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


                           UNCLASSIFIED     PTQ2461

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FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9798
INFO NSC WASHDC
AMEMBASSY PRETORIA 
AMEMBASSY LUSAKA 
AMEMBASSY WINDHOEK 
AMEMBASSY GABORONE 
AMEMBASSY LILONGWE 
AMEMBASSY LONDON

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 HARARE 002813 
 
SIPDIS 
 
AF/PD FOR COX, ROBERTSON, AF/S FOR KRAFT, AF/P, INR/R/MR, 
NSC FOR JENDAYI FRAZER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ZI PREL PHUM
SUBJECT: MEDIA REPORT LETTERS TO THE EDITOR ON U. S. 
BOMBINGS; HARARE 
 
¶1.   THERE HAS BEEN AN UNPRECEDENTED OUTPOURING OF LETTERS 
    TO THE EDITOR, PUBLISHED IN THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA, 
    CENTERING ON THE RECENT TERRORIST ATTACKS AT THE WORLD 
    TRADE CENTER AND THE PENTAGON.  SAMPLES OF THE LETTERS 
    FOLLOW: 
 
¶2.   UNDER HEADLINE "INJUSTICE SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED" THE 
    SEPTEMBER 22 EDITION OF THE GOVERNMENT-CONTROLLED DAILY 
    "THE HERALD" PUBLISHED THE FOLLOWING LETTER SIGNED BY 
    "ALUTA CONTINUA FOR JUSTICE, UZ": 
 
    "I SYMPATHIZE WITH THE VICTIMS OF THE RECENT BOMBING IN 
    AMERICA, ESPECIALLY THE FAMILIES WHO LOST THEIR BELOVED 
    ONES.  IT IS ONLY JUSTIFIED THAT THE AMERICAN 
    GOVERNMENT BRINGS TO JUSTICE THOSE WHO CARRIED OUT SUCH 
    A BRUTAL ACT.  WHENEVER AN INJUSTICE IS DONE AGAINST A 
    NATION, JUSTICE SHOULD FOLLOW. . . ." 
 
¶3.   UNDER HEADLINE "TOWERS, CASTLES AND COMMITTEES," IDEN 
    WETHERELL, EDITOR OF THE "ZIMBABWE INDEPENDENT" WROTE 
    THE FOLLOWING ON HIS WEEKLY COLUMN "EDITOR'S MEMO": 
 
    ". . .FOLLOWING THE EVENTS OF LAST WEEK THE NEW YORK 
    SKYLINE WILL NEVER BE THE SAME AGAIN.  NEW YORKERS ARE 
    OF COURSE ACUTELY AWARE OF THAT, NOT LEAST BECAUSE OF 
    THE MANY PERSONAL TRAGEDIES THE GAP IN THEIR CITY'S 
    LANDSCAPE HAS LEFT.  BUT I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT THE 
    RESILIENCE THEY HAVE SHOWN IN ADVERSITY THROUGHOUT THE 
    CRISIS OF THE PAST WEEK WILL SEE AN URBAN RENEWAL. 
    THAT WILL INCLUDE AN EDIFICE THAT MATCHES THE ONE THEY 
    HAVE LOST.  IT WILL BE A MEMORIAL TO THE 5,000 DEAD AND 
    A STATEMENT THAT AMERICA'S BEACON CITY WILL NOT BE 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        HARARE  02813  01 OF 03  250544Z 
    ECLIPSED BY EVIL. . ." 
 
¶4.   UNDER HEADLINE "ACT TOGETHER ON TERRORISM," THE 
    NEWSPAPER PUBLISHED THE FOLLOWING LETTER SIGNED RES 
    COOK: 
 
    "THE HORRENDOUS TERRORIST ACTS PERPETRATED AGAINST THE 
    ¶U. S. HAVE RIGHTLY BEEN CONDEMNED BY ALMOST THE ENTIRE 
    WORLD.  UNDOUBTEDLY SUCH A HIGH PROFILE AND DEADLY ACT 
    AGAINST THE WORLD'S MOST POWERFUL COUNTRY WILL RESULT 
    IN MASSIVE RETRIBUTION.  HOWEVER, I CAN'T HELP BUT 
    THINK OF ALL THE OTHER ACTS OF TERRORISM THAT HAVE BEEN 
    AND STILL ARE BEING COMMITTED ON A DAILY BASIS BY 
    VARIOUS INDIVIDUALS, ORGANIZATIONS AND GOVERNMENTS 
    WHICH BELIEVE IN VIOLENCE AS A LEGITIMATE MEANS OF 
    DEALING WITH THOSE WHO OPPOSE OR DISAGREE WITH THEM. 
    ALL TERRORISM SHOULD BE FOUGHT VIGOROUSLY WHEREVER IT 
    OCCURS - AND BY WHOEVER IT IS BEING PERPETRATED ON. 
    THE FORCES FOR GOOD IN THE WORLD MUST STAND UP AND BE 
    COUNTED WHEREVER EVIL AND TERROR ARE BEING FOUGHT. . . 
    THE INDISCRIMINATE USE OF VIOLENCE AS A POLITICAL 
    WEAPON SHOULD BE CONDEMNED AND COUNTERED VIGOROUSLY AND 
    EFFECTIVELY, NOT JUST WHEN IT OCCURS IN NEW YORK BUT 
    ALSO WHEN IT OCCURS IN REMOTE RURAL COMMUNITIES FAR 
    FROM THE WORLD CENTERS OF FINANCIAL, POLITICAL AND 
    MILITARY POWER.     NOT JUST WHEN IT OCCURS ACROSS 
    INTERNATIONAL BORDERS, BUT ALSO WHEN IT OCCURS WITHIN A 
    COUNTRY.  ONLY IF THIS TERRIBLE TRAGEDY IN THE U. S. 
    RESULTS IN A MORE COMMITTED INTERNATIONAL APPROACH TO 
    COMBATING TERRORISM - BOTH NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL - 
    WILL SOME GOOD COME OUT OF THIS BARBARIC ACT. . . ." 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 04        HARARE  02813  01 OF 03  250544Z 
 
¶5.   UNDER HEADLINE "CONDEMN ALL ACTS OF TERRORISM," THE 
    SAME NEWSPAPER PUBLISHED THE FOLLOWING LETTER SIGNED 
    LEARNMORE NDHLOVU: 
 
    "I WOULD LIKE TO EXPRESS MY HEARTFELT SYMPATHY TO ALL 
    THOSE PEOPLE AFFECTED BY THE RECENT TERRORIST ATTACKS 
    IN THE U. S. . .THE MAJORITY OF ZIMBABWEANS WOULD 
    EXPECT THEIR PRESIDENT TO DO AS HE DID, THAT IS EXPRESS 
    ON THEIR BEHALF THEIR SYMPATHY AND OUTRAGE OVER THE 
    TRAGEDY IN THE U. S. AND EXPRESS SOLIDARITY WITH THE 
    WORLD'S NEW FOUND DESIRE TO BE RID OF TERRORISM.  BUT 
    IT HAS TO BE HYPOCRITICAL FOR PRESIDENT MUGABE TO 
    EXPRESS HIS OUTRAGE AT THE TERRORISM, WHICH STRUCK 
    AMERICA SO DRAMATICALLY WHILE HE ACCEPTS TERRORISM AS A 
    POLITICAL TOOL AT HOME.  FOR IT IS TERRORISM THAT IS 
    BEING USED AS POLITICAL WEAPON AGAINST THE PEOPLE OF 
    ZIMBABWE IN AN EFFORT TO CONVINCE US THAT WE HAVE NO 
    CHOICE BUT TO SUPPORT AND VOTE FOR MUGABE. . .IT CAN 
    NOT BE ANY MORE ACCEPTABLE FOR ONE PERSON TO BE 
    SLAUGHTERED IN ZIMBABWE FOR THEIR POLITICAL BELIEF, 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
                           UNCLASSIFIED     PTQ2462 
 
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ACTION INR-00 
 
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P 250524Z SEP 01 
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9799 
INFO NSC WASHDC 
AMEMBASSY PRETORIA 
AMEMBASSY LUSAKA 
AMEMBASSY WINDHOEK 
AMEMBASSY GABORONE 
AMEMBASSY LILONGWE 
AMEMBASSY LONDON 
 
UNCLAS SECTION 02 OF 03 HARARE 002813 
 
SIPDIS 
 
AF/PD FOR COX, ROBERTSON, AF/S FOR KRAFT, AF/P, INR/R/MR, 
NSC FOR JENDAYI FRAZER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ZI PREL PHUM
SUBJECT: MEDIA REPORT LETTERS TO THE EDITOR ON U. S. 
BOMBINGS; HARARE 
 
    THAN IT IS FOR THOUSANDS TO BE SLAUGHTERED IN THE U. S. 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        HARARE  02813  02 OF 03  250544Z 
    FOR WHATEVER REASON.  IT CAN NOT BE ANY MORE ACCEPTABLE 
    TO KILL INNOCENT CIVILIANS AND CREATE UNNECESSARY 
    ECONOMIC HAVOC AND DESTRUCTION IN ZIMBABWE THAN IT IS 
    TO KILL INNOCENT CIVILIANS, AND CREATE UNNECESSARY 
    ECONOMIC HAVOC AND DESTRUCTION IN THE U. S.  THE 
    QUESTION OF SCALE, NUMBERS AND LOCATION DOES NOT ALTER 
    THE UNACCEPTABILITY OF TERRORISM BY ANYONE AGAINST ANY 
    PERSON OR PEOPLE ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD. . .I CAN ONLY 
    HOPE THAT THE GOOD TO COME OUT OF THE TRAGEDY WILL BE 
    THAT THE WORLD'S NEWLY FOUND CONSCIENCE AND CONSENSUS 
    OF REJECTING AND DENOUNCING TERRORISM WILL BE 
    IMPLEMENTED ON A GLOBAL SCALE WHEREVER TERRORISM EXISTS 
    IN ANY FORM TO THE BENEFIT OF ALL PEOPLE." 
 
¶6.   UNDER HEADLINE "TIME FOR INTROSPECTION," THE SAME 
    NEWSPAPER CARRIED THE FOLLOWING LETTER SIGNED MARCH 
    ESTRIN, U. S. A.: 
 
    "AS HORRIFYING AS THE RECENT DEATH AND DESTRUCTION IN 
    THE U. S. IS, THERE WILL BE NO SOLUTION UNTIL EVERY 
    AMERICAN REALIZES AND ADMITS THAT FOR MANY PEOPLE IN 
    THE WORLD - PERHAPS THE MAJORITY - THE PENTAGON AND THE 
    WORLD TRADE CENTER SYMBOLIZE THE GREATEST HARBINGERS OF 
    DEATH AND DESTRUCTION IN THEIR LIVES.  THE BUSH 
    ADMINISTRATION WANTS 'TO GET TO THE BOTTOM' OF THE 
    TERRORISM.  BUT TO GET TO THE BOTTOM OF IT, IT MUST 
    ASK: WHAT IS IT ABOUT THE U. S. AND AMERICA BEHAVIOR 
    THAT CREATES SUCH DESPERATE HATRED AROUND THE WORLD? 
    COULD IT BE THAT OUR OWN BOMBING OF CITIES AND CROPS 
    AND INNOCENT CIVILIANS MIGHT BE INVOLVED?  MIGHT OUR 
    SUPPORT OF DICTATORS, OUR ECONOMIC STRANGULATIONS AND 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        HARARE  02813  02 OF 03  250544Z 
    OUR DEATH-DEALING EMBARGOES HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH 
    IT?  MIGHT OUR SCORN FOR INTERNATIONAL TREATIES AGAINST 
    GLOBAL WARMING, OR BIOLOGICAL WARFARE, OR WEAPONS IN 
    SPACE, OR LANDMINES ON EARTH, OR RACISM, OR THE FIGHT 
    FOR THE RIGHTS OF CHILDREN PROMPT JUSTIFIABLE 
    HOSTILITY.  MEDIA AND GOVERNMENT ARE WHIPPING UP CALLS 
    FOR REVENGE.  A LARGE PART OF OUR VIOLENCE WILL NO 
    DOUBT FALL UPON THE INNOCENT INITIALLY AND IN ITS LONG- 
    TERM CONSEQUENCES.  THUS THE VICIOUS CYCLE WILL 
    CONTINUE UNTIL WE FIND OURSELVES SO 'PROTECTED AGAINST 
    EVER-GROWING HATRED THAT WE PROUDLY LOSE THE EVERY 
    IDEALS AMERICA IS SUPPOSED TO STAND FOR.  THERE IS NO 
    ALTERNATIVE: THE ONLY SOLUTION IS TO RETHINK AND REFORM 
    OUR RELATIONSHIP TO THE PEOPLES OF THE WORLD WE HAVE SO 
    BADLY HURT.  OTHERWISE WE WILL PLUNGE THE PLANET INTO 
    SIEGE OF ALL AGAINST ALL." 
 
¶7.   UNDER HEADLINE "AMERICA MUST SEEK DIALOGUE" THE 
    SEPTEMBER 21 EDITION OF THE GOVERNMENT-CONTROLLED DAILY 
    "THE CHRONICLE" PUBLISHED THE FOLLOWING LETTER SIGNED 
    DANFORD MUPFUDZE, BULAWAYO: 
 
    ". . .THOUGH I DO NOT CONDONE ACTS OF VIOLENCE, 
    TERRORISM, AND MERCILESS KILLINGS OF INNOCENT CIVILIANS 
    BOTH IN NEW YORK AND WASHINGTON LAST WEEK, I STILL 
    REITERATE MY STANCE ON AMERICA'S ACTS OF AGGRESSION AND 
    USE OF EXCESSIVE FORCE ON WEAKER NATIONS.  THIS IS NOT 
    THE ONLY WAY OF SETTLING DISPUTES.  ALREADY THE 
    AMERICANS HAVE DECLARED WAR ON AFGHANISTAN BY ITS 
    REFUSAL TO CO-OPERATE AND EXTRADITE OSAMA BIN LADEN, 
    THE MAN AMERICANS BELIEVE MASTERMINDED THE RECENT 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 04        HARARE  02813  02 OF 03  250544Z 
    ATTACKS.  NOW WITH THE HELP OF ITS ALLIES WHO IT HAS 
    FORCED TO CO-OPERATE, ANOTHER WEAK AND POOR NATION IS 
    ON THE THRESHOLD OF BEING PULVERIZED WITH POWERFUL 
    AMERICAN BOMBS AND HEAVY ARTILLERY, LEFT, RIGHT AND 
    CENTER.  MY QUESTION NOW IS WHO IS GOING TO BEAR THE 
    BRUNT OF THIS UNCALLED FOR WAR?  IS IT GOING TO BE 
    OSAMA BIN LADEN OR THE INNOCENT CITIZENS?  THE 
    AMERICANS DO NOT GIVE A DAMN AS LONG AS THEY ARE 
    SATISFIED THEY HAVE REVENGED.  THIS IS WHERE I ALWAYS 
    HATE THE AMERICANS AND HAVE BRANDED THEM THE MOST 
    VICIOUS BULLIES ON THIS PLANET.  THE ONLY PRUDENT THING 
    FOR THEM TO DO IS TO SEEK DIALOGUE WITH THE AFGHAN 
    GOVERNMENT AND OTHER ARAB STATES TO TRY TO FIND AN 
    AMICABLE WAY OF STOPPING THESE TERRORISTS ACTIVITIES 
    RATHER THAN RESORTING TO WAR. . . ." 
 
¶8.   UNDER HEADLINE "PLEA FOR REASONED RESPONSE TO U. S. 
    BOMBING," THE SEPTEMBER 21 EDITION OF THE INDEPENDENT 
    WEEKLY "THE ZIMBABWE MIRROR" PUBLISHED THE FOLLOWING 
    LETTER SIGNED DOUGLAS MACHIRIDZA, PUBLICITY SECRETARY, 
    NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SOCIAL WORKERS OF ZIMBABWE 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
                           UNCLASSIFIED     PTQ2463 
 
PAGE 01        HARARE  02813  03 OF 03  250545Z 
ACTION INR-00 
 
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P 250524Z SEP 01 
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9800 
INFO NSC WASHDC 
AMEMBASSY PRETORIA 
AMEMBASSY LUSAKA 
AMEMBASSY WINDHOEK 
AMEMBASSY GABORONE 
AMEMBASSY LILONGWE 
AMEMBASSY LONDON 
 
UNCLAS SECTION 03 OF 03 HARARE 002813 
 
SIPDIS 
 
AF/PD FOR COX, ROBERTSON, AF/S FOR KRAFT, AF/P, INR/R/MR, 
NSC FOR JENDAYI FRAZER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ZI PREL PHUM
SUBJECT: MEDIA REPORT LETTERS TO THE EDITOR ON U. S. 
BOMBINGS; HARARE 
 
    (NASWZ): 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        HARARE  02813  03 OF 03  250545Z 
 
    "THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SOCIAL WORKERS OF ZIMBABWE 
    (NASWZ) EXPRESSES ITS PROFOUND SHOCK AND HORROR AT THE 
    EVENTS IN NEW YORK, WASHINGTON AND PENNSYLVANIA. . . 
    TOGETHER WITH THE INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF SOCIAL 
    WORKER'S (IFSW), AS A COMMUNITY OF SOCIAL WORKERS, WE 
    EXPRESS OUR SINCERE GRIEF FOR THE VICTIMS AND OUR 
    DEEPEST SYMPATHY TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE AND OTHER 
    NATIONALS WHO HAVE LOST THEIR DEAR ONES.  OUR THOUGHTS 
    GO TO OUR COLLEAGUES IN THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF 
    SOCIAL WORKERS AND IN PARTICULAR ITS NEW YORK CITY 
    CHAPTER, THEIR FAMILIES AND LOVED ONES.   WHAT WE HAVE 
    WITNESSED IS A TRAGIC CULMINATION OF A WORLDWIDE 
    ESCALATION IN TENSION OVER A NUMBER OF MONTHS AND 
    INDEED YEARS.  THE POSITIVE WORK TOWARDS AN EFFECTIVE 
    PEACE PROCESS IN A NUMBER OF REGIONS HAS BEEN PLACED AT 
    EVEN GREATER RISK.  ACTS OF TERRORISM CAN NEVER BE 
    CONDONED, AND THOSE RESPONSIBLE CARRY WITH THEM A MORAL 
    RESPONSIBILITY THAT NEVER CAN BE ERADICATED.  HOWEVER, 
    SOCIAL WORKERS WORLDWIDE WILL JOIN IN A PLEA FOR A 
    REASONED AND NON-VIOLENT RESPONSE TO SUCH AN ATROCITY, 
    AND THAT THE ACTIONS AHEAD SEEK JUSTICE BUT NOT 
    REVENGE.  IT IS CRITICAL THAT IN RESPONDING TO THESE 
    BARBARIC ACTS, THE AMERICAN GOVERNMENT DOES NOT LEAD TO 
    A SIMILAR LOSS OF INNOCENT LIVES ELSEWHERE IN THE 
    WORLD.  ABOVE ALL WE APPEAL TO INDIVIDUALS, GROUPS AND 
    GOVERNMENTS, NOT TO EXERCISE ANY JUDGEMENT ON ANY 
    PARTICULAR NATION, ETHNIC GROUP OR CULTURE.  TERRORISM 
    AND WARS ARE THE PRODUCTS OF INDIVIDUALS AND GROUPINGS 
    WITH A DISTORTED VIEW OF POWER AND ITS USE.  THEIR 
    BEHAVIOR CANNOT AND MUST NOT BE ATTRIBUTED TO ENTIRE 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        HARARE  02813  03 OF 03  250545Z 
    COMMUNITIES WHO SHARE A COMMON BACKGROUND.  WE CONDEMN 
    VIOLENCE IN ALL ITS FORMS AND IN ALL PLACES. . .   AS 
    OUR COLLEAGUES, ALONG WITH OTHER PROFESSIONS IN THE U. 
    ¶S. PLAY A VITAL ROLE IN THE RECOVERY PROCESS, WE STAND 
    READY TO ASSIST IN WHATEVER WAY POSSIBLE." 
 
¶9.   UNDER HEADLINE "U. S. SOLIDARITY MESSAGE," THE SAME 
    NEWSPAPER PUBLISHED THE FOLLOWING LETTER SIGNED M. 
    BIDI, NATIONAL DIRECTOR, ZIMRIGHTS: 
 
    "ZIMRIGHTS HAS LEARNT WITH DEEP SHOCK AND DISBELIEF OF 
    THE 'ORCHESTRATED' HORRENDOUS TERRORIST ATTACKS ON THE 
    NATION OF THE U. S. ON TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11.  WE 
    BELIEVE THAT IN ANY CONFLICT SITUATION, A DELIBERATE 
    INFLICTION OF SUFFERING AND PAIN ON UNSUSPECTING 
    CITIZENS TO DERIVE SOME POLITICAL RESPONSE CAN NEVER BE 
    JUSTIFIED.  AS A HUMAN RIGHTS ORGANIZATION, WE BELIEVE 
    SUCH AN ATTACK ON DEFENSELESS AND INNOCENT CITIZENS IS 
    A CRIME AGAINST HUMANITY.  IT IS ON THIS FIRM BELIEF 
    THAT WE JOIN YOU IN MORNING THOUSANDS OF LIVES LOST AND 
    THOUSANDS INJURED.  WE WISH YOU COURAGE AND WISDOM FROM 
    GOD TO STAND AND FACE UP EVEN THE FUTURE CHALLENGES OF 
    A WORLD THAT IN INCREASINGLY WITNESSING UNTOLD LEVELS 
    OF HATRED.  WE WOULD ALSO WANT TO EXTEND OUR HEARTFELT 
    CONDOLENCES TO THE BEREAVED FAMILIES AND THE ENTIRE 
    PEOPLE OF THE U. S." 
 
ROTH 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
>