VZCZCXRO3926
RR RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHJO RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHLG #0254/01 1231016
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 021016Z MAY 08
FM AMEMBASSY LILONGWE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5225
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 LILONGWE 000254 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPT FOR AF/S - S. HILL, E. PELLETREAU 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL ZI MI
SUBJECT: MALAWI: CIVIL SOCIETY WANTS STRONGER STAND ON 
ZIMBABWE 
 
REF: LILONGWE 234 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary: The government of Malawi has been 
relatively quiet on Zimbabwe since it released an April 19 
statement calling for the release of election results.  While 
low-level Ministry of Foreign Affairs contacts continue to 
suggest that Malawi is quietly working through SADC to 
resolve the situation, publicly relations between the two 
nations remain normal.  Opposition political parties, most 
notably former president Muluzi, have become more vocal in 
their call for an end to the delay.  Muluzi has warned the 
Malawi Electoral Commission to avoid a duplication of the 
Zimbabwe scenario in 2009.  Civil society leaders also 
continue to speak out and call for stronger GOM condemnation 
of the violence and a stand against a recount without release 
of the initial results.  End Summary. 
 
Government of Malawi Returns to Silence 
--------------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (U) Since releasing a statement on April 19 calling for 
election results to be released (reftel), the government of 
Malawi has not added any further public pressure for a 
resolution.  Deputy Minister of Information John Bande told 
the press that the government was being prudently cautious in 
taking a stand on Zimbabwe and would let diplomatic 
principles guide the GOM's interactions.  Pro-government 
Zimbabwean newspapers quoted Dr. Benson Tembo, Malawi's 
Ambassador to Zimbabwe, at the Zimbabwe International Trade 
Fair saying relations between the two countries remain 
excellent and that Malawi would remain actively involved in 
the SADC-supported dialogue between the political parties in 
Zimbabwe.  Tembo reiterated that Malawi favored a policy of 
non-interference and hoped that Zimbabwe would solve its own 
problems. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Contacts at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs continue 
to contend that Malawi is actually quietly pressing for a 
quick release of the election results.  In a conversation 
earlier this week, the Foreign Minister told the Ambassador 
that Malawi continues to support President Mbeki's efforts, 
citing the results of the parliamentary seats recount as a 
vindication of Mbeki's approach.  She hoped that the 
"verification" of the Presidential votes would have a similar 
outcome, or at least that it would enable Zimbabwe to move 
ahead to the next step, that of a second round.  She seemed 
irritated at calls for more vigorous SADC action, saying that 
SADC had entrusted Mbeki with the task and he should be 
allowed to proceed. The Ambassador noted the reports of the 
campaign of intimidation and violence now under way in 
Zimbabwe; the Minister seemed unaware or unwilling to 
acknowledge it, though she was intensely interested.   Lower 
level MFA contacts confided that they applauded the refusal 
of SADC countries to allow the Chinese ship to dock and 
unload weapons bound for Zimbabwe and they felt the delay of 
Zimbabwean election results had now reached ridiculousness. 
 
Opposition Political Parties More Vocal 
--------------------------------------- 
 
¶4. (U) On April 23, Kamuzu Chibambo, president of People's 
Transformation Party (PETRA), a small Malawian opposition 
party, publicly called the situation in Zimbabwe a state of 
emergency and bemoaned the lack of action by SADC now that 
the situation in Zimbabwe had become violent.  Chibambo 
continued that the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) was 
under siege and that the High Court of Zimbabwe has been 
intimidated into inaction.  He further stated that if SADC 
backs down from Mugabe's challenge then it will give him free 
reign to decide the outcome of the election. 
 
¶5. (U) During the United Democratic Front (UDF) convention on 
April 24, former president Bakili Muluzi condemned the 
actions of the ZEC and called for the immediate release of 
election results in Zimbabwe.  Muluzi warned the Malawi 
Electoral Commission from duplicating the scenario and called 
for free and fair elections in Malawi in 2009.  Muluzi also 
encouraged greater international community help to solve the 
Zimbabwe crisis. 
 
Civil Society Critical of GOM's Soft Stand 
------------------------------------------ 
 
¶6. (U) Center for Human Rights and Rehabilitation (CHRR) 
Executive Director Undule Mwakasungula has led the civil 
society outcry for the release of the election results and a 
firmer GOM stance on Zimbabwe.  Mwakasungula, along with 
Malawi Human Rights Resource Center (MHRCC) Executive 
Director Desmond Kaunda, represented Malawi in Dar-es-Salaam 
 
LILONGWE 00000254  002 OF 002 
 
 
at the April 21 African Emergency Summit on Zimbabwe.  Upon 
his return, Mwakasungula called for an African-led response 
to Zimbabwe and expressed disappointment over the GOM's lack 
of condemnation of the violence, intimidation, and harassment 
by ZANU-PF.  He also asked the GOM to take a stand on the 
vote recount ordered by President Mugabe. 
 
¶7. (SBU) Kaunda, commenting on the outcomes of the Dar 
conference, said any results from a recount should not be 
recognized and that state violence must be condemned.  Kaunda 
also said that SADC mediation had failed and that the a new 
leader should be tasked with continuing the mediation. 
Kaunda said conference delegates recommended that the MDC 
should stop demanding the release of results and instead act 
as a government in waiting. 
 
Zimbabwe Issue an Eye-Opener For Malawi 
--------------------------------------- 
 
¶8. (SBU) With elections in Malawi only a year away, parties 
with an interest in those elections, especially in unseating 
the current government, have vocally objected to the Zimbabwe 
crisis and asked for increased GOM action.  Mwakasungula has 
been one of the most outspoken critics of the Mutharika 
government's refusal to compromise with opposition and the 
lack of constitutionally-mandated local government elections. 
 His outcries on Zimbabwe, much like Muluzi's more direct 
comments, are also meant as a warning to the people of Malawi 
regarding 2009.  Malawian media, for its part maintains 
nearly daily press coverage of events in Zimbabwe but usually 
runs Reuters or BBC stories without adding additional 
commentary.  While Malawian civil society continues to 
condemn violence in Zimbabwe, comments coming from the 
Dar-es-Salaam conference suggest there will be little stomach 
for an outside military solution even if the situation 
continues to deteriorate. 
 
CLOSING THE INFORMATION GAP 
--------------------------- 
 
¶9. (SBU) Our public affairs office is, as of May 1, producing 
a daily press compilation on Zimbabwe, which we intend to 
share with the Foreign Minister and other senior officials, 
as local press coverage of events in Zimbabwe is limited and 
often pulls its punches.  We believe Malawi will follow the 
lead of other SADC countries, particularly South Africa, on 
Zimbabwe, but providing more information to senior officials 
will enable them to form their own opinions  rather than 
relying on spotty local media or what the Zimbabwe High 
Commission tells them. 
EASTHAM