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courage is contagious

Viewing cable 01HARARE3643, MUGABE'S CAMPAIGN OF VIOLENCE AND REPRESSION IS

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
01HARARE3643 2001-12-06 13:12 2011-08-30 01:44 CONFIDENTIAL Embassy Harare
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

061312Z Dec 01


                           CONFIDENTIAL     PTQ1796

PAGE 01        HARARE  03643  01 OF 04  061427Z 
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    SSO-00   SS-00    STR-00   SVC-00   TRSE-00  
      T-00     USIE-00  PMB-00   PRM-00   DRL-02   G-00     SAS-00   
        /007W
                  ------------------47DCEA  061427Z /48    
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0479
INFO NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE
SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 
AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 04 HARARE 003643 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR JENDAYI FRAZER 
LONDON FOR CHARLES GURNEY 
PARIS FOR CHARLES NEARY 
NAIROBI TERRY PFLAUMER 
ADDIS ABABA FOR A/S WALTER KANSTEINER 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/06/11 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL PINS ZI
SUBJECT: MUGABE'S CAMPAIGN OF VIOLENCE AND REPRESSION IS 
UNABATED BY GROWING INTERNATIONAL PRESSURE 
 
REF: A) HARARE 3631, B) HARARE 3602, C) HARARE 3539 
 
     D) HARARE 3463, E) HARARE 3286 
 
CLASSIFIED BY POLITICAL OFFICER TODD C. FAULK FOR 
REASONS: 1.5 (B) AND (D). 
 
1.  (C) SUMMARY: PRESIDENT MUGABE'S CAMPAIGN OF VIOLENCE 
AND REPRESSION AGAINST OPPONENTS OF ALL STRIPES 
CONTINUES AMID GROWING INTERNATIONAL PRESSURE -- MOST 
NOTABLY FROM SOUTH AFRICA -- TO HALT THE SLIDE INTO 
CIVIL STRIFE.  JUST IN THE LAST FEW WEEKS, DOZENS OF MDC 
SUPPORTERS HAVE BEEN ARRESTED, A WHITE FARMER HAS BEEN 
SHOT, ARMY SOLDIERS HAVE MURDERED A UNIVERSITY OF 
ZIMBABWE STUDENT, ZANU-PF MILITANTS HAVE BEATEN AND 
BURNED DOWN THE HOMES OF MORE THAN 100 FARM WORKERS, AND 
POLICE HAVE BROKEN UP SEVERAL PEACEFUL DEMONSTRATIONS IN 
HARARE.  WITH THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION AROUND THE 
CORNER, MUGABE HAS RAMPED UP HIS LEGAL EFFORT TO STYMIE 
THE OPPOSITION AND SKEW THE ELECTORAL PROCESS IN HIS 
FAVOR.  MUGABE HAS DECREED CHANGES TO THE LAND 
ACQUISITION ACT, AND A SERIES OF REPRESSIVE MEASURES ARE 
BEING LINED UP FOR PASSAGE IN PARLIAMENT BEFORE ITS 
HOLIDAY ADJOURNMENT.  THE NUMBER OF MUGABE'S 
INTERNATIONAL DETRACTORS SEEMS TO GROW DAILY, AND THEY 
ARE APPLYING NEW PRESSURE TO THE BELEAGUERED PRESIDENT 
TO MEND HIS ERRANT WAYS.  MUGABE IS DESPERATELY TRYING 
TO FEND OFF THEIR RECRIMINATIONS, BUT ONLY TO THE EXTENT 
TO BUY TIME TO COMPLETE HIS MULTI-FACETED ELECTION 
CAMPAIGN.  END SUMMARY. 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 03        HARARE  03643  01 OF 04  061427Z 
INCREASING INTIMIDATION 
----------------------- 
 
2.  (C) IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS, DOZENS OF MDC MEMBERS AND 
SUPPORTERS, INCLUDING AN MDC MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT, HAVE 
BEEN ARRESTED AND DETAINED ON TRUMPED UP CHARGES OF 
VIOLENCE.  OF THE 30 MDC MEMBERS ARRESTED IN BULAWAYO 
FOLLOWING THE MURDER OF BULAWAYO WAR VETERANS LEADER 
CAIN NKALA (REF D), EIGHT REMAIN IN CUSTODY, INCLUDING 
THE MDC'S NATIONAL TREASURER AND MP FLETCHER DULINI- 
NCUBE, WHO HAS BEEN CHARGED WITH CONSPIRACY AND 
ACCESSORY TO MURDER.  A JUDGMENT IN DULINI-NCUBE'S BAIL 
HEARING IS DUE DECEMBER 7; THE JUDGE IS AWAITING THE 
RESULTS OF AN EXAMINATION BY A COURT-APPOINTED DOCTOR. 
EVEN THOUGH DULINI-NCUBE SUFFERS FROM DIABETES AND 
HYPERTENSION, MDC SECRETARY-GENERAL WELSHMAN NCUBE TOLD 
US HE IS UNLIKELY TO BE RELEASED BECAUSE HIGH COURT 
JUDGE CHIWESHE IS A FORMER MILITARY JUDGE AND STAUNCH 
ZANU-PF SUPPORTER.  DULINI-NCUBE'S ATTORNEY TOLD US THAT 
HE HAS NOT BEEN ALLOWED TO CONFER WITH HIS CLIENT SINCE 
HIS ARREST NOVEMBER 19. 
 
3.  (C) ON DECEMBER 3, EIGHT MDC YOUTHS, ALONG WITH TWO 
"DAILY NEWS" REPORTERS, WERE ARRESTED IN BULAWAYO, 
SUPPOSEDLY IN CONNECTION WITH THE CAIN NKALA CASE, 
ACCORDING TO THE MDC PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER.  WELSHMAN 
NCUBE TOLD US THAT POLICE ARE PICKING UP MDC SUPPORTERS 
AND MEMBERS EVERY DAY IN BULAWAYO FOR QUESTIONING AND 
THEN RELEASING THEM WHEN NO CHARGES CAN BE BROUGHT 
AGAINST THEM.  IT IS PURE HARASSMENT AND INTIMIDATION, 
HE SAID.  ON NOVEMBER 29, 12 MDC MEMBERS, INCLUDING THE 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 04        HARARE  03643  01 OF 04  061427Z 
MIDLANDS PROVINCIAL CHAIRMAN, WERE ARRESTED FOR 
ALLEGEDLY KIDNAPPING A ZANU-PF TOWN COUNCILLOR IN 
KADOMA.  THE COUNCILLOR WAS LATER FOUND WALKING BESIDE 
THE ROAD WITH A BRUISED FACE, ACCORDING TO THE 
GOVERNMENT-CONTROLLED "THE HERALD." 
 
4.  (U) EVEN THOUGH THE MID-NOVEMBER UPHEAVAL OF 
VIOLENCE IN BULAWAYO HAS ENDED, INCIDENTS OF VIOLENCE AT 
THE HANDS OF RULING PARTY SUPPORTERS CONTINUE UNABATED 
AROUND THE COUNTRY.  AMONG THE MORE PROMINENT CASES ARE: 
 
-- ON NOVEMBER 20, HARARE POLICE QUASHED A SMALL 
DEMONSTRATION BY FEWER THEN 50 YOUTHS BELONGING TO THE 
NATIONAL CONSTITUTIONAL ASSEMBLY