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

041032Z Mar 02

 

                           UNCLASSIFIED     PTQ0382

PAGE 01        HARARE  00557  041113Z 
ACTION INR-00   

INFO  LOG-00   AF-00    AID-00   CIAE-00  DODE-00  SRPP-00  EB-00    
      EUR-00   UTED-00  VC-00    H-01     TEDE-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   TEST-00  
      TRSE-00  T-00     USIE-00  PMB-00   PRM-00   DRL-02   G-00     
      SAS-00     /007W
                  ------------------6EECCD  041113Z /40    
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1078
INFO NSC WASHDC
AMEMBASSY PRETORIA 
AMEMBASSY LUSAKA 
AMEMBASSY WINDHOEK 
AMEMBASSY GABORONE 
AMEMBASSY LILONGWE 
AMEMBASSY LONDON

UNCLAS HARARE 000557 
 
SIPDIS 
 
AF/PD FOR COX AND ROBERTSON, AF/S FOR KRAFT AND SCHLACHTE 
AF/FA FOR SWANN, INR/R/MR, NSC FOR JENDAYI FRAZER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ZI PREL PHUM
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION ZIM PRESIDENTIAL POLL; HARARE 
 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        HARARE  00557  041113Z 
¶1. WHILE THE INDEPENDENT WEEKLY "ZIMBABWE INDEPENDENT" 
   CONDEMNED THE RECENT ATTACKS ON ELECTION OBSERVERS IN 
   ZIMBABWE BY ALLEGED ZANU PF SUPPORTERS IN ITS MARCH 1 
   EDITORIAL, THE BULAWAYO-BASED GOVERNMENT-CONTROLLED 
   DAILY "CHRONICLE" SLAMMED PRESIDENT BUSH FOR ALLEGEDLY 
   USING ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THE U. S.-BASED "GENOCIDE 
   WATCH" TO FURTHER HIS POLITICAL INTERESTS.  THIS BAD 
   TEMPERED EDITORIAL COMES IN THE WAKE OF AN ARTICLE, 
   BASED ON A RECENT "GENOCIDE WATCH" REPORT CARRIED IN T 
   INDEPENDENT "FINANCIAL GAZETTE. ":EXCERPTS AS FOLLOWS: 
 
¶2. UNDER HEADLINE "ATTACKS ON SADC OBSERVERS WERE 
   INEVITABLE," THE "ZIMBABWE INDEPENDENT" COMMENTS: 
 
   "WE VERY MUCH REGRET THE STAIN ON ZIMBABWEAN HOSPITALI 
   THAT ATTACKS ON SOUTH AFRICAN AND SADC OBSERVERS 
   REPRESENT.  BUT THEY WERE INEVITABLE.  DESPITE PRESIDE 
   MUGABE'S PUBLIC COMMITMENT TO NON-VIOLENCE, HIS 
   SUPPORTERS CONTINUE TO ABDUCT, TORTURE, STONE, AND BEA 
   UP OTHER ZIMBABWEANS WITH IMPUNITY. . .WE HOPE THAT 
   FOLLOWING THESE INCIDENTS, THE SOUTH AFRICANS AND THEI 
   SADC COLLEAGUES WILL STOP DANCING AROUND ISSUES OF 
   ELECTORAL VIOLENCE. . . ." 
 
¶3. UNDER HEADLINE "GENOCIDE EXISTS ONLY IN THEIR MINDS," 
   THE "CHRONICLE" COMMENTS: 
 
   "PROPHETS OF DOOM FROM THE IMPERIALIST WORLD ARE ALREA 
   PREDICTING A GLOOMY POST-ELECTION PERIOD OF ZIMBABWE. 
   THEY TELL US THERE WILL BE 'CIVIL UNREST,' 'GENOCIDE,' 
   AND EVERY POSSIBLE CURSE ON THE NATION, ALL BECAUSE TH 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        HARARE  00557  041113Z 
   ZANU PF CANDIDATE IS POISED FOR A RESOUNDING VICTORY 
   COME 9 AND 10 MARCH. . .BUT MOST PEOPLE HAVE SEEN 
   THROUGH THIS CHARADE AND WILL VOTE FOR UPHOLDING OF OU 
   SOVEREIGNTY AS A COUNTRY, HENCE THE PANIC BY THE UNITE 
   STATES, BRITAIN AND AUSTRALIA WHO ARE NOW SINGING THE 
   SANCTIONS BLUES. . .A U. S.-BASED ORGANIZATION WHICH 
   CALLS ITSELF 'GENOCIDE WATCH' HAS ALREADY PREDICTED TH 
   ZIMBABWE WILL 'SLIDE' INTO 'GENOCIDE' AND CALLED ON TH 
   ¶U. S. AND THE EU TO PREPARE FOR A POSSIBLE 'MILITARY 
   INTERVENTION.'  THIS SOUNDS FAMILIAR.  LIKE MANY OTHER 
   EGOCENTRIC RACISTS IN EUROPE, GAY GANGSTERS IN THE 
   ¶U. S., MASQUERADING AS 'NGOS' OR 'HUMAN RIGHTS' BODIES 
   WHEN IN FACT THEY ARE JUST GEORGE BUSH'S RABBLE ROUSER 
   AND LAP DOGS, ARE AT IT AGAIN.  THE PROBLEMS WE NOW 
   HAVE, THAT HAVE ERUPTED INTO POLITICAL VIOLENCE, ARE 
   BEING SPONSORED AND MASTERMINDED BY SUCH BODIES. . 
   GEORGE W. BUSH IS TRYING TO BE A CHIP OFF THE OLD BLOC 
   HE HAS PROVED TO BE A WARMONGER AND WILL SLIDE US INTO 
   THE THIRD WORLD WAR IF THE WORLD DOES NOT STOP HIS 
   COWBOY POLITICS. . .'GENOCIDE WATCH' SHOULD CONCERN 
   ITSELF WITH THE MASSIVE GENOCIDE BUSH CAUSED IN 
   AFGHANISTAN WHERE HE KILLED INNOCENT CHILDREN AND 
   ORDINARY CIVILIANS." 
 
SULLIVAN