COURT JUDGE ORDERED 
THEM TO DO SO.  ACCORDING TO NCUBE, THE HIGH COURT ORDER 
ALSO REQUIRED THAT THE MDC RECEIVE NOTIFICATION 48 HOURS 
PRIOR TO THE ISSUANCE OF ANY ADDITIONAL WARRANTS. 
 
WHAT SPARKED IT 
--------------- 
 
¶7. (C) WHEN ASKED WHY THE POLICE HAD SPENT TWO DAYS 
REMOVING FILES, SEKAYI HOLLAND SAID ZANU-PF WAS ALARMED 
BY A RESURGENCE OF ANTI-GOVERNMENT RALLIES IN 
TRADITIONALLY STRONG ZANU-PF TERRITORY IN RURAL AREAS. 
IN PARTICULAR, SHE SAID 15,000 PEOPLE HAD TURNED OUT FOR 
AN MDC RALLY IN MBERENGWA EAST, MIDLANDS PROVINCE, THE 
PREVIOUS WEEKEND TO CELEBRATE THE "REOPENING" OF THE 
MBERENGWA DISTRICT TO MDC SUPPORTERS.  MBERENGWA HAD BEEN 
DECLARED A "NO-GO" AREA BY ZANU-PF SUPPORTERS DURING THE 
PARLIAMENTARY ELECTION CAMPAIGN, AND HAD BEEN 
PARTICULARLY HARD-HIT BY PRE-ELECTION VIOLENCE, ACCORDING 
TO HOLLAND.  (COMMENT:  IT IS A STRETCH TO LINK THE RAID 
OF THE MDC OFFICES IN HARARE TO AN MDC RALLY IN MIDLANDS. 
HOWEVER, HOLLAND WAS CLEARLY FRIGHTENED BY ONGOING 
THREATS AGAINST HER LIFE FROM ZANU-PF, AND THIS MAY HAVE 
EXAGGERATED HER RESPONSE TO THE MDC RAIDS. END COMMENT.) 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 03        HARARE  05270  02 OF 03  181642Z 
8  (C) TENDAI BITI SURMISED THAT THE RECENT SERVING OF 
LEGAL PAPERS, INITIATED BY MDC MEMBERS, ON PRESIDENT 
MUGABE IN NEW YORK LIKELY EMBARRASSED HIM AND LED HIM TO 
RETALIATE.  IN ADDITION, BITI CONTINUED, THE GOZ HAD 
SERIOUSLY UNDERESTIMATED THE MDC'S ABILITY TO PLAY AN 
EFFECTIVE ROLE IN PARLIAMENT. FACED WITH A SINKING 
ECONOMY AND REGULAR CRITICISMS FROM THE MDC, MUGABE IS 
INCREASINGLY DESPERATE AND ONE OF HIS FEW OPTIONS IS TO 
COME AFTER THE MDC WITH STRONG-ARM TACTICS.  MUGABE, BITI 
SAID, HAS ALWAYS USED VIOLENCE AND INTIMIDATION AS AN 
EFFECTIVE TACTIC.  NCUBE SURMISED THAT THE GOZ WAS FORCED 
TO ACT OVERTLY AGAINST THE MDC BECAUSE THE CIO HAD BEEN 
UNSUCCESSFUL AT INFILTRATING THE PARTY. 
 
¶9.  (C)  BITI EXPRESSED CONCERN THAT THE GOZ MIGHT CLAMP 
DOWN ON SENIOR MDC LEADERS IN THE COMING WEEK, AS THE GOZ 
DID IN THE EARLY 1980'S WHEN IT PROSECUTED SENIOR ZAPU 
OFFICIALS ON TRUMPED-UP WEAPONS CHARGES.   MINISTER OF 
HOME AFFAIRS JOHN NKOMO IS SCHEDULED TO ADDRESS 
PARLIAMENT ON SEPTEMBER 19 CONCERNING THE GRENADE ATTACK 
AND THE POLICE/CIO RAIDS, AND THE MDC HAS HEARD HE MIGHT 
LINK THE SENIOR-MOST MDC OFFICIALS TO ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES, 
INCLUDING THE IMPORTATION OF WEAPONS.  BITI INSISTED THAT 
SUCH CHARGES ARE LUDICROUS, AS HE DOES NOT EVEN POSSESS A 
GUN. 
 
MDC'S NEXT STEPS 
---------------- 
 
¶10.  (C)  NCUBE SAID THE MDC'S EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE PLANS 
TO MEET ON SEPTEMBER 20 TO CONSIDER NEXT STEPS.  THE 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 04        HARARE  05270  02 OF 03  181642Z 
COMMITTEE WILL CONSIDER LEGAL AND POLITICAL OPTIONS, 
INCLUDING CHALLENGING THE GOVERNMENT'S ACTIONS IN COURT 
AND ORGANIZING A NATIONAL STRIKE.  BITI ADDED THAT THE 
SUBSTANCE OF MINISTER NKOMO'S SPEECH ON SEPTEMBER 19 
WOULD LIKELY DETERMINE THE MDC'S FUTURE MOVES. 
 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
¶11.  (C)  THE GOVERNMENT HAS HARASSED AND INTIMIDATED THE 
MDC AT EVERY TURN SINCE ITS FOUNDING LAST YEAR.  FACED 
WITH THE MDC'S RISING POPULARITY IN THE AFTERMATH OF 
FEBRUARY'S CONSTITUTIONAL REFERENDUM DEFEAT, AND THE 
PROSPECT OF LOSING CONTROL OF PARLIAMENT, THE GOZ 
UNLEASHED A CAMPAIGN OF TERROR FOCUSED ON MDC SUPPORTERS 
AND CANDIDATES IN THE RUN UP TO THE JUNE PARLIAMENTARY 
ELECTIONS.  THE OCCUPATIONS BY SO-CALLED WAR VETERANS OF 
COMMERCIAL FARMS, MOST OF WHOM ARE OWNED BY MDC 
SUPPORTERS, WERE A KEY ELEMENT IN THE GOZ'S ELECTION 
STRATEGY. 
 
¶12.  (C) LAST WEEK'S RAID ON MDC OFFICES, AND THE GRENADE 
ATTACK WHICH APPARENTLY SERVED AS A PRETEXT FOR IT, WAS 
THE LATEST, AND PERHAPS MOST SINISTER, CHAPTER IN THIS 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
                           CONFIDENTIAL     PTQ8683 
 
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O 181644Z SEP 00 
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7135 
INFO NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE 
SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY 
 
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 03 OF 03 HARARE 005270 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR GAYLE SMITH 
LONDON FOR CHARLES GURNEY 
PARIS FOR BISA WILLIAMS 
PASS USTR FOR ROSA WHITAKER 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/15/10 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM ZI ZANU PF
SUBJECT:  GOVERNMENT RESORTS TO HAM-FISTED INTIMIDATION 
CAMPAIGN AGAINST THE PARLIAMENTARY OPPOSITION 
 
INTIMIDATION CAMPAIGN.  SPECULATION IS RIFE HERE ON WHAT 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 02        HARARE  05270  03 OF 03  181643Z 
MAY HAVE BEEN THE PRECIPITATING EVENT FOR THE GOVERNMENT 
ACTION.  THE BOTTOM LINE, THOUGH, IS THAT THE MDC IS 
GAINING STRENGTH AND IS SUBJECTING THE GOZ TO CRITICISM, 
CALLS FOR ACCOUNTABILITY, AND PUBLIC SCRUTINY TO WHICH IT 
IS UNACCUSTOMED.  THE OPPOSITION PARTY NOW POSES A VERY 
REAL THREAT TO MUGABE'S HOLD ON POWER (THE MDC WILL SWEEP 
MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS EXPECTED LATER THIS YEAR AND LIKELY 
WOULD WIN THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION IF IT WERE HELD TODAY 
AND WERE HALF-WAY FAIR AND FREE), AND HE AND HIS CRONIES 
WILL DO ALL THEY CAN TO MINIMIZE THAT THREAT.  IN A SMALL 
PRIVATE LUNCHEON ATTENDED BY FOUR GOVERNMENT MINISTERS 
AND OTHER DIPLOMATS ON SEPTEMBER 15, THE AMBASSADOR ASKED 
THE REASONS FOR THE GOZ ACTION AGAINST THE MDC.  THE 
MINISTERS WERE ALL SILENT, WITH NOT A SINGLE ONE 
ATTEMPTING TO JUSTIFY THE RAID. 
 
¶13.  (C) IT IS APPARENT TO US NOW THAT THE GOZ (ZANU-PF) 
NOT ONLY HAS NO INTENTION OF WORKING WITH THE MDC, BUT 
WILL RESORT TO VIOLENCE AND INTIMIDATION TO TRY TO 
RECOVER GROUND IT HAS LOST TO ITS UPSTART RIVAL.  IT IS 
UNCLEAR, THOUGH, HOW FAR THE GOVERNMENT INTENDS TO GO, 
BUT THE POSSIBILITY THAT THE GOVERNMENT MAY TRY TO LINK 
THE MDC LEADERSHIP TO ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES -- AND THUS 
ARREST THEM -- IS EXTREMELY TROUBLING.  AS BITI 
MENTIONED, THE GOZ UNDERTOOK A SIMILAR APPROACH IN THE 
1980'S IN ELIMINATING ZAPU AS A VIABLE OPPOSITION PARTY. 
WE HAVE KNOWN THE MDC LEADERS FOR QUITE SOME TIME AND 
FIND IT EXTREMELY UNLIKELY THAT ANY OF THEM WOULD BE 
INVOLVED IN IMPORTING WEAPONS. 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 03        HARARE  05270  03 OF 03  181643Z 
 
MCDONALD 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
>