VZCZCXRO2318
RR RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHJO RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHSB #0656 2170610
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 040610Z AUG 08
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3252
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS HARARE 000656 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM PGOV ECPS ZI
SUBJECT: ZIMBABWE MEDIA UNDER SIEGE 
 
¶1. (U) SUMMARY: The conditions for independent media in Zimbabwe 
continue to worsen.  Harassment of journalists by Zimbabwe 
government (GOZ) state agencies continues.  Despite the recent 
signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between President 
Robert Mugabe and the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), the GOZ 
continues to restrict freedom of expression and target independent 
newspapers to silence criticism.  Taxes imposed on foreign 
publications have eliminated some newspapers and unless removed, 
threaten the survival of other publications.  Economic conditions in 
Zimbabwe present a further threat to the survival of independent 
newspapers in Zimbabwe.  END SUMMARY. 
 
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Government Continues to Harass Independent Media 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
 
¶2. (U) On July 10 the Magistrate's Court dismissed an application to 
remove the remand order from "The Standard" newspaper and its editor 
Davison Maruziva.  The newspaper and its editor are being charged, 
along with opposition leader Arthur Mutambara, with communicating 
falsehoods prejudicial to the State and contempt of court.  The GOZ 
has not provided the newspaper's lawyers with required evidence from 
the police logs to prepare for the trial.  Charges against the 
paper, Maruziva and Mutambara arose on April 20 following 
publication of the opposition leader's opinion article titled "A 
Shameful Betrayal of National Independence."  The trial continues on 
August 28. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Al-Jazeera Bureau Chief Cyrus Nhara told us that he has 
been summoned several times by GOZ Ministry of Information officials 
for what they routinely term "administrative meetings."  During the 
meetings, GOZ officials threateningly raise spurious compliance 
issues concerning Al-Jazeera's accreditation and the non-renewal of 
the contract of a former Al-Jazeera employee, Supa Mandiwanzira, a 
known ZANU-PF sympathizer.  Ordinarily such issues would be handled 
by the Media and Information Commission.  Despite this continued 
harassment, Al-Jazeera's accreditation hasn't been removed and the 
news agency was the only media outlet to provide live coverage of 
the signing ceremony between Zanu-PF and the two MDC formations on 
July 21, 2008. 
 
¶4. (U) Several independent journalists and foreign correspondents 
were barred from covering the signing ceremony of the MOU between 
ZANU-PF and the two MDC formations at the Rainbow Towers Hotel on 
July 21.  GOZ-controlled media described the decision to prohibit 
the presence of these journalists, and western diplomats, as 
avoiding an intrusion which President Robert Mugabe had warned 
Zimbabweans to guard against. 
 
--------------------------------------------- 
Punitive Taxes Affecting Foreign Publications 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
¶5. (SBU) The import tax on foreign newspapers introduced by the GOZ 
in early June has forced one independent newspaper, "The 
Zimbabwean," to stop printing its Sunday edition.  Wilf Mbanga, 
publisher and editor of the newspaper, printed in South Africa, told 
us that they are paying 42,650 Rand (USD 5,786) for 60,000 copies, 
the newspaper's current print run.  The newspaper was forced to 
reduce the print run to 60,000 each week from 200,000 before the 
imposition of the taxes.  Mbanga told us that the taxes are actually 
more than the 40 percent announced publicly by the GOZ.  The 
newspaper also pays 15 percent Value Added Tax (VAT) and 15 percent 
super-tax on top of the duty, making the total 70 percent.  Mbanga 
said they suspended the Sunday edition as they would have exhausted 
their annual budget within two months.  The newspaper paid 500,000 
Rand (USD 67,827) in June alone - because they were sending the 
usual 200,000 on Thursdays and 60,000 on Sundays. 
 
------------------------------------ 
Spiraling printing charges 
force newspapers to reduce print run 
------------------------------------ 
 
¶6. (SBU) Independent newspapers publishing in Zimbabwe report a 
reduction in their print runs as a result of increases in printing 
charges.  Sources report that the cost of printing rose 6,414 
percent between June 27 and July 26. Zimind group CEO Raphael 
Khumalo described the increasing prices as "cost opportunism run 
riot" that could result in the shutting down of the two newspapers 
Zimind publishes, "The Standard (every Sunday) and the "Zimbabwe 
Independent" (every Friday). 
 
¶7. (SBU) COMMENT: Despite the on-going talks between Robert Mugabe 
and the MDC, we expect the GOZ will continue curtailing the free 
flow of information and criticism. Morale among independent 
journalists is extremely low.  The GOZ continues to cultivate a 
climate of fear that has increased self-censorship.  It will require 
a major effort to cultivate a culture of truly independent 
journalism.  END COMMENT. 
 
MCGEE