VZCZCXRO9395
RR RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHJO RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHSB #0226/01 0781648
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 191648Z MAR 07
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1263
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
RUEHUJA/AMEMBASSY ABUJA 1523
RUEHAR/AMEMBASSY ACCRA 1381
RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA 1527
RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN 0200
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 0789
RUEHDK/AMEMBASSY DAKAR 1153
RUEHKM/AMEMBASSY KAMPALA 1582
RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 3986
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 1352
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 2010
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
RUFOADA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 1744

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 HARARE 000226 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
AF/S FOR S.HILL 
ADDIS ABABA FOR USAU 
ADDIS ABABA FOR ACSS 
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR E.LOKEN 
STATE PASS TO NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR B.PITTMAN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM ZI
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR DELL WALKS OUT ON GOZ FOREIGN 
MINISTER'S SET PIECE ADMONISHING WESTERN DIPLOMATS 
 
REF: HARARE 218 AND PREVIOUS 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Christopher W. Dell under Section 
1.4 b/d 
 
------- 
Summary 
------- 
 
¶1.  (U)  GOZ Foreign Minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi summoned 
Western diplomats March 12 for a "briefing" on the current 
situation.  Before the briefing began, Ambassador Dell sought 
assurances that the minister would give diplomats the 
opportunity to respond and express their concerns.  When he 
did not receive these assurances, he departed.  Mumbengegwi 
read a prepared statement and then adjourned the gathering 
without answering questions.  In his statement, he accused 
the MDC of unlawful and violent activity, failed to discuss 
beatings of opposition leaders and activists, and without 
naming names, accused Western ambassadors of "complicity" in 
MDC violence.  He threatened to declare persona non grata 
diplomats who violated Zimbabwe's laws or interfered in its 
internal affairs.  End Summary. 
 
-------------------- 
Ambassador Walks Out 
-------------------- 
 
¶2.  (U) The MFA on March 19 summoned Western diplomats for a 
briefing by Foreign Minister Mumbengegwi on the current 
situation in Zimbabwe in light of the violent events of the 
past week.  Mumbengegwi had briefed African and Non-Aligned 
Movement diplomats on March 16.  The briefing was covered by 
State-controlled media and will doubtless feature prominently 
on ZBC tonight. 
 
¶3.  (U) Before the briefing began, Ambassador Dell requested 
assurances that he and other diplomats would be able to ask 
questions and express their concerns about current events. 
He also expressed dismay that what had been billed as a 
diplomatic briefing was being turned into a one-sided press 
conference with television cameras.  When MFA officials 
refused to give such assurances, the Ambassador departed, 
saying he was not prepared to participate in such a sham. 
Polecon chief remained as notetaker. 
 
------------------------------- 
Events According to Mumbengegwi 
------------------------------- 
 
¶4.  (U) Mumbengegwi began by averring that for over a year 
the MDC had planned a campaign of lawlessness and violence 
and had set up country-wide networks to attack law 
enforcement and render the country ungovernable.  MDC leaders 
had announced they would not respect the rule of law and had 
chosen the platform of the international media to make 
seditious statements aimed at world capitals.  Despite all 
this, he continued, the GOZ did not take actions; Zimbabwe 
might be the only country in the world as tolerant. 
(Comment: Sic.) 
 
¶5.   (U) Mumbengegwi discussed several opposition rallies in 
February which he claimed the GOZ had authorized, and in 
which opposition leaders had advocated mass action and 
lawlessness.  Turning to March 11, he stated police refused 
to grant a permit for a rally in light of MDC rhetoric during 
 
HARARE 00000226  002 OF 003 
 
 
the previous month and the increasing threat of violence. 
The MDC and other opposition leaders sought to contravene the 
police by denominating the protest a prayer meeting. 
 
¶6.  (U) Mumbengegwi alleged that on March 11 over 200 
opposition supporters used children as shields and attacked 
police with tear gas and other weapons.  They also vandalized 
a police checkpoint.  At one point, police fired 18 warning 
shots and then in self-defence shot a student ringleader. 
(Note.  Presumably Gift Tandare.  End Note.)  He also alleged 
that on two different occasions (he did not specify dates) 
MDC youths threw petrol bombs at police.  In the second 
incident three officers were injured. 
 
¶7.  (U) Mumbengegwi stated MDC leaders Morgan Tsvangirai and 
Arthur Mutambara along with National Constitutional Assembly 
leader Lovemore Mahduku were arrested for inciting violence. 
He did not mention the arrests of others or the beatings they 
endured while in police custody.  Nor did he mention this 
past weekend's events, including the assault on MDC 
spokesperson Nelson Chamisa, seized at the airport while 
waiting to board a flight to South Africa (septel). 
 
---------------------------------------- 
GOZ's Veiled Threat to Western Diplomats 
---------------------------------------- 
 
¶8.  (U) Without naming names, Mumbengegwi attacked Western 
diplomats, accusing them of "feverish" support for the MDC 
and "complicity in an orgy of violence."  He said they 
considered themselves self-appointed guardians of democracy 
and law and order, but had condoned and supported the MDC 
factions in planning and executing violence. 
 
¶9.  (U) Stating that eight ambassadors had visited police 
stations on March 11 to provide food and water, and had had 
"the nerve" to instruct police to bring detainees to court, 
Mumbengegwi stated that Zimbabwe was a sovereign state, not 
subject to outside influence, and diplomats seeking access to 
GOZ officials must go through the MFA.  He also stated that 
the same ambassadors had inappropriately observed proceedings 
when detainees were brought to court. 
 
¶10.  (U)  Mumbengegwi concluded by stating that Zimbabwe did 
not require instruction from former colonial masters and that 
any attempts to re-colonize it would be resisted.  Citing the 
Vienna Convention, he said that ambassadors must desist from 
interference in Zimbabwe's internal affairs and obey the law. 
 If they did not, they would be declared persona non grata. 
He then left the room without allowing for any questions or 
responses from the diplomats. 
 
------- 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶11.  (SBU) Clearly stung by intense international focus on 
Zimbabwe over the past week, Mumbengegwi' "briefing" was a 
feeble rant aimed at blaming the opposition and Western 
diplomats for the violence of the past 10 days.  It had a 
surreal quality, as diplomats sat around a table listening to 
Mumbengegwi's warped version of reality which completely 
exonerated the GOZ for any wrongdoing, and were admonished 
that Zimbabwe would expel diplomats who did not behave (not 
the first time the GOZ has made such a threat and likely not 
the last).  In the end, he succeeded only in convincing the 
 
HARARE 00000226  003 OF 003 
 
 
assembled diplomats that the GOZ is acting out of fear, and 
that it is very conscious of the international disapproval it 
has engendered. 
DELL