VZCZCXRO1881
RR RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHJO RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHSB #0233/01 0761641
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 171641Z MAR 09
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4245
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 000233 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR AF/PDPA LALLISON AND BSTRASSBERGER; 
AF/S FOR BWALCH 
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR MICHELLE GAVIN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OEXC KPAO PGOV PREL ETTC ZI
SUBJECT: ANALYSIS OF ZIMBABWE MEDIA COVERAGE OF SANCTIONS AND PM CAR 
CRASH 
 
¶1. SUMMARY: Extension of U.S. targeted sanctions by President Obama 
on March 4 and the car crash that killed Susan Tsvangirai both 
received extensive media coverage in the last two weeks. A 
significant section of the mainstream media believes that targeted 
sanctions should ease following the formalization of the 
all-inclusive government. Government controlled media hostility 
towards the West continues amid media speculation that the accident 
that claimed the life of Susan Tsvangirai, the Prime Minister's 
wife, was a plot against the Prime Minister's life either by the 
U.S. or ZANU-PF.  END SUMMARY. 
 
----------------------- 
COMMENTARY ON SANCTIONS 
----------------------- 
 
¶2. The government controlled media's coverage was hostile to the 
March 4 announcement by President Obama that economic sanctions 
originally imposed by President Bush will continue for another year. 
 These media do not argue that the actions of the new government 
meet the criteria for the removal of these targeted sanctions, but 
rather that there is no justification for sanctions in the first 
place. The Herald, March 5, maintains that "if these sanctions are 
not removed it means the West will be trying to retain some form of 
heinous influence in our affairs that at a future date will result 
in the creation of a puppet administration in Zimbabwe." The Herald 
has labeled the targeted sanctions as "extremely evil, dictatorial 
and an abortion of justice" (commentary by Assistant News Editor 
Isdore Guvamombe in The Saturday Herald, March 7).  The Herald has 
pointedly not blamed President Obama for the continuation of 
sanctions, saying: "Obama's problem is that he has kept diehard 
remnants of the Bush administration in strategic offices like the 
Embassy in Harare who are still pushing the old agenda." 
 
¶3. Even independent media question the sanctions, although in a less 
sensational manner. Commenting in the New Zimbabwe Blogs (March 7), 
Joram Nyathi, deputy editor of the privately owned The Zimbabwe 
Independent, says "the sanctions serve a purpose extraneous to 
Zimbabwe's interests whether one is MDC or ZANU-PF or non-partisan," 
adding "there is no point in Obama pretending to see "a threat" 
posed by little Zimbabwe to America when we know (Vice President 
Joe) Biden and (Secretary of State) Hillary Clinton are still 
pursuing their Republican agenda in Zimbabwe." Semi-independent 
financial weekly The Financial Gazette, March 12, says "further U.S. 
sanctions (are) detrimental to the inclusive government," but quotes 
Lovemore Madhuku, constitutional lawyer and civil society leader 
saying the announcement is just a technical extension: "The 
Americans do this every year, so people mustn't be worried. There is 
no way the Americans are going to change their policies 
over-night." 
 
¶4.  In his inaugural address to Parliament on March 4, Prime 
Minister Morgan Tsvangirai called for the removal of "restrictive 
measures."  Government controlled media have labeled Tsvangirai's 
call as "lukewarm" (The Herald, March 16). 
 
--------------------------- 
Australian Change in Policy 
--------------------------- 
 
¶5. The US$10 million aid donation announced by Australia for water, 
sanitation, and health assistance has been interpreted as a "shift 
in policy towards Zimbabwe after the formation of the inclusive 
government" (The Zimbabwe Guardian, March 11). Other independent and 
government controlled papers shared the view that Australia has 
Qgovernment controlled papers shared the view that Australia has 
broken with the U.S. and EU in deciding to provide non-humanitarian 
assistance. 
 
------------------------ 
REACTION TO PM CAR CRASH 
------------------------ 
 
¶6. Government media have alleged a plot by the U.S. and Britain to 
assassinate Tsvangirai because of displeasure at his joining the 
unity government.  "I bet my last dollar, that 25 years from now, we 
will read about an abortive mission along Masvingo Road," writes The 
Herald's Assistant Editor, and notorious ZANU-PF shill, Caesar Zvayi 
(March 14).  The Herald also gave space to the views of Professor 
Jonathan Moyo, who argued that "the American and British 
governments, or some of their agents dealing with Zimbabwe, have the 
motive, incentives and means to derail the inclusive Government 
through foul play" (The Saturday Herald, March 14).  Moyo, whose 
views were echoed in New Zimbabwe.com, called for an international 
investigation into the operations of USAID in Zimbabwe. 
 
¶7. In contrast, privately-owned independent media continued to 
speculate that there was a plot against Prime Minister Morgan 
Tsvangirai's life by ZANU-PF.  The Standard (March 1) argued that 
 
HARARE 00000233  002 OF 002 
 
 
"the vehicle [that struck Tsvangirai's car] was dispatched under 
unclear circumstances."  The Zimbabwe Independent also called for an 
enquiry but focused its coverage on the inadequate security 
protection afforded the PM. 
 
¶8. COMMENT: A sharp divide between the government controlled and 
private media persists, despite the formation of the unity 
government.  While attacks on the MDC and PM Tsvangirai have been 
toned down, the West in general, and the U.S. and UK in particular, 
remain a favorite bogeyman for the state media. On the issue of 
sanctions, the fact that the private media largely shares the same 
view, if not the same bombast, as the state media demonstrates the 
need for us to continue to better explain our sanctions policy. END 
COMMENT. 
 
MCGEE