VZCZCXRO1268
OO RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHJO RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHSB #0533 1751637
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 231637Z JUN 08
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3068
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
RUEHAR/AMEMBASSY ACCRA 2083
RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA 2203
RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN 0745
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 1480
RUEHDK/AMEMBASSY DAKAR 1838
RUEHKM/AMEMBASSY KAMPALA 2259
RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 4690
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RUZEJAA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK
RHMFISS/EUCOM POLAD VAIHINGEN GE
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 1349
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC

UNCLAS HARARE 000533 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
AF/S FOR S. HILL 
ADDIS ABABA FOR USAU 
ADDIS ABABA FOR ACSS 
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR E. LOKEN AND L. DOBBINS 
STATE PASS TO NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR B. PITTMAN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL ASEC PHUM KDEM ZI
SUBJECT: OPPOSITION HEADQUARTERS RAIDED AGAIN 
 
REF: HARARE 522 
 
¶1.  (SBU)  On June 23, MDC opposition headquarters, located 
in a downtown Harare building known as Harvest House, was 
raided by police, and internally displaced persons (IDPs) 
were seized for the second time since the March 29 national 
election (reftel).  Acting on reports from local sources that 
a raid had taken place, poloffs arrived at Harvest House 
shortly after the incident and, along with a SADC observer 
mission team who poloffs had informed of the raid, were 
briefed by MDC staffers.  The MDC staff member in charge of 
assisting about 2,600 IDPs who had taken shelter in Harvest 
House in the past two months (reftel) informed the diplomats 
and SADC observers that on the morning of June 23 they had 
been tipped off that there would be a raid on the 
headquarters during the day.  As a result, staff informed the 
IDPs, and those who could left the building for the day, 
leaving behind about 30 persons who were too ill, injured or 
elderly to escape. 
 
¶2.  (SBU)  At approximately 12:15 p.m., 10 individuals 
claiming to be "City Health" officials arrived on the 
premises and demanded to "inspect" the property.  Junior MDC 
staff opened the door (without checking with senior staff on 
upper levels) and let them in.  Some of the Harvest House 
staff recognized the "health officials" as Central 
Intelligence officers.  The CIO were immediately followed 
into Harvest House by an estimated 50 armed police officers 
in riot gear.  MDC staff reported that police had cordoned 
off the street on which Harvest House is located and that 
"many" more police were stationed outside.  The police, who 
did not offer a warrant or other justification for the 
intrusion, proceeded to force all the remaining IDPs onto a 
bus.  (NOTE:  No MDC staff were taken, nor were any 
high-level MDC officials present.  END NOTE.) Police 
proceeded to take pictures of the areas where IDPs had been 
staying and where their belongings remained, and questioned 
staff as to the whereabouts of the others.  Later in the day, 
Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights reported that the IDPs who 
were taken from Harvest House were not in Harare Central 
Prison as previously expected, and they may have been taken 
outside of Harare and left in a rural area, as has occurred 
in previous cases where police have detained IDPs. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) COMMENT:  Given the fragile condition of those IDPs 
who were seized and the further displacement of those who 
fled Harvest House this morning, there is reason to be 
seriously concerned about the health and safety of all 2,600. 
The motivation for the raid is unknown, but it was likely to 
continue the campaign of intimidation and instability for the 
MDC and its supporters.  As noted SADC observers were 
present; we also saw several members of the Pan African 
Parliament at Harvest House investigating the incident.  END 
COMMENT. 
 
McGee