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



                           CONFIDENTIAL     PTQ0177

PAGE 01        HARARE  05731  01 OF 04  111811Z 
ACTION IO-00    

INFO  LOG-00   NP-00    AF-00    AGRE-00  AID-00   ACQ-00   CIAE-00  
      SMEC-00  INL-00   DINT-00  DODE-00  DOTE-00  SRPP-00  DS-00    
      EB-00    EUR-00   FAAE-00  FBIE-00  VC-00    HHS-01   H-01     
      SSA-01   TEDE-00  INR-00   LAB-01   L-00     VCE-00   AC-01    
      DCP-01   NSAE-00  OES-01   OIC-02   OMB-01   OPIC-01  PA-00    
      PM-00    PRS-00   ACE-00   P-00     SP-00    TRSE-00  USIE-00  
      R-00     PMB-00   DSCC-00  DRL-02   G-00     NFAT-00  SAS-00   
      SWCI-00    /013W
                  ------------------902330  111811Z /75    
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7338
INFO NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 
USDOC WASHDC
SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 04 HARARE 005731 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR GAYLE SMITH 
 
USDOC FOR DHENKE-ROGERS 
 
LONDON FOR GURNEY 
 
PARIS FOR BISA WILLIAMS 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 02        HARARE  05731  01 OF 04  111811Z 
PASS USAID FOR AFR/SD - DWELLER, AFR/SA - CPALMA, 
NNEWMAN, AA/AFR - VNEWTON AND A/AID - RMCCALL 
 
PASS USTR FOR ROSA WHITAKER 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/11/2010 
TAGS: EAGR PGOV PINS PINR ZI
SUBJECT: THE FAST TRACK RESETTLEMENT EXERCISE: MFA 
PERMANENT SECRETARY WILLARD CHIWEWE EXPLAINS IT ALL 
 
REF: A) HARARE 5608 
     B) HARARE 5514 
     C) STATE 186563 
 
CLASSIFIED BY CHARGE D'AFFAIRES EARL M. IRVING FOR 
REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D). 
 
¶1.  (C) DURING A ONE AND A HALF HOUR BRIEFING OF 
SELECTED HEADS OF MISSION OCTOBER 11, THE MINISTRY OF 
FOREIGN AFFAIRS PERMANENT SECRETARY AND GOVERNMENT POINT 
OF CONTACT FOR DONORS ON QUESTION ON LAND REFORM, 
WILLARD CHIWEWE, ATTEMPTED TO MAKE THE CASE THAT THE 
ZIMBABWEAN GOVERNMENT HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO EMBARK ON THE 
FAST TRACK LAND RESETTLEMENT EXERCISE.  THE SENIOR 
GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL SAID THAT TO DO OTHERWISE WOULD RISK 
POLITICAL INSTABILITY.  HE ARGUED THAT THE FAST TRACK 
APPROACH IS ESSENTIALLY AN ACCELERATED VERSION OF THE 
INCEPTION PHASE AGREED TO BY DONORS AND THE ZIMBABWEAN 
GOVERNMENT AT THE 1998 LAND DONORS' CONFERENCE, AND HAD 
AS ITS PURPOSE BRINGING THE RURAL POOR INTO THE 
COUNTRY'S ECONOMIC MAINSTREAM.  ALTHOUGH THE GOVERNMENT 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 03        HARARE  05731  01 OF 04  111811Z 
HONORED MOST OF THE PRINCIPLES, IT DID NOT HAVE THE 
LUXURY TO ENTERTAIN THE WILLING BUYER/WILLING SELLER 
PROVISION, BECAUSE IT LACKED TIME.  CHIWEWE STATED THAT 
THE GOVERNMENT OF ZIMBABWE INTENDS TO UPHOLD THE RULE OF 
LAW, ALTHOUGH IT WAS DIFFICULT TO DO SO, AS CURRENT LAND 
TENURE AND PROPERTY LAW DID NOT FAVOR THE DISPOSSESSED. 
DONOR REPRESENTATIVES PRESENT TOOK EXCEPTION TO THE 
ZIMBABWEAN GOVERNMENT'S TRAMPLING HUMAN RIGHTS AND THE 
RULE OF LAW IN ITS QUEST TO SATISFY THIS POLITICAL 
IMPERATIVE.  CHIWEWE'S INVITATION TO DIALOGUE WAS 
DEFIANT AND CASUISTIC BUT MARKED THE FIRST STEP THIS 
GOVERNMENT HAS TAKEN IN THAT DIRECTION IN A LONG TIME. 
IN SPITE OF THE PERMANENT SECRETARY'S EXPLANATION, WE 
REMAIN SKEPTICAL THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAS A REAL LAND 
REFORM PLAN.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2.  (C) MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS PERMANENT SECRETARY 
WILLARD CHIWEWE ON OCTOBER 11 INVITED HEADS OF MISSION 
FROM THE EUROPEAN UNION TROIKA, MEMBERS OF THE SOUTHERN 
AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY, THE JAPANESE CHARGE 
D'AFFAIRES AND AMEMBASSY HARARE'S CHARGE FOR A 90-MINUTE 
BRIEFING ON THE FAST TRACK RESETTLEMENT EXERCISE. 
CHIWEWE IS THE GOVERNMENT'S POINT MAN FOR THE UN/UNDP 
MISSION IN TOWN TO EXPLORE COMMON GROUND FOR RESUMING 
DIALOGUE ON TECHNICAL ASPECTS OF THE ZIMBABWEAN 
GOVERNMENT'S LAND REFORM AND RESETTLEMENT PROGRAM.  THE 
PERMANENT SECRETARY STARTED BY EXTENDING AN OLIVE 
BRANCH, NOTING THAT HIS REMARKS WERE BQNG MADE IN THE 
CONTEXT OF THE UN/UNDP MISSION AND WERE MEANT TO SPUR 
MORE MEANINGFUL DIALOGUE BETWEEN THE DONORS AND HIS 
GOVERNMENT ON THE SUBJECT OF LAND REFORM.  HE NOTED THAT 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 04        HARARE  05731  01 OF 04  111811Z 
THE 1998 DONORS' CONFERENCE ON LAND HAD GENERATED HOPE 
AND EXCITEMENT AS EACH SIDE FELT IT HAD MADE A 
BREAKTHROUGH. 
 
¶3.  (C) REGRETTABLY THE EUPHORIA WAS SHORT LIVED, AS THE 
PERIOD OF OCTOBER 1998 TO JUNE 2000 WAS MARKED BY 
INACTIVITY ON THE LAND REFORM FRONT.  CHIWEWE ATTRIBUTED 
THIS TO THE FACT THAT THE GOVERNMENT OF ZIMBABWE 
ENCOUNTERED RESOURCE CONSTRAINTS, AGGRAVATED BY THE 
"UNFAVORABLE ENVIRONMENT" CREATED BY REMARKS BY THE IMF 
AND WORLD BANK ABOUT ZIMBABWE'S ECONOMIC POLICIES. 
MOREOVER, THE ZIMBABWEAN GOVERNMENT BEGAN TO RUN OUT OF 
TIME TO PREPARE THE INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS TO 
IMPLEMENT THE INCEPTION PHASE.  BY JUNE 2000, HE 
EXPLAINED, THE GOVERNMENT HAD TO RESPOND TO THE RESULTS 
OF THAT INACTIVITY: FARM OCCUPATIONS BY WAR VETERANS AND 
RESIDENTS OF RURAL COMMUNITIES, WHO COULD NOT TOLERATE 
THE GOVERNMENT'S TARDINESS IN RESOLVING THIS SOCIAL 
GRIEVANCE.  THE GOVERNMENT THEN FOUND ITSELF HAVING TO 
ACCELERATE THE LAND DELIVERY PROCESS, IN WHICH IT 
ADHERED TO MOST OF THE PRINCIPLES AGREED TO AT THE 1998 
DONORS' CONFERENCE, EXCEPT THAT OF WILLING BUYER AND 
WILLING SELLER.  FAST TRACK MEANS THE QUICK 
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE INCEPTION PHASE, CHIWEWE 
SUMMARIZED. 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
                           CONFIDENTIAL     PTQ9979 
 
PAGE 01        HARARE  05731  02 OF 04  111705Z 
ACTION IO-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   NP-00    AF-00    AGRE-00  AID-00   ACQ-00   CIAE-00 
      SMEC-00  INL-00   DINT-00  DODE-00  DOTE-00  SRPP-00  DS-00 
      EB-00    EUR-00   FAAE-00  FBIE-00  VC-00    HHS-01   H-01 
      SSA-01   TEDE-00  INR-00   LAB-01   L-00     VCE-00   AC-01 
      DCP-01   NSAE-00  OES-01   OIC-02   OMB-01   OPIC-01  PA-00 
      PM-00    PRS-00   ACE-00   P-00     SP-00    TRSE-00  USIE-00 
      R-00     PMB-00   DSCC-00  DRL-02   G-00     NFAT-00  SAS-00 
      SWCI-00    /013W 
                  ------------------901C44  111705Z /38 
P 111703Z OCT 00 
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7339 
INFO NSC WASHDC PRIORITY 
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 
USDOC WASHDC 
SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY 
 
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 04 HARARE 005731 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR GAYLE SMITH 
 
USDOC FOR DHENKE-ROGERS 
 
LONDON FOR GURNEY 
 
PARIS FOR BISA WILLIAMS 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 02        HARARE  05731  02 OF 04  111705Z 
PASS USAID FOR AFR/SD - DWELLER, AFR/SA - CPALMA, 
NNEWMAN, AA/AFR - VNEWTON AND A/AID - RMCCALL 
 
PASS USTR FOR ROSA WHITAKER 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/11/2010 
TAGS: EAGR PGOV PINS PINR ZI
SUBJECT: THE FAST TRACK RESETTLEMENT EXERCISE: MFA 
PERMANENT SECRETARY WILLARD CHIWEWE EXPLAINS IT ALL 
 
¶4.  (C) THE PERMANENT SECRETARY STATED THAT AMONG THOSE 
THINGS TO WHICH DONORS AGREED IN 1998 THE FAST TRACK 
APPROACH ENTAILS: 
 
-- FAST LAND IDENTIFICATION AND ACQUISITION OF THE 
REMAINING 5 MILLION HECTARES FOR THE LAND REFORM AND 
RESETTLEMENT PROGRAM; 
 
-- ONCE IDENTIFIED THE LAND WAS SUBJECTED TO QUICK 
ADMINISTRATIVE AND LEGAL PROCESS, I.E., THE FARMS WERE 
GAZETTED ACCORDING TO THE LAW; 
 
-- DEMARCATION AND PLACEMENT OF SETTLERS WOULD TAKE 
PLACE SHORTLY; AND 
 
-- INFRASTRUCTURE WOULD BE PROVIDED AND INPUTS SUPPLIED 
TO SETTLERS ON AN ACCELERATED BASIS. 
 
¶5.  (C) RETURNING TO THE CONTEXT UNDER WHICH THE FAST 
TRACK OPERATION WAS LAUNCHED, CHIWEWE SAID THE POLITICAL 
SITUATION "DID NOT ALLOW THE LUXURY" TO WAIT UNTIL ALL 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 03        HARARE  05731  02 OF 04  111705Z 
FACTORS WERE IN PLACE FOR AN IDEAL LAND REFORM PROGRAM. 
HE STATED THAT THE GOVERNMENT OF ZIMBABWE COMMITTED TO 
ACQUIRING LAND OVER THE PERIOD JUNE 2000 TO DECEMBER 
2001 AND PUT SETTLERS ON THAT LAND.  THE GOVERNMENT 
DECIDED TO APPLY THE LAND REFORM AND RESETTLEMENT 
PROGRAM AS AN EXERCISE IN SOVEREIGNTY AND TO FULFIL A 
POLITICAL PROMISE.  THE GOVERNMENT REALIZES THAT THERE 
IS RELUCTANCE AMONG THE DONOR COMMUNITY TO ASSIST WITH 
THE LAND REFORM AND RESETTLEMENT PROGRAM WITH THE SPEED 
NECESSARY, BUT IF THE GOVERNMENT HAD DELIBERATED HOW TO 
ACCOMMODATE THOSE VIEWS, INSTABILITY WOULD HAVE BEEN 
"UNAVOIDABLE."  THE GOVERNMENT WAS WILLING TO COOPERATE 
WITH MEMBERS OF THE DONOR COMMUNITY, SHARING ITS VISION 
OF LAND REFORM AS A MEANS OF ENSURING SOCIAL JUSTICE AND 
IMPROVED AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITY IN A SHORTER PERIOD. 
INDEED, DONOR COMMUNITY COOPERATION WAS NECESSARY TO 
SUSTAIN THE PROGRAM AND THE GOVERNMENT OF ZIMBABWE WAS 
OPEN TO DIALOGUE. 
 
¶6.  (C) FINALLY, THE PERMANENT SECRETARY STATED THAT THE 
GOVERNMENT WAS AWARE THAT "CERTAIN POWERFUL MEMBERS" OF 
THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY VIEWED THE LAND REFORM AND 
RESETTLEMENT PROGRAM IN THE BROADER CONTEXT OF THEIR 
FOREIGN POLICY GOALS.  THEY CALLED ZIMBABWE'S QUEST FOR 
LAND "MERE POLITICKING," AND "PAID LITTLE REGARD TO" THE 
FAST TRACK PROGRAM.  HE APPEALED FOR THE INTERNATIONAL 
COMMUNITY TO PUT ASIDE FOREIGN POLICY CONCERNS AND LOOK 
IN SHARP FOCUS AT THE FAST TRACK APPROACH THAT TARGETS 
THE POOR WHO LIVE IN THE CONGESTED AREAS OF THE COMMUNAL 
LANDS.  IT WAS NOT MERELY FOCUSED ON ALLEVIATING 
POVERTY, HE OBSERVED, BUT TO BRING THE RURAL POOR INTO 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 04        HARARE  05731  02 OF 04  111705Z 
THE MAINSTREAM OF THE COUNTRY'S ECONOMY AND BECOME 
ACTIVE AGENTS IN THE ELIMINATION OF THEIR OWN POVERTY 
THROUGH LAND OWNERSHIP AND PURPOSEFUL AGRICULTURE. 
 
¶7.  (C) THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION REPRESENTATIVE OBSERVED 
THAT HIS ORGANIZATION STRONGLY SUPPORTED POVERTY 
ALLEVIATION, RECTIFICATION OF SOCIAL INEQUALITIES, AND 
THE LAND REFORM AND RESETTLEMENT PROGRAM.  THE 
GOVERNMENT OF ZIMBABWE AND HIS ORGANIZATION HAD AGREED 
TO PRINCIPLES FOR COOPERATION, BUT FAST TRACK CREATED A 
NEW SITUATION IN WHICH THE DONOR COMMUNITY HAS 
EFFECTIVELY BEEN SIDELINED.  "THIS HAS BECOME AN 
INTERNAL ZIMBABWEAN OPERATION," HE CONCLUDED.  ALTHOUGH 
THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION WAS READY FOR DIALOGUE, THIS 
COULD NOT RESUME UNTIL THE GOVERNMENT RESPECTED HUMAN 
RIGHTS AND THE RULE OF LAW. 
 
¶8.  (C) THE SWEDISH AMBASSADOR THANKED CHIWEWE FOR HIS 
"HONEST DESCRIPTION OF THE POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT" UNDER 
WHICH FAST TRACK WAS LAUNCHED, BUT TOOK ISSUE WITH THE 
PERMANENT SECRETARY'S STANCE THAT HIS GOVERNMENT COULD 
"NOT AFFORD THE LUXURY" OF A METHODICALLY IMPLEMENTED 
LAND REFORM PROGRAM.  HE SAID THAT HIS GOVERNMENT WAS 
HAPPY WITH THE 1998 DONORS' CONFERENCE DOCUMENT, BUT NOT 
HAPPY WITH SOME OF THE RESULTS OF FAST TRACK, INCLUDING 
LACK OF DIALOGUE AMONG ZIMBABWEAN STAKEHOLDERS, AND 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
                           CONFIDENTIAL     PTQ9982 
 
PAGE 01        HARARE  05731  03 OF 04  111705Z 
ACTION IO-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   NP-00    AF-00    AGRE-00  AID-00   ACQ-00   CIAE-00 
      SMEC-00  DINT-00  DODE-00  DOTE-00  SRPP-00  DS-00    EB-00 
      EUR-00   FAAE-00  FBIE-00  VC-00    HHS-01   H-01     SSA-01 
      TEDE-00  INR-00   LAB-01   L-00     VCE-00   AC-01    DCP-01 
      NSAE-00  OES-01   OIC-02   OMB-01   OPIC-01  PA-00    PM-00 
      PRS-00   ACE-00   P-00     SP-00    TRSE-00  USIE-00  R-00 
      PMB-00   DSCC-00  DRL-02   G-00     NFAT-00  SAS-00   SWCI-00 
        /013W 
                  ------------------901C4E  111706Z /38 
P 111703Z OCT 00 
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7340 
INFO NSC WASHDC PRIORITY 
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 
USDOC WASHDC 
SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY 
 
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 03 OF 04 HARARE 005731 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR GAYLE SMITH 
 
USDOC FOR DHENKE-ROGERS 
 
LONDON FOR GURNEY 
 
PARIS FOR BISA WILLIAMS 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 02        HARARE  05731  03 OF 04  111705Z 
PASS USAID FOR AFR/SD - DWELLER, AFR/SA - CPALMA, 
NNEWMAN, AA/AFR - VNEWTON AND A/AID - RMCCALL 
 
PASS USTR FOR ROSA WHITAKER 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/11/2010 
TAGS: EAGR PGOV PINS PINR ZI
SUBJECT: THE FAST TRACK RESETTLEMENT EXERCISE: MFA 
PERMANENT SECRETARY WILLARD CHIWEWE EXPLAINS IT ALL 
 
PLACING THE NEED FOR INFRASTRUCTURE LAST ON THE LIST OF 
THINGS TO ACCOMPLISH.  IF THAT WAS THE GOVERNMENT'S 
FINAL POSITION, THE DONORS WOULD HAVE DIFFICULTY 
SUPPORTING THE PROGRAM.  THE SWEDISH AMBASSADOR SAID 
THAT THERE WAS A NEED FOR A PARTNERSHIP AND THAT 
PARTNERSHIP ENTAILS DIALOGUE.  THE INTERNATIONAL 
COMMUNITY REMAINS CONCERNED ABOUT PRE-ELECTION VIOLENCE, 
HE CONTINUED.  WHILE THE GOVERNMENT OF ZIMBABWE SAW THAT 
AS A SEPARATE TRACK TO ITS LAND REFORM IMPERATIVE, THE 
INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY WILL COME BACK WHEN IT HAS 
MERGED INTO ONE TRACK. 
 
¶9.  (C) PREFACING HIS RESPONSE, CHIWEWE SAID THAT, 
REGARDING ZIMBABWE'S LAND REFORM AND RESETTLEMENT 
PROGRAM, "IF WE CAN START FROM SHARING SOCIAL AND 
POLITICAL VALUES, THEN THE MODALITIES FOR IMPLEMENTATION 
WILL BE EASIER."  HE CONCEDED THAT FAST TRACK WAS AN 
INTERNAL OPERATION TO THE EXCLUSION OF THE DONORS, BUT 
THAT IT WAS NOT OUT OF CHOICE BUT NECESSITY, AND THAT 
THE LAND TRANSFER PROGRAM WAS SUBJECT TO INTERNAL 
WEAKNESSES.  NO SUCH PROCESS WAS ATTEMPTED BETWEEN 1890 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 03        HARARE  05731  03 OF 04  111705Z 
AND 1980, AND ONLY HALFHEARTEDLY BETWEEN 1980 AND 2000. 
"THOSE OF US IN AN IVORY TOWER CAN THINK OF PERFECTING 
OUR ART WHEN THE PATIENT IS DYING," THE PERMANENT 
SECRETARY REMARKED, "BUT WHILE WE TRY TO BE PERFECT 
 
SIPDIS 
POVERTY ENTRENCHES ITSELF." 
 
¶10.  (C) THE GOVERNMENT, CHIWEWE CONTINUED, MAY HAVE HAD 
AN EXCUSE FOR DELAYING DURING THE COLONIAL PERIOD BUT 
NOT NOW, AFTER THE PROMULGATION OF TWO CONSTITUTIONAL 
AMENDMENTS AND THE REVISED LAND ACT IN JUNE 2000.  THE 
GOVERNMENT COULD HAVE RESORTED TO WILLING BUYER AND 
WILLING SELLER WHEN LAND WAS FOR SALE.  HONORING THAT 
PRINCIPLE BUT NOT THE POLITICAL IMPERATIVE OF GIVING 
LAND TO THE LANDLESS WOULD HAVE DESTABILIZED THE 
COUNTRY.  WE DECIDED NOT TO WAIT, TO GO IT ALONE, EVEN 
IF THE PROGRAM LACKED INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT.  THE DONORS 
WITHHELD SUPPORT AND LEFT THE GOVERNMENT TO TRUDGE 
ALONG.  NEVERTHELESS, HE SAID THAT "OUR PRESENCE HERE 
TODAY UNDERLINES THE IMPORTANCE WE ATTACH TO DONOR 
COOPERATION." 
 
¶11.  (C) TURNING TO RULE OF LAW, CHIWEWE SAID, "WE ARE 
HURT," AS THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY DID NOT THINK IT 
APPLIED TO RHODESIA AS A COLONY AND THE ZIMBABWEAN 
GOVERNMENT WONDERS WHY IT SHOULD BECOME SUCH A CONCERN 
NOW.  HE STATED THAT ZIMBABWE UPHOLDS THE RULE OF LAW, 
BUT IMPLIED THAT LAND TENURE PRACTICES, BACKED BY THE 
LAW, HAVE TRADITIONALLY FAVORED WHITE FARMERS.  HE 
ASSURED HIS LISTENERS THAT ANYONE WHO HAD COMMITTED A 
CRIME IN CONNECTION WITH THE FARM INVASIONS "MUST HAVE 
BEEN APPREHENDED OR IS ON THE POLICE SEARCH LIST."  THE 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 04        HARARE  05731  03 OF 04  111705Z 
GOVERNMENT IS COMMITTED TO BRINGING CRIMINALS TO 
JUSTICE. 
 
¶12.  (C) WHILE RULE OF LAW MUST BE RESPECTED, CHIWEWE 
EMPHASIZED, WE CAN'T SEEK TO RESPECT A LAW THAT SUSTAINS 
AN UNJUST SYSTEM.  WE WILL BE HAPPIER TO DISCUSS THIS 
MATTER WHEN THE PEOPLE ARE ON THE LAND, WHEN THE 
MAJORITY ARE INVOLVED IN THE MAINSTREAM ECONOMY AND 
POVERTY IS NOT EXTERNALLY IMPOSED.  CHIWEWE SAID THAT 
THERE COULD BE NO REVERSAL OF THE SITUATION PRIOR TO 
THAT OF JANUARY 2000.  "THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE; 
UNACCEPTABLE," HE UNDERSCORED.  IN CLOSING, HE GAVE HIS 
SENSE FROM THE FOREGOING DISCUSSION THAT ON TECHNICAL 
POINTS THERE WAS NO DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE POSITIONS OF 
THE GOVERNMENT AND THAT OF THE DONOR COMMUNITY. 
 
¶13.  (C) COMMENT: CHIWEWE'S DEFIANT DEFENSE OF THE FAST 
TRACK APPROACH REPRESENTS THE FIRST EFFORT THIS 
GOVERNMENT HAS MADE IN MONTHS TO CONVINCE THE DONOR 
COMMUNITY THAT IT IS NEEDED AND, INDEED, WANTED.  WHILE 
IT WAS EXCRUCIATING TO SIT THROUGH THE PERMANENT 
SECRETARY'S FOG OF CASUISTRY, WE APPRECIATED HIS 
 
SIPDIS 
OCCASIONAL FRANK ADMISSION, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT THE DONORS 
WERE PURPOSELY LEFT OUT OF THE FAST TRACK APPROACH.  THE 
GOVERNMENT HAS A LONG WAY TO GO, HOWEVER, BEFORE IT CAN 
CONVINCE US THAT IT IS SERIOUS ABOUT IMPLEMENTING A 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
                           CONFIDENTIAL     PTQ9983 
 
PAGE 01        HARARE  05731  04 OF 04  111706Z 
ACTION IO-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   NP-00    AF-00    AGRE-00  AID-00   ACQ-00   CIAE-00 
      SMEC-00  DINT-00  DODE-00  DOTE-00  SRPP-00  DS-00    EB-00 
      EUR-00   FAAE-00  FBIE-00  VC-00    HHS-01   H-01     SSA-01 
      TEDE-00  INR-00   LAB-01   L-00     VCE-00   AC-01    DCP-01 
      NSAE-00  OES-01   OIC-02   OMB-01   OPIC-01  PA-00    PM-00 
      PRS-00   ACE-00   P-00     SP-00    TRSE-00  USIE-00  PMB-00 
      DSCC-00  DRL-02   G-00     NFAT-00  SAS-00     /013W 
                  ------------------901C51  111706Z /38 
P 111703Z OCT 00 
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7341 
INFO NSC WASHDC PRIORITY 
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 
USDOC WASHDC 
SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY 
 
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 04 OF 04 HARARE 005731 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR GAYLE SMITH 
 
USDOC FOR DHENKE-ROGERS 
 
LONDON FOR GURNEY 
 
PARIS FOR BISA WILLIAMS 
 
PASS USAID FOR AFR/SD - DWELLER, AFR/SA - CPALMA, 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 02        HARARE  05731  04 OF 04  111706Z 
NNEWMAN, AA/AFR - VNEWTON AND A/AID - RMCCALL 
 
PASS USTR FOR ROSA WHITAKER 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/11/2010 
TAGS: EAGR PGOV PINS PINR ZI
SUBJECT: THE FAST TRACK RESETTLEMENT EXERCISE: MFA 
PERMANENT SECRETARY WILLARD CHIWEWE EXPLAINS IT ALL 
 
FAIR, TRANSPARENT LAND REFORM EFFORT, AND ITS ACTIONS 
WILL SPEAK MUCH LOUDER THAN ITS WORDS.  DESPITE HIS 
ATTEMPT TO BEGIN TO REBUILD SOME GOODWILL WITH THE DONOR 
COMMUNITY, CHIWEWE'S FAILURE TO PROVIDE DETAILS OF THE 
RESETTLEMENT EFFORT DOES NOT GIVE REASON FOR OPTIMISM 
THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAS A REAL LAND REFORM PLAN.  END 
COMMENT. 
 
IRVING 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
>