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

141455Z Nov 01


                           CONFIDENTIAL     PTQ5448

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FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0273
INFO NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE
SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
AMEMBASSY NAIROBI

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 HARARE 003400 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR JENDAYI FRAZER 
BRUSSELS ALSO FOR USEU 
LONDON FOR GURNEY 
PARIS FOR NEARY 
NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL. 11/14/11 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM ZI
SUBJECT: WAR VETERAN MURDER SPARKS GOZ CRACKDOWN ON MDC AND UNREST 
IN BULAWAYO 
 
 
CLASSIFIED BY POLITICAL SECTION CHIEF MATT HARRINGTON.  REASONS: 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 02        HARARE  03400  01 OF 03  141547Z 
1.5 (B) AND (D). 
 
SUMMARY 
------- 
 
¶1. (C) GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS HAVE BLAMED THE MURDER OF A SENIOR WAR 
VETERAN IN BULAWAYO ON THE MOVEMENT FOR DEMOCRATIC CHANGE (MDC) 
AND HAS MOVED TO ARREST A NUMBER OF PARTY OFFICIALS.  MDC 
SECRETARY-GENERAL WELSHMAN NCUBE REJECTED THE ALLEGATIONS AS 
 
SIPDIS 
"UTTER RUBBISH," WHILE MDC PRESIDENT MORGAN TSVANGIRAI EXPRESSED 
SYMPATHY TO THE WAR VETERAN'S FAMILY AND URGED THE POLICE TO 
ARREST THE REAL PERPETRATORS.  MDC MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT DAVID 
COLTART IS CONVINCED THE GOVERNMENT IS TRYING TO FRAME HIM FOR THE 
MURDER, FEARS THAT HIS LIFE IS IN DANGER, AND ASKED THE USG TO 
TELL THE GOZ THAT WE WILL HOLD IT RESPONSIBLE IF ANYTHING HAPPENS 
TO COLTART OR OTHER MDC OFFICIALS.  (WE ARE MAKING THIS POINT TO 
THE GOVERNMENT TODAY.)  WE ARE CONCERNED THAT THE GOVERNMENT'S 
INFLAMMATORY RHETORIC AND WIDESPREAD ARRESTS OF MDC OFFICIALS 
COULD SPARK UNREST IN BULAWAYO.   END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2.  (C) THE BODY OF CAIN NKALA, CHAIRMAN OF THE BULAWAYO WAR 
VETERANS ASSOCIATION, WAS FOUND IN A SHALLOW GRAVE 40 KM SOUTHWEST 
OF BULAWAYO ON NOVEMBER 13.  NKALA HAD BEEN ABDUCTED FROM HIS HOME 
ON NOVEMBER 5 BY TEN MEN REPORTEDLY ARMED WITH AK-47'S AFTER A 
STRUGGLE IN WHICH HE AND HIS WIFE WERE INJURED.  AT THE TIME OF 
HIS ABDUCTION, NKALA WAS FACING CHARGES IN THE JUNE 2000 
DISAPPEARANCE OF PATRICK NABANYAMA, THE POLLING AGENT FOR MDC 
MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT DAVID COLTART, WHOSE BODY HAS NEVER BEEN 
FOUND.  COLTART TOLD US, HOWEVER, THAT NKALA SEEMED TO HAVE 
EXPERIENCED A CHANGE OF HEART IN RECENT WEEKS, AS HE WAS ASSISTING 
WHITE COMMERCIAL FARMERS IN MEDIATING DISPUTES ON THEIR PROPERTIES 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 03        HARARE  03400  01 OF 03  141547Z 
AND MAY HAVE REVEALED TO A JOURNALIST THE WHEREABOUTS OF 
NABANYAMA'S BODY. 
 
OMINOUS GOVERNMENT RHETORIC 
--------------------------- 
 
¶3.  (U) THE WEEK-AND-A-HALF BETWEEN NKALA'S ABDUCTION AND THE 
DISCOVERY OF HIS BODY WAS MARKED BY OMINOUS STATEMENTS FROM 
GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS.  IN INFLAMMATORY REMARKS ON A NATIONAL NEWS 
BROADCAST ON NOVEMBER 13, MINISTER OF HOME AFFAIRS JOHN NKOMO 
BLAMED THE MDC'S LEADERSHIP FOR THE MURDER.  PRIOR TO THE 
DISCOVERY OF THE BODY, HARARE WAR VETERAN LEADER JOSEPH CHINOTIMBA 
CALLED THE ABDUCTION A "DECLARATION OF WAR."  VICE-PRESIDENT MSIKA 
THREATENED VIOLENCE AGAINST THOSE RESPONSIBLE, VOWING THAT "IF 
THEY ARE LOOKING FOR A BLOODBATH THEY WILL CERTAINLY GET IT." 
OBERT MPOFU, GOVERNOR OF MATABELELAND NORTH PROVINCE, IN WHICH 
BULAWAYO IS LOCATED, BLAMED A "THIRD FORCE" OF FORMER RHODESIAN 
TROOPS, WHICH HE SAID WAS WORKING TO DESTABILIZE THE GOVERNMENT. 
A SENIOR ZANU-PF PROVINCIAL OFFICIAL URGED THAT WAR VETERANS BE 
ARMED SO THAT THEY COULD PROTECT THEMSELVES AGAINST FURTHER 
ABDUCTIONS.   SECRETARY-GENERAL OF THE ZIMBABWE NATIONAL WAR 
VETERANS ASSOCIATION ANDY MHLANGA CLAIMED THAT NKALA WAS KIDNAPPED 
BY MDC SUPPORTERS AND SAID, SINCE WAR VETERANS ARE "GOOD" AT WAR, 
THE OPPOSITION PARTY "SHOULD NOT BLAME US FOR WHAT HAPPENS NEXT." 
 
CRACKDOWN ON MDC 
---------------- 
 
¶4.  (C) THE THREATENING STATEMENTS HAVE BEEN ACCOMPANIED BY 
WIDESPREAD ARRESTS OF MDC OFFICIALS, POLICE RAIDS OF THE PARTY'S 
OFFICES IN HARARE AND BULAWAYO AND OF THE HOUSES OF MDC LEADERS, 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 04        HARARE  03400  01 OF 03  141547Z 
AND VIOLENT ANTI-MDC DEMONSTRATIONS BY WAR VETERANS.  TWO DAYS 
AFTER NKALA'S ABDUCTION, MORE THAN 75 HEAVILY-ARMED POLICE SPENT 
SEVERAL HOURS COMBING THE MDC'S HEADQUARTERS IN BULAWAYO IN WHAT 
THEY SAID WAS A SEARCH FOR NKALA.  ON NOVEMBER 10, A GROUP OF 100 
WAR VETERANS TRIED TO GAIN ENTRY TO THE MDC'S HARARE HEADQUARTERS. 
PREVENTED FROM DOING SO, THEY SPENT AN HOUR OUTSIDE ASSAULTING 
PEOPLE ENTERING AND LEAVING THE BUILDING, AND DAMAGING THE VEHICLE 
OF THE PARTY'S NATIONAL SPOKESMAN LEARNMORE JONGWE.  SIX POLICE 
OFFICERS WHO WERE STATIONED OUTSIDE THE BUILDING, ACCORDING TO A 
SENIOR MDC OFFICIAL, DID NOTHING TO CONTROL THE CROWD UNTIL IT 
DISPERSED ON ITS OWN.  ON NOVEMBER 12, POLICE ATTEMPTED TO SEARCH 
THE HARARE OFFICES OF SECRETARY-GENERAL WELSHMAN NCUBE AND 
NATIONAL COORDINATOR ISAAC MAPOSA, BUT THEY LEFT WHEN NCUBE, A 
PROFESSOR OF CONSTITUTIONAL LAW, INSISTED THAT THEY PRODUCE A 
SEARCH WARRANT. 
 
¶5.  (C) ACCORDING TO MDC INFORMATION OFFICER NKANYISO MAQEVA, AT 
LEAST TEN MDC OFFICIALS OF VARYING RANKS AND RESPONSIBILITIES HAVE 
BEEN ARRESTED DURING THE PAST WEEK.  IT IS DIFFICULT, MAQEVA SAID, 
TO GET DETAILS ON ALL THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN ARRESTED, AS POLICE ARE 
REFUSING TO PROVIDE ANY INFORMATION AND, IN MOST CASES, HAVE 
BLOCKED ACCESS TO LEGAL COUNSEL.  THE POLICE SEEM TO BE TARGETTING 
MDC LEADERS IN BULAWAYO, ALTHOUGH TWO PARTY OFFICIALS FROM THE 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
                           CONFIDENTIAL     PTQ5453 
 
PAGE 01        HARARE  03400  02 OF 03  141547Z 
ACTION AF-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   AID-00   CIAE-00  DODE-00  SRPP-00  EB-00    VC-00 
      H-01     TEDE-00  INR-00   IO-00    L-00     AC-01    NSAE-00 
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      P-00     SP-00    SS-00    STR-00   TRSE-00  T-00     USIE-00 
      PMB-00   PRM-00   DRL-02   G-00     SAS-00     /007W 
                  ------------------3E225A  141547Z /02 
O 141455Z NOV 01 
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0274 
INFO NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE 
SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY 
AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 
 
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 03 HARARE 003400 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR JENDAYI FRAZER 
BRUSSELS ALSO FOR USEU 
LONDON FOR GURNEY 
PARIS FOR NEARY 
NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL. 11/14/11 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM ZI
SUBJECT: WAR VETERAN MURDER SPARKS GOZ CRACKDOWN ON MDC AND UNREST 
IN BULAWAYO 
 
HARARE AREA WERE ARRESTED EARLY IN THE MORNING OF NOVEMBER 14 -- A 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 02        HARARE  03400  02 OF 03  141547Z 
DISTRICT SECRETARY FROM THE NEARBY TOWN OF CHITUNGWIZA AND A YOUTH 
LEADER FROM THE HIGH-DENSITY SUBURB OF ST. MARY'S.  NOMA 
NABANYAMA, THE DAUGHTER OF PATRICK, WAS REPORTEDLY DETAINED ON 
NOVEMBER 12 AND HELD OVERNIGHT BY POLICE, WHO SEIZED HER PASSPORT 
AND ACCUSED HER OF LYING ABOUT HER FATHER'S DISAPPEARANCE.  IN THE 
LAST TWO DAYS, THE HOUSES OF MDC NATIONAL TREASURER, FLETCHER 
DULINI, AND THE PARTY'S BULAWAYO ADMINSTRATOR, ZWELITHINI 
MSIMANGA, WERE SEARCHED WITHOUT WARRANTS. 
 
MDC REACTION 
------------ 
 
¶6.  (C) SECRETARY-GENERAL WELSHMAN NCUBE REJECTED ALLEGATIONS THAT 
THE MDC WAS BEHIND NKALA'S MURDER AS "UTTER RUBBISH."  IN A 
CONVERSATION WITH US, HE SAID THE PARTY'S ENTIRE PROVINCIAL 
EXECUTIVE IN BULAWAYO HAS GONE INTO HIDING, AS HAVE TWO MDC CITY 
COUNCILLORS WHOSE HOUSES WERE DAMAGED BY WAR VETERANS WHO WENT ON 
A RAMPAGE THE NIGHT OF NOVEMBER 13.  HE CONDEMNED WHAT HE CALLED 
THE GOVERNMENT'S SELECTIVE APPLICATION OF THE LAW, AND POINTED OUT 
THAT AT LEAST SEVEN DETAINED MDC MEMBERS HAVE NOT BEEN BROUGHT TO 
COURT WITHIN THE 48-HOUR TIME PERIOD REQUIRED BY ZIMBABWEAN LAW. 
MDC PRESIDENT MORGAN TSVANGIRAI ISSUED A STATEMENT EXPRESSING 
SYMPATHY FOR THE NKALA FAMILY, CALLING ON THE POLICE TO FIND THE 
"REAL PERPETRATORS OF THIS CALLOUS CRIMINAL OFFENSE," AND 
CONDEMNING MINISTER NKOMO'S NOVEMBER 13 REMARKS AS INTENDED "TO 
WHIP UP EMOTIONS AND EXPLOIT POLITICALLY" NKALA'S DEATH. THE MDC 
HAS URGED THAT THE DETAINEES BE PLACED IN A LINEUP FOR 
IDENTIFICATION BY MRS. NKALA, SINCE SHE WITNESSED THE ABDUCTION, 
BUT MDC INFORMATION OFFICER NKANYISO MAQEVA TOLD US THAT THE 
POLICE HAVE DECLINED TO DO SO. 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 03        HARARE  03400  02 OF 03  141547Z 
THREATS TO COLTART 
------------------ 
 
¶7. (C) IN A NOVEMBER 14 MEETING WITH POLITICAL SECTION CHIEF 
REQUESTED URGENTLY BY DAVID COLTART, THE MDC MP SAID ZANU-PF IS 
TRYING TO FRAME HIM FOR NKALA'S MURDER AND EXPRESSED GRAVE CONCERN 
FOR HIS OWN SAFETY.  COLTART RECALLED HIS TWENTY YEARS OF 
EXPERIENCE AS A HUMAN RIGHTS LAWYER AND SAID HE HAD ALWAYS HAD AND 
CONTINUED TO REJECT VIOLENCE.  HE DID NOT EVEN OWN A GUN, HE SAID. 
COLTART WENT ON TO REPORT THAT HE HAD HEARD FROM THREE UNRELATED 
SOURCES THAT VICE-PRESIDENT MSIKA, JOHN NKOMO, GOVERNOR OBERT 
MPOFU, AND FORMER MINISTER OF HOME AFFAIRS AND CURRENT MEMBER OF 
THE ZANU-PF POLITBURO DUMISO DABENGWA, HAD AGREED IN A RECENT 
MEEETING THAT COLTART'S "ELIMINATION" IS A NECESSARY PIECE OF THE 
RULING PARTY'S PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN STRATEGY.  THE MDC MP SAID HE 
TOOK THIS THREAT SERIOUSLY AND FELT "EXTREMELY VULNERABLE."  HE 
HAD EVEN BRIEFLY CONSIDERED WALKING INTO AN EMBASSY THAT MORNING 
AND REQUESTING POLITICAL ASYLUM.  HE ASKED THAT THE USG CONVEY ITS 
CONCERN TO THE GOZ ABOUT THE INFLAMMATORY RHETORIC OF ITS SENIOR 
OFFICIALS AND TO EMPHASIZE THAT IT WOULD HOLD THE GOVERNMENT 
RESPONSIBLE IF ANYTHING HAPPENED TO HIM OR ANY OTHER MDC OFFICIAL. 
(COMMENT: WE HAD NEVER BEFORE SEEN COLTART IN SUCH AN AGITATED 
STATE.  NORMALLY A CALM AND OPTIMISTIC MAN, EVEN WHEN UNDER 
SIGNIFICANT STRESS, HE WAS VERY BADLY SHAKEN IN THIS MEETING AND 
SEEMED UNSURE OF WHAT HIS NEXT STEPS SHOULD BE.  HE WAS 
PARTICULARLY WORRIED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF HIS BULAWAYO-BASED 
FAMILY, INCLUDING HIS TWO-MONTH-OLD DAUGHTER.  END COMMENT.) 
 
UNREST IN BULAWAYO 
------------------ 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 04        HARARE  03400  02 OF 03  141547Z 
¶8.  (U) LATE IN THE AFTERNOON OF NOVEMBER 14, WE RECEIVED AN 
UNCONFIRMED BUT CREDIBLE REPORT FROM A JOURNALIST IN BULAWAYO OF 
ANTI-MDC VIOLENCE IN THAT CITY'S HIGH- AND MEDIUM-DENSITY SUBURBS. 
ACCORDING TO OUR SOURCE, WAR VETERANS HAVE BURNED HOUSES AND 
DESTROYED PROPERTY BELONGING TO MDC SUPPORTERS.  THE SITUATION IN 
THE CITY IS REPORTED TO BE VERY TENSE, AND THE JOURNALIST TOLD US 
"I HAVE NEVER BEEN THIS FRIGHTENED FOR MY LIFE." 
 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
¶9.  (C) NKALA'S CASE HAS GENERATED INTENSE INTEREST NATIONWIDE. 
IT IS NOT CLEAR WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR HIS MURDER, AND WE DO NOT 
WANT TO SPECULATE UNTIL FURTHER INFORMATION BECOMES AVAILABLE. IN 
THE MEANTIME, IT IS WORTH NOTING THAT AK-47 RIFLES ARE NOT EASY TO 
OBTAIN -- ONLY MEMBERS OF THE SECURITY FORCES HAVE REGULAR ACCESS 
TO THEM -- AND THE ONES ALLEGEDLY USED DURING THE ABDUCTION HAVE 
APPARENTLY NOT BEEN FOUND, EVEN THOUGH THE ACCUSED ARE IN CUSTODY. 
WE ALSO FIND IT INTERESTING THAT MRS. NKALA HAS NOT SPOKEN 
PUBLICLY ABOUT HER HUSBAND'S CASE, AND THAT THE POLICE HAVE BEEN 
RELUCTANT TO SUBMIT THE SUSPECTS TO AN IDENTIFICATION LINEUP.  IT 
IS CLEAR THAT, WHOEVER WAS RESPONSIBLE, THE GOZ SEEMS INTENT ON 
USING THIS CASE TO INTENSIFY ITS CRACKDOWN ON THE MDC AND ITS 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
                           CONFIDENTIAL     PTQ5455 
 
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ACTION AF-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   AID-00   CIAE-00  DODE-00  SRPP-00  EB-00    VC-00 
      H-01     TEDE-00  INR-00   IO-00    L-00     AC-01    NSAE-00 
      NSCE-00  OIC-02   OMB-01   PA-00    PM-00    PRS-00   ACE-00 
      P-00     SP-00    SS-00    STR-00   TRSE-00  T-00     USIE-00 
      PMB-00   PRM-00   DRL-02   G-00     SAS-00     /007W 
                  ------------------3E226C  141548Z /02 
O 141455Z NOV 01 
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0275 
INFO NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE 
SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY 
AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 
 
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 03 OF 03 HARARE 003400 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR JENDAYI FRAZER 
BRUSSELS ALSO FOR USEU 
LONDON FOR GURNEY 
PARIS FOR NEARY 
NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL. 11/14/11 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM ZI
SUBJECT: WAR VETERAN MURDER SPARKS GOZ CRACKDOWN ON MDC AND UNREST 
IN BULAWAYO 
 
LEADERSHIP.  WE ARE ALSO CONCERNED THAT THE INFLAMMATORY RHETORIC 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 02        HARARE  03400  03 OF 03  141548Z 
OF GOZ OFFICIALS AND THE WIDESPREAD ARRESTS IN BULAWAYO COULD 
SPARK DEMONSTRATIONS BY LOCAL RESIDENTS, ELICITING A HEAVY-HANDED 
RESPONSE FROM SECURITY FORCES. 
 
SULLIVAN 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
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