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

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 001166 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR AF/PDPA DALTON, MITCHELL AND SIMS AND AF/S RAYNOR 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PHUM KPAO KMDR ZI
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION MASS ACTION IN ZIM; HARARE 
 
  ¶1.   Weekend editorials concentrated on the five-day 
      anti-government protests, called by the opposition 
      Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), that 
      completely shutdown commerce and industry in the 
      country from June 2 through 6, 2003.  Editorial 
      excerpts follow: 
 
  ¶2.   Under headline "ZANU-PF digging its own grave" the 
      independent daily "The Daily News" (06/09) comments: 
 
      "Faced with glaring evidence of the people of 
      Zimbabwe's dissatisfaction with the government, 
      President Robert Mugabe is maintaining a belligerent 
      attitude, threatening the opposition and 
      participants in last week's mass action with 
      retribution. . .It must be clear even to the ruling 
      ZANU-PF that such heavy-handedness. . .would again 
      send the wrong signals to local and foreign 
      investors. . .We fully appreciate the government's 
      need to show that it is still in charge following a 
      mass action that humiliatingly demonstrated that 
      force alone is keeping the ruling party in power. 
      But we would urge prudence in the aftermath of last 
      week's protests, for the good of the nation and 
      indeed for the government's own good. . .The 
      government's iron-fisted response to the mass action 
      and a violent campaign of retribution in the next 
      few weeks will only harden the people's hearts 
      against the ruling party, which is clearly playing 
      into the hands of the opposition's hands.  If ZANU- 
      PF continues to display its lack of maturity, it 
      will ultimately dig its own grave. . . ." 
 
  ¶3.   Under headline "Tsvangira's fate: No one above the 
      law" the government-controlled daily "The Herald" (06/09) 
      comments: 
 
      ". . .The arrest of MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai for 
      making treasonous statements will reassure 
      Zimbabweans that the justice system is alive and 
      well in the country and the police will not be 
      intimidated by anyone from carrying out its 
      constitutional mandate. . .The AG (Attorney-General) 
      and police should be commended for their boldness in 
      holding Tsvangirai accountable for his actions.  Let 
      the courts decide whether his actions have been 
      lawful or not. . .The arrest of Tsvangirai. . .is a 
      sobering development and a stark reminder that the 
      law in Zimbabwe is not like a cobweb, which may 
      catch small flies but will let wasps and hornets 
      break through.  No one is above the law." 
 
  ¶4.   Under headline "Admit you are finished" the 
      independent weekly "The Daily News on Sunday" (06/08) 
      comments: 
 
      ". . .Still, from the intensity of the panic with 
      which the government reacted to the mass 
      action. . .one thing is clear: Mugabe must admit 
      that politically he is finished.  No longer can he 
      stand up and brazenly claim that the people are 
      behind him.  No.  The people are not behind him any 
      more.  They are not even frightened of him or his 
      savage security machinery any more.  They are 
      thoroughly fed up with his misrule and are praying 
      the he will exit the scene while he can still do it 
      with a modicum of dignity and self-respect.  If 
      Mugabe and ZANU-PF dismiss the mass action as a 
      flush in the pan and hope that people will start to 
      sing Mugabe's and ZANU-PF's praises this week, then 
      the country is headed for a very long period of 
      instability.  If Mugabe does not acknowledge that 
      only through a sincere dialogue with the MDC can the 
      country return to a semblance of the political and 
      economic normalcy before 2000, then he is throwing 
      down the gauntlet and daring the people: what else 
      can you do to me?  The answer to that defiance may 
      be to ghastly to contemplate:" 
 
  ¶5.   Under headline "Confront the real issues Mr. Mugabe: 
      The real threat to your power base Mr. President is 
      not Tsvangirai but the people of Zimbabwe" the 
      independent weekly "The Standard" (06/08) comments: 
 
      ". . .As long as the country's economy remains in 
      intensive care, your own position will remain 
      vulnerable.  This is the crux of the matter.  You 
      can delude yourself by dismissing the protests as a 
      flop but is this the real issue?  The real issue, 
      Mr. President, is that the people of Zimbabwe are 
      completely dissatisfied and disillusioned with the 
      state of affairs in the country.  Tsvangirai has won 
      the hearts and minds of the Zimbabweans because of 
      this dissatisfaction and disillusionment - pure and 
      simple. . .President Mugabe and the ruling party 
      must neither underrate the mood of the people or 
      their power to change things.  As long as 
      Zimbabweans continue to suffer the way they are 
      doing, the challenge and threat to the President's 
      power base remains.  And it will be arrogant and 
      nave in the extreme for the government and its 
      media to gloat that they have scored an immense 
      propaganda victory over Morgan Tsvangirai and the 
      MDC. . . ." 
 
  ¶6.   Under headline "Dialogue must resume" the 
      pro-government weekly the "Sunday Mirror" (06/08) 
      comments: 
 
      ". . .While the nation is evidently politically 
      polarized, it is an understatement to say the 
      Zimbabweans are united in their hope for a swift 
      improvement in the political and economic condition 
      they find their country in. . .These facts in 
      themselves create an adequate basis for engagement 
      between the two parties (ZANU-PF and MDC).  Any 
      further procrastination on this fundamental issue is 
      definitely not in the national interest.  For, the 
      damage to the already tottering economy and the 
      increasingly violent political culture that is 
      emerging in this country do not bode well for the 
      nation." 
 
  ¶7.   Under headline "Corporates supping with the devil" the 
      government-controlled weekly "The Sunday Mail" (06/08) 
      comments: 
 
      ". . .It is clear that the week-long stayaway was 
      successful in terms of business shutdown and not 
      mass action or demonstrations.  The question that 
      then comes to mind is why business chose to become 
      so partisan in an environment where there are two 
      contesting political forces.  What they did amounted 
      to advocating a violent overthrow of a government 
      that they tomorrow will be expecting to work with 
      and calling on to create an environment in which 
      they can prosper.  This is a sign of treacherous 
      naivet that will only result in a souring of 
      relations with the very political force that 
      controls their destiny. . . ." 
 
  ¶8.   Under headline "Tsvangirai loses legitimacy to lead 
      party" the government-controlled daily "The Herald" 
      (06/07) comments: 
 
      "MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai has lost all 
      legitimacy to lead the opposition party, having 
      failed to deliver on all political promises he made 
      to his supporters over the past three 
      years. . .Tsvangirai can give all the explanation he 
      wants to justify why no one seriously observed his 
      call for mass marches, but the bottom line is that 
      he failed to unseat the government of President 
      Mugabe. . . ." 
 
SULLIVAN