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

091154Z Nov 01


                           CONFIDENTIAL     PTO8826

PAGE 01        HARARE  03356  141519Z 
ACTION AF-00    

INFO  LOG-00   COR-01   NP-00    AID-00   AMAD-00  A-00     ACQ-00   
      CIAE-00  INL-00   USNW-00  DODE-00  WHA-00   DS-00    EAP-00   
      EB-00    EUR-00   FBIE-00  VC-00    FSI-00   TEDE-00  INR-00   
      IO-00    JUSE-00  L-00     VCE-00   NEA-00   DCP-01   NSAE-00  
      OIC-02   OIG-03   IRM-00   TRSE-00  USIE-00  SA-00    R-00     
      EPAE-00  IIP-00   SNIS-00  NISC-00  DSCC-00  NFAT-00  SAS-00   
        /007W
                  ------------------3E1E07  141519Z /02    
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0251
INFO NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE
SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 
AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 
AMEMBASSY ABUJA 
AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS 
AMEMBASSY OTTAWA 
AMEMBASSY KINGSTON 
AMEMBASSY STOCKHOLM 
AMEMBASSY OSLO 
AMEMBASSY COPENHAGEN

C O N F I D E N T I A L  HARARE 003356 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR JENDAYI FRAZER 

BRUSSELS ALSO FOR USEU 
LONDON FOR GURNEY 
PARIS FOR NEARY 
NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER 
 
C O R R E C T E D C O P Y : (TEXT R/H MARGIN) 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/31/11 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM ZI
SUBJECT: ZIMBABWE MOVES TO PROHIBIT INDEPENDENT DOMESTIC 
ELECTION MONITORS 
 
REF:  STATE 195461 
 
CLASSIFIED BY POLITICAL SECTION CHIEF MATT HARRINGTON. 
REASONS:  1.5 (B) AND (D). 
 
1.(U) MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL, AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS 
PATRICK CHINAMASA ANNOUNCED ON NOVEMBER 6 THE GOVERNMENT'S 
INTENTION TO AMEND THE ELECTORAL ACT TO GIVE THE 
PRESIDENTIALLY-APPOINTED ELECTORAL SUPERVISORY COMMISSION 
(ESC) EXPLICIT RESPONSIBILITY FOR RECRUITMENT, TRAINING, AND 
DEPLOYMENT OF ELECTION MONITORS.  THE ESC HAS OVERSEEN THE 
ACCREDITATION OF DOMESTIC MONITORS AND INTERNATIONAL 
OBSERVERS IN THE PAST, BUT THIS HAS BEEN AN AD HOC 
ARRANGEMENT, AS NEITHER THE CONSTITUTION NOR THE ELECTORAL 
ACT CURRENTLY CONTAINS REFERENCES TO ELECTION MONITORS.  THE 
AMENDMENT, EXPECTED TO BE TABLED ONCE PARLIAMENT RECONVENES 
ON NOVEMBER 20, WILL REQUIRE THE ESC TO DRAW DOMESTIC 
MONITORS EXCLUSIVELY FROM THE RANKS OF CIVIL SERVANTS.  IN 
THE JUNE 2000 PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS, MOST OF THE MORE THAT 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 03        HARARE  03356  141519Z 
17,000 DOMESTIC MONITORS WERE DRAWN FROM PERSONNEL TRAINED 
LOCAL NGO'S, WHOSE IMPARTIALITY, ACCORDING TO CHINAMASA, WAS 
"QUESTIONABLE."  THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE SAID THAT 
ARRANGEMENT "HAS BEEN DISCOVERED TO BE UNDESIRABLE, 
CONSIDERING THE FACT THAT MOST NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS 
ARE PARTIAL, FOREIGN FUNDED, LOYAL TO THEIR FUNDERS AND 
THEREFORE PRODUCE MONITORS WHO WERE PARTISAN."  CHINAMASA 
PROMISED THAT INTERNATIONAL OBSERVERS WOULD BE INVITED AFTER 
THE DATES FOR THE ELECTION ARE ANNOUNCED (NOTE: ZANU-PF'S 
ACTING POLITICAL COMMISSAR TOLD US ON NOVEMBER 8 THAT THE 
ELECTION WOULD LIKELY BE HELD IN MARCH AND THAT SPECIFIC. 
DATES COULD BE ANNOUNCED AS EARLY AS MID-DECEMBER, AT THE 
RULING PARTY'S ANNUAL CONGRESS.  END NOTE.) 
 
¶2.  (U) IN MORE BELLICOSE PUBLIC REMARKS, INFORMATION 
MINISTER JONATHAN MOYO DISMISSED CONCERNS THAT THE GOZ MOVE 
WOULD PREVENT CIVIL SOCIETY FROM MONITORING THE ELECTIONS. 
CIVIL SOCIETY GROUPS, HE SAID, HAVE NO INHERENT RIGHT TO 
SERVE AS MONITORS, AS THEY ARE "DONOR CREATED AND HAVE NO 
CONSTITUTIONAL STANDING."  MOYO LATER CLARIFIED THE 
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ELECTION MONITORS AND ELECTION OBSERVERS 
THE FORMER, HE SAID, SUPERVISE ELECTIONS AND HAVE THE RIGHT 
TO POINT OUT AND CORRECT IRREGULARITIES THAT MIGHT OCCUR 
DURING VOTING, AND THEY SHOULD BE DRAWN FROM A DOMESTIC POOL 
OF IMPARTIAL ZIMBABWEANS.  INTERNATIONAL MONITORS, HE 
EMPHASIZED, HAVE NEVER PARTICIPATED IN ZIMBABWEAN ELECTIONS 
OBSERVERS, ON THE OTHER HAND, ARE "NO DIFFERENT FROM 
TOURISTS," AS THEY MERELY WATCH THE PROCEEDINGS AND HAVE NO 
RIGHT TO INTERVENE.  ACCORDING TO MOYO, "THERE IS NO REASON 
TO THINK" THAT ZIMBABWE WILL NOT INVITE INTERNATIONAL 
OBSERVERS, AS IT HAS IN THE PAST, BUT HE STRESSED THAT ONLY 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 04        HARARE  03356  141519Z 
ZIMBABWE'S FRIENDS WOULD RECEIVE INVITATIONS. "I DON'T THINK 
THE AMERICANS WILL INVITE THE TALIBAN TO MONITOR THEIR 
ELECTIONS," HE REMARKED HELPFULLY.  CHINAMASA SEPARATELY 
EXPLAINED THAT, ALTHOUGH OBSERVERS WOULD NOT BE PERMITTED 
INSIDE THE POLLING STATIONS, THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO BRING AN 
IRREGULARITIES TO THE ATTENTION OF LOCAL ELECTION OFFICIALS. 
 
REACTIONS FROM CIVIL SOCIETY 
---------------------------- 
 
¶3.  (C) EILEEN SAWYER, NATIONAL DIRECTOR OF THE LEGAL 
RESOURCES FOUNDATION (LRF), A WELL-RESPECTED LEGAL RIGHTS 
NGO, CRITICIZED THE GOZ MOVE AS A CLEAR EFFORT TO PROHIBIT 
INDEPENDENT MONITORS.  SHE NOTED THAT THE ESC IS A PARTISAN 
BODY WHICH DOES NOT HAVE THE RESOURCES (ONLY TWO OF THE FIVE 
SEATS ON THE COMMISSION ARE CURRENTLY FILLED, FOR INSTANCE) 
TO OVERSEE THIS EFFORT. ACCORDING TO SAWYER, CIVIL SERVANTS 
PREDOMINANTLY TEACHERS, HAVE BEEN USED AS MONITORS IN PAST 
ELECTIONS, BUT THE GOZ NOW SUSPECTS THAT MOST TEACHERS HARBOR 
SYMPATHIES FOR THE OPPOSITION MDC.  AS A RESULT,  THE 
GOVERNMENT WILL NOW TAKE GREAT CARE TO ENSURE THAT MONITORS 
ARE DRAWN FROM A POOL OF SYMPATHETIC "CIVIL SERVANTS," 
INCLUDING WAR VETERANS, CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE ORGANIZATION 
(CIO) AGENTS, AND UNEMPLOYED YOUTHS CURRENTLY ENROLLED IN A 
RECENTLY-INAUGURATED NATIONAL YOUTH SERVICE TRAINING PROGRAM 
THE LRF'S CHIEF LEGAL ADVISOR HAS DETERMINED THAT THE STEPS 
ANNOUNCED BY CHINAMASA WOULD NOT VIOLATE THE CONSTITUTION OR 
THE ELECTORAL ACT. 
 
ZESN 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 05        HARARE  03356  141519Z 
¶4.  (U) THE UMBRELLA NGO ZIMBABWE ELECTION SUPPORT NETWORK 
(ZESN), WHICH HAS COORDINATED THE DOMESTIC MONITORING EFFORT 
IN RECENT ELECTIONS, ISSUED A PUBLIC STATEMENT OF CONCERN 
AFTER CHINAMASA'S ANNOUNCEMENT.  ZESN LIKENED THE MONITORING 
OF ELECTIONS BY CIVIL SERVANTS TO STUDENTS GRADING THEIR OWN 
EXAMS AND REITERATED PREVIOUS CALLS FOR FORMATION OF AN 
INDEPENDENT ELECTORAL COMMISSION, WHICH IT TERMED AN 
"ESSENTIAL PREREQUISITE FOR FREE AND FAIR ELECTIONS." IN THE 
MEANTIME, ZESN VOWED TO "INTENSIFY VOTER EDUCATION AND 
ELECTION MONITORING WHICH IS ALREADY UNDERWAY" AND INSISTED 
IT WOULD "NOT SHY AWAY FROM BOTH OUR RIGHT AND DUTY TO 
OBSERVE THE COMING ELECTIONS."  IN A POINTED CONCLUDING 
PARAGRAPH, ZESN OFFERED TO SHARE WITH GOVERNMENT "THE 
ELECTORAL MONITORING EXPERTISE AND RESOURCES WE HAVE 
PAINSTAKINGLY DEVELOPED OVER SEVERAL YEARS." 
 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
¶5.  (C) IT IS DIFFICULT TO OFFER DEFINITIVE CONCLUSIONS AND 
ANALYSES UNTIL WE SEE THE TEXT OF THE PROPOSED LEGISLATION, 
BUT IT SEEMS CLEAR THAT GOVERNMENT INTENDS TO PREVENT 
MONITORS IT PERCEIVES AS ANTI-ZANU-PF FROM PARTICIPATING IN 
THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.  AS THE COMMENTS BY CHINAMASA AND 
MOYO REVEAL, SENIOR GOZ OFFICIALS BELIEVE THAT A MAJORITY OF 
LOCAL NGO'S ARE FRONT ORGANIZATIONS REPRESENTING THE 
INTERESTS OF WESTERN COUNTRIES, AND ARE WORKING TO ENSURE AN 
MDC VICTORY IN NEXT YEAR'S PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.  AS A 
RESULT, THE GOVERNMENT WILL ATTEMPT TO PUT IN PLACE MONITOR 
SYMPATHETIC TO IT.  ANOTHER EQUALLY LIKELY POSSIBILITY, IN 
OUR VIEW, IS THAT THE ESC SIMPLY WILL BE UNABLE TO RECRUIT, 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 06        HARARE  03356  141519Z 
TRAIN, AND ACCREDIT SUFFICIENT NUMBERS OF PEOPLE, MEANING 
VERY FEW DOMESTIC MONITORS WILL BE IN PLACE ON ELECTION DAY 
THE PROSPECT THAT EITHER SCENARIO WILL COME TO PASS FURTHER 
DAMPENS OUR HOPE THAT NEXT YEAR'S ELECTION WILL APPROACH FR 
AND FAIR.  THAT SAID, IT APPEARS THAT, ALTHOUGH CIVIL SOCIETY 
GROUPS SUCH AS ZESN WILL BE BARRED FROM ENTERING THE POLLING 
STATIONS ON ELECTION DAYS, THEY WILL CONTINUE TO BE ABLE TO 
MONITOR PREPARATIONS AND POLITICAL VIOLENCE DURING THE PRE- 
ELECTION PERIOD.  THEIR EXCLUSION FROM THE POLLING STATIONS 
ON ELECTION DAYS WILL MAKE THE ROLE OF THE POLITICAL PARTY 
AGENTS WHO ARE PERMITTED INSIDE PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT. 
 
¶6.  (C) MOYO'S REMARKS PROVIDED USEFUL CLARIFICATION OF THE 
GOVERNMENT'S DISTINCTION BETWEEN MONITORS AND OBSERVERS, 
WHILE   CHINAMASA'S COMMENTS LEAVE OPEN THE POSSIBILITY THAT 
INTERNATIONAL OBSERVERS COULD BE INVITED AS EARLY AS MID- 
DECEMBER.  THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT GOVERNMENT IS WORKING TO 
NARROW THE LOOPHOLES FOR EFFECTIVE DOMESTIC MONITORING AND 
INTERNATIONAL OBSERVATION, BUT WE NEED TO KEEP PRESSING EVERY 
OPPORTUNITY. 
 
SULLIVAN 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
> 
@@@OASYS@@@ 
 
                           CONFIDENTIAL     PTQ5019 
 
PAGE 01        HARARE  03356  01 OF 02  141418Z 
ACTION AF-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   COR-01   NP-00    AID-00   AMAD-00  A-00     ACQ-00 
      CIAE-00  INL-00   USNW-00  DODE-00  WHA-00   DS-00    EAP-00 
      EB-00    EUR-00   FBIE-00  UTED-00  FOE-00   VC-00    FSI-00 
      TEDE-00  INR-00   IO-00    JUSE-00  L-00     VCE-00   NEA-00 
      DCP-01   NSAE-00  OIC-02   OIG-03   IRM-00   TRSE-00  USIE-00 
      SA-00    R-00     EPAE-00  IIP-00   SNIS-00  NISC-00  DSCC-00 
      NFAT-00  SAS-00     /007W 
                  ------------------3E15D6  141418Z /07 
O 091154Z NOV 01 
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0251 
INFO NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE 
SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY 
AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 
AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 
AMEMBASSY ABUJA 
AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS 
AMEMBASSY OTTAWA 
AMEMBASSY KINGSTON 
AMEMBASSY STOCKHOLM 
AMEMBASSY OSLO 
AMEMBASSY COPENHAGEN 
 
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 003356 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR JENDAYI FRAZER 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 02        HARARE  03356  01 OF 02  141418Z 
BRUSSELS ALSO FOR USEU 
LONDON FOR GURNEY 
PARIS FOR NEARY 
NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER 
 
C O R R E C T E D C O P Y : (TEXT R/H MARGIN) 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/31/11 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM ZI
SUBJECT: ZIMBABWE MOVES TO PROHIBIT INDEPENDENT DOMESTIC 
ELECTION MONITORS 
 
REF:  STATE 195461 
 
CLASSIFIED BY POLITICAL SECTION CHIEF MATT HARRINGTON. 
REASONS:  1.5 (B) AND (D). 
 
1.(U) MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL, AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS 
PATRICK CHINAMASA ANNOUNCED ON NOVEMBER 6 THE GOVERNMENT'S 
INTENTION TO AMEND THE ELECTORAL ACT TO GIVE THE 
PRESIDENTIALLY-APPOINTED ELECTORAL SUPERVISORY COMMISSION 
(ESC) EXPLICIT RESPONSIBILITY FOR RECRUITMENT, TRAINING, AND 
DEPLOYMENT OF ELECTION MONITORS.  THE ESC HAS OVERSEEN THE 
ACCREDITATION OF DOMESTIC MONITORS AND INTERNATIONAL 
OBSERVERS IN THE PAST, BUT THIS HAS BEEN AN AD HOC 
ARRANGEMENT, AS NEITHER THE CONSTITUTION NOR THE ELECTORAL 
ACT CURRENTLY CONTAINS REFERENCES TO ELECTION MONITORS.  THE 
AMENDMENT, EXPECTED TO BE TABLED ONCE PARLIAMENT RECONVENES 
ON NOVEMBER 20, WILL REQUIRE THE ESC TO DRAW DOMESTIC 
MONITORS EXCLUSIVELY FROM THE RANKS OF CIVIL SERVANTS.  IN 
THE JUNE 2000 PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS, MOST OF THE MORE THAT 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 03        HARARE  03356  01 OF 02  141418Z 
17,000 DOMESTIC MONITORS WERE DRAWN FROM PERSONNEL TRAINED 
LOCAL NGO'S, WHOSE IMPARTIALITY, ACCORDING TO CHINAMASA, WAS 
"QUESTIONABLE."  THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE SAID THAT 
ARRANGEMENT "HAS BEEN DISCOVERED TO BE UNDESIRABLE, 
CONSIDERING THE FACT THAT MOST NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS 
ARE PARTIAL, FOREIGN FUNDED, LOYAL TO THEIR FUNDERS AND 
THEREFORE PRODUCE MONITORS WHO WERE PARTISAN."  CHINAMASA 
PROMISED THAT INTERNATIONAL OBSERVERS WOULD BE INVITED AFTER 
THE DATES FOR THE ELECTION ARE ANNOUNCED (NOTE: ZANU-PF'S 
ACTING POLITICAL COMMISSAR TOLD US ON NOVEMBER 8 THAT THE 
ELECTION WOULD LIKELY BE HELD IN MARCH AND THAT SPECIFIC. 
DATES COULD BE ANNOUNCED AS EARLY AS MID-DECEMBER, AT THE 
RULING PARTY'S ANNUAL CONGRESS.  END NOTE.) 
 
¶2.  (U) IN MORE BELLICOSE PUBLIC REMARKS, INFORMATION 
MINISTER JONATHAN MOYO DISMISSED CONCERNS THAT THE GOZ MOVE 
WOULD PREVENT CIVIL SOCIETY FROM MONITORING THE ELECTIONS. 
CIVIL SOCIETY GROUPS, HE SAID, HAVE NO INHERENT RIGHT TO 
SERVE AS MONITORS, AS THEY ARE "DONOR CREATED AND HAVE NO 
CONSTITUTIONAL STANDING."  MOYO LATER CLARIFIED THE 
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ELECTION MONITORS AND ELECTION OBSERVERS 
THE FORMER, HE SAID, SUPERVISE ELECTIONS AND HAVE THE RIGHT 
TO POINT OUT AND CORRECT IRREGULARITIES THAT MIGHT OCCUR 
DURING VOTING, AND THEY SHOULD BE DRAWN FROM A DOMESTIC POOL 
OF IMPARTIAL ZIMBABWEANS.  INTERNATIONAL MONITORS, HE 
EMPHASIZED, HAVE NEVER PARTICIPATED IN ZIMBABWEAN ELECTIONS 
OBSERVERS, ON THE OTHER HAND, ARE "NO DIFFERENT FROM 
TOURISTS," AS THEY MERELY WATCH THE PROCEEDINGS AND HAVE NO 
RIGHT TO INTERVENE.  ACCORDING TO MOYO, "THERE IS NO REASON 
TO THINK" THAT ZIMBABWE WILL NOT INVITE INTERNATIONAL 
OBSERVERS, AS IT HAS IN THE PAST, BUT HE STRESSED THAT ONLY 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 04        HARARE  03356  01 OF 02  141418Z 
ZIMBABWE'S FRIENDS WOULD RECEIVE INVITATIONS. "I DON'T THINK 
THE AMERICANS WILL INVITE THE TALIBAN TO MONITOR THEIR 
ELECTIONS," HE REMARKED HELPFULLY.  CHINAMASA SEPARATELY 
EXPLAINED THAT, ALTHOUGH OBSERVERS WOULD NOT BE PERMITTED 
INSIDE THE POLLING STATIONS, THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO BRING AN 
IRREGULARITIES TO THE ATTENTION OF LOCAL ELECTION OFFICIALS. 
 
REACTIONS FROM CIVIL SOCIETY 
---------------------------- 
 
¶3.  (C) EILEEN SAWYER, NATIONAL DIRECTOR OF THE LEGAL 
RESOURCES FOUNDATION (LRF), A WELL-RESPECTED LEGAL RIGHTS 
NGO, CRITICIZED THE GOZ MOVE AS A CLEAR EFFORT TO PROHIBIT 
INDEPENDENT MONITORS.  SHE NOTED THAT THE ESC IS A PARTISAN 
BODY WHICH DOES NOT HAVE THE RESOURCES (ONLY TWO OF THE FIVE 
SEATS ON THE COMMISSION ARE CURRENTLY FILLED, FOR INSTANCE) 
TO OVERSEE THIS EFFORT. ACCORDING TO SAWYER, CIVIL SERVANTS 
PREDOMINANTLY TEACHERS, HAVE BEEN USED AS MONITORS IN PAST 
ELECTIONS, BUT THE GOZ NOW SUSPECTS THAT MOST TEACHERS HARBOR 
SYMPATHIES FOR THE OPPOSITION MDC.  AS A RESULT,  THE 
GOVERNMENT WILL NOW TAKE GREAT CARE TO ENSURE THAT MONITORS 
ARE DRAWN FROM A POOL OF SYMPATHETIC "CIVIL SERVANTS," 
INCLUDING WAR VETERANS, CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE ORGANIZATION 
(CIO) AGENTS, AND UNEMPLOYED YOUTHS CURRENTLY ENROLLED IN A 
RECENTLY-INAUGURATED NATIONAL YOUTH SERVICE TRAINING PROGRAM 
THE LRF'S CHIEF LEGAL ADVISOR HAS DETERMINED THAT THE STEPS 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
                           CONFIDENTIAL     PTQ5025 
 
PAGE 01        HARARE  03356  02 OF 02  141419Z 
ACTION AF-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   COR-01   NP-00    AID-00   AMAD-00  A-00     ACQ-00 
      CIAE-00  INL-00   USNW-00  DODE-00  WHA-00   DS-00    EAP-00 
      EB-00    EUR-00   FBIE-00  UTED-00  FOE-00   VC-00    FSI-00 
      TEDE-00  INR-00   IO-00    JUSE-00  L-00     VCE-00   NEA-00 
      DCP-01   NSAE-00  OIC-02   OIG-03   IRM-00   TRSE-00  USIE-00 
      SA-00    R-00     EPAE-00  IIP-00   SNIS-00  NISC-00  DSCC-00 
      NFAT-00  SAS-00     /007W 
                  ------------------3E15F6  141419Z /07 
O 091154Z NOV 01 
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0252 
INFO NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE 
SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY 
AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 
AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 
AMEMBASSY ABUJA 
AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS 
AMEMBASSY OTTAWA 
AMEMBASSY KINGSTON 
AMEMBASSY STOCKHOLM 
AMEMBASSY OSLO 
AMEMBASSY COPENHAGEN 
 
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 02 HARARE 003356 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR JENDAYI FRAZER 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 02        HARARE  03356  02 OF 02  141419Z 
BRUSSELS ALSO FOR USEU 
LONDON FOR GURNEY 
PARIS FOR NEARY 
NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER 
 
C O R R E C T E D C O P Y (TEXT R/H MARGIN) 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/31/11 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM ZI
SUBJECT: ZIMBABWE MOVES TO PROHIBIT INDEPENDENT DOMESTIC 
ELECTION MONITORS 
 
ANNOUNCED BY CHINAMASA WOULD NOT VIOLATE THE CONSTITUTION OR 
THE ELECTORAL ACT. 
 
ZESN 
 
¶4.  (U) THE UMBRELLA NGO ZIMBABWE ELECTION SUPPORT NETWORK 
(ZESN), WHICH HAS COORDINATED THE DOMESTIC MONITORING EFFORT 
IN RECENT ELECTIONS, ISSUED A PUBLIC STATEMENT OF CONCERN 
AFTER CHINAMASA'S ANNOUNCEMENT.  ZESN LIKENED THE MONITORING 
OF ELECTIONS BY CIVIL SERVANTS TO STUDENTS GRADING THEIR OWN 
EXAMS AND REITERATED PREVIOUS CALLS FOR FORMATION OF AN 
INDEPENDENT ELECTORAL COMMISSION, WHICH IT TERMED AN 
"ESSENTIAL PREREQUISITE FOR FREE AND FAIR ELECTIONS." IN THE 
MEANTIME, ZESN VOWED TO "INTENSIFY VOTER EDUCATION AND 
ELECTION MONITORING WHICH IS ALREADY UNDERWAY" AND INSISTED 
IT WOULD "NOT SHY AWAY FROM BOTH OUR RIGHT AND DUTY TO 
OBSERVE THE COMING ELECTIONS."  IN A POINTED CONCLUDING 
PARAGRAPH, ZESN OFFERED TO SHARE WITH GOVERNMENT "THE 
ELECTORAL MONITORING EXPERTISE AND RESOURCES WE HAVE 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 03        HARARE  03356  02 OF 02  141419Z 
PAINSTAKINGLY DEVELOPED OVER SEVERAL YEARS." 
 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
¶5.  (C) IT IS DIFFICULT TO OFFER DEFINITIVE CONCLUSIONS AND 
ANALYSES UNTIL WE SEE THE TEXT OF THE PROPOSED LEGISLATION, 
BUT IT SEEMS CLEAR THAT GOVERNMENT INTENDS TO PREVENT 
MONITORS IT PERCEIVES AS ANTI-ZANU-PF FROM PARTICIPATING IN 
THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.  AS THE COMMENTS BY CHINAMASA AND 
MOYO REVEAL, SENIOR GOZ OFFICIALS BELIEVE THAT A MAJORITY OF 
LOCAL NGO'S ARE FRONT ORGANIZATIONS REPRESENTING THE 
INTERESTS OF WESTERN COUNTRIES, AND ARE WORKING TO ENSURE AN 
MDC VICTORY IN NEXT YEAR'S PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.  AS A 
RESULT, THE GOVERNMENT WILL ATTEMPT TO PUT IN PLACE MONITOR 
SYMPATHETIC TO IT.  ANOTHER EQUALLY LIKELY POSSIBILITY, IN 
OUR VIEW, IS THAT THE ESC SIMPLY WILL BE UNABLE TO RECRUIT, 
TRAIN, AND ACCREDIT SUFFICIENT NUMBERS OF PEOPLE, MEANING 
VERY FEW DOMESTIC MONITORS WILL BE IN PLACE ON ELECTION DAY 
THE PROSPECT THAT EITHER SCENARIO WILL COME TO PASS FURTHER 
DAMPENS OUR HOPE THAT NEXT YEAR'S ELECTION WILL APPROACH FR 
AND FAIR.  THAT SAID, IT APPEARS THAT, ALTHOUGH CIVIL SOCIETY 
GROUPS SUCH AS ZESN WILL BE BARRED FROM ENTERING THE POLLING 
STATIONS ON ELECTION DAYS, THEY WILL CONTINUE TO BE ABLE TO 
MONITOR PREPARATIONS AND POLITICAL VIOLENCE DURING THE PRE- 
ELECTION PERIOD.  THEIR EXCLUSION FROM THE POLLING STATIONS 
ON ELECTION DAYS WILL MAKE THE ROLE OF THE POLITICAL PARTY 
AGENTS WHO ARE PERMITTED INSIDE PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT. 
 
¶6.  (C) MOYO'S REMARKS PROVIDED USEFUL CLARIFICATION OF THE 
GOVERNMENT'S DISTINCTION BETWEEN MONITORS AND OBSERVERS, 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 04        HARARE  03356  02 OF 02  141419Z 
WHILE   CHINAMASA'S COMMENTS LEAVE OPEN THE POSSIBILITY THAT 
INTERNATIONAL OBSERVERS COULD BE INVITED AS EARLY AS MID- 
DECEMBER.  THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT GOVERNMENT IS WORKING TO 
NARROW THE LOOPHOLES FOR EFFECTIVE DOMESTIC MONITORING AND 
INTERNATIONAL OBSERVATION, BUT WE NEED TO KEEP PRESSING EVERY 
OPPORTUNITY. 
 
SULLIVAN 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
>