VZCZCXRO4140
RR RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHJO RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHSB #0506/01 1701335
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 191335Z JUN 09
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4634
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE
RUEHUJA/AMEMBASSY ABUJA 2323
RUEHAR/AMEMBASSY ACCRA 2898
RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA 3017
RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN 1449
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 2280
RUEHDK/AMEMBASSY DAKAR 2647
RUEHKM/AMEMBASSY KAMPALA 3065
RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 5508
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 2193
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC
RHMFISS/EUCOM POLAD VAIHINGEN GE
RUZEJAA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 HARARE 000506 
 
SIPDIS 
 
AF/S FOR B. WALCH 
ADDIS ABABA FOR USAU 
ADDIS ABABA FOR ACSS 
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR MICHELLE GAVIN 
TREASURY FOR D. PETERS 
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR LDOBBINS AND JHARMON 
COMMERCE FOR BECKY ERKUL 
 
E.O.12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL ASEC PHUM EAGR ECON EFIN ZI
SUBJECT: ZIM NOTES 06-19-09 
 
---------------------------- 
SUMMARY - Topics of the week 
---------------------------- 
 
- Tsvangirai Delegation Heads to Europe... 
- Moyo Attacks Tsvangirai... 
- Western Governments Declared Responsible for "Sticking Issues"... 
 
 
- Senior MDC-T Official Arrested for Perjury... 
- Amnesty International Secretary General Slams Zim... 
- Ambassador Bids Farewell to VP Mujuru... 
- ... And Says Hello to the "First Lady of the Army"... 
- WOZA Protesters Beaten, Arrested, Denied Medical Care... 
- ZLHR Wins Another Major Award... 
- Constitutional Outreach Starts Next Week... 
- Massive Blackout Hits Zim... 
- Gold and Economic Recovery... 
- World Bank Mining Mission on its Way... 
- Rate of Deflation Slows... 
- Business Eager to Produce, but Still Thwarted... 
- Cost of Registering a Company Falls... 
- Quote of the Week: 
 
----------------------------- 
On the Political/Social Front 
----------------------------- 
 
¶1.  Tsvangirai Delegation Heads to Europe... Following last week's 
visit to the U.S., Prime Minister Tsvangirai turned his attention to 
contnental Europe, spending this week meeting with senior European 
officials.  Justice Minister Chinamasa and Foreign Affairs Minister 
Mumbengegwi of ZANU-PF were both granted visas by the EU to attend 
the discussions after Mugabe threatened to cancel the trip if 
Zimbabwe was only to be represented by MDC officials.  The EU 
response to the delegation has been welcoming, but tempered by 
persistent concerns of farm invasions and human rights abuses. 
After meeting with German Chancellor Merkel earlier in the week, the 
German government pledged an additional US$35 million of governance 
and food aid which will be channeled through the World Bank. 
Tsvangirai heads to the UK this weekend. 
 
¶2.  Moyo Attacks Tsvangirai... Former Minister of Information 
Jonathan Moyo attacked PM Tsvangirai in an online article this week, 
calling Tsvangirai's trip to the U.S. a "personal disaster" and "a 
complete waste of time."  Moyo said Tsvangirai appeared as a 
supplicant and embarrassed Zimbabwe.  He also attacked the new 
newsletter from the PM's office that hit the streets this week, 
saying it was clearly a "USAID pamphlet." 
 
 
¶3.  Western Governments Declared Responsible for "Sticking Issues" 
... The Herald published its list of "sticking issues" this week. 
The ZANU-PF-controlled paper listed sanctions as the number one 
issue and declared MDC-T and Western governments responsible for 
resolving the issue.  According to the list, MDC-T and Western 
governments are also responsible for the third issue, "pirate radio 
stations and hostile websites." 
 
¶4.  Senior MDC-T Official Arrested for Perjury... MDC-T Director 
General Tondepei Shonhe was arrested on June 16 on charges of 
perjury.  He allegedly committed the offense in an affidavit 
submitted as part of a high court case involving the three MDC-T 
Qsubmitted as part of a high court case involving the three MDC-T 
activists who were re-abducted by police on June 2.  Although 
granted bail by a magistrate, the AG's office, as it routinely does, 
appealed.  Shonhe will remain in jail at least a week until the 
appeal is heard.  See Harare 503. 
 
 
HARARE 00000506  002 OF 003 
 
 
¶5.  Amnesty International Secretary General Slams Zim...  Amnesty 
International's Secretary General Irene Khan wrapped up a six-day 
visit to Zimbabwe on June 18.  In a press conference in Harare, Khan 
noted the continued shortfalls of the inclusive government in 
improving human rights in Zimbabwe.  Notably, she criticized 
elements of the MDC that are ignoring human rights concerns for "the 
sake of political expediency."  See: 
www.amnesty.org/en/news-and-updates/news/ 
without-justice-there-can-be-no-real-healing- in- 
zimbabwe-20090618. 
 
¶6.  Ambassador Bids Farewell to VP Mujuru... Ambassador McGee met 
with Vice President Joice Mujuru on Wednesday in advance of his 
departure in July.  See Harare 500. 
 
¶7. ... And Says Hello to the "First Lady of the Army" ...   Jocelyn 
Chiwenga, wife of Army Commander General Constantine Chiwenga, 
phoned up Ambassador McGee this week to berate and threaten him. See 
Harare 502. 
 
¶8.  WOZA Protesters Beaten, Arrested, Denied Medical Care...  During 
a Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA) march in Bulawayo on Wednesday, 
eight were arrested on charges of disturbing the peace and three 
required medical treatment from police-inflicted injuries.  The 
eight are expected to appear in court on June 19.  In a second march 
in Harare on Thursday, five women were detained along with three 
journalists, including one from The Herald.  The journalists and one 
woman were released, but the remaining four women were badly beaten 
by police and are being denied medical care and remain in the filthy 
police station.  Police reportedly warned human rights lawyer 
Beatrice Mtetwa that police are considering bringing charges against 
Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) for "stage managing" the 
protests to "embarrass the country."  The protests marked 
International Refugee Day, which WOZA marks annually, arguing 
Zimbabweans are like refugees in their own country. 
 
¶9.  ZLHR Wins Another Major Award...  The 2009 American Bar 
Association (ABA) Rule of Law Award will be given to ZLHR at the 
ABA's Rule of Law meeting in Chicago on August 1.  ZLHR lawyers are 
renowned for their courageous defense of Zimbabwe's human rights 
defenders in the face of significant threats and harassment by the 
government. 
 
¶10.  Constitutional Outreach Starts Next Week...  The Parliamentary 
Select Committee announced this week that public meetings on the 
constitution will be held throughout Zimbabwe's 10 provinces between 
June 24 and 27.  ZANU-PF has attempted to delay the process. 
 
¶11.  Massive Blackout Hits Zim...  Most of Zimbabwe lost power on 
Monday night and early Tuesday after the country's two main power 
stations went down, reportedly due to a fault in Zambia.  Power woes 
are likely to persist as regional power utilities threaten to cut 
off exports to Zimbabwe due to unpaid debts to regional power 
suppliers estimated at around US$57 million.  For its part, the 
Qsuppliers estimated at around US$57 million.  For its part, the 
Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA) announced it will cut 
off power to local consumers who have not paid their bills (a flat 
US$30/month for residents of high-density neighborhoods, whether 
they have had service or not) since February this year. 
 
-------------------------- 
Economic and Business News 
-------------------------- 
 
¶12.  Gold and Economic Recovery...  Allowing producers to market 
their gold at today's high world price, eliminating foreign exchange 
surrender requirements, plus a policy of no royalties on gold, have 
all helped position the industry to contribute to economic recovery. 
 Nevertheless producers still lack capital due to the GOZ's US$30 
 
HARARE 00000506  003 OF 003 
 
 
million arrears to the industry and overall tight credit, power 
outages that led to the flooding of mines, and a lack of technical 
skills, though indications point to more mine workers now returning 
to Zimbabwe from developed countries than leaving.  Gold production 
could double this year to 6-7 MT and increase further in 2010, but 
empowerment legislation needs to be more foreign-investor friendly 
as the sector cannot recapitalize on the domestic market alone.  See 
Harare 499. 
 
¶13.  World Bank Mining Mission on its Way...  A World Bank Mission 
will be in Zimbabwe from June 22-26 to assess challenges in reviving 
the mining sector and the need for technical assistance.  The 
Mission will meet with mining companies, the mining ministry and 
other key government agencies to identify priority issues and 
actions.  It will also hold discussions with cooperating partners on 
coordinated approaches to addressing the sector's needs. 
 
¶14.  Rate of Deflation Slows...  The Central Statistical Office 
reported that the monthly rate of decline in consumer prices slowed 
from 1.1 percent in April to 0.1 percent in May.  While food prices 
continued to fall, costs rose for utilities, fees for municipal 
services, transport and health care. 
 
¶15.  Business Eager to Produce, but Still Thwarted...  Business 
leaders are eager to rebuild the economy and are much more 
optimistic about the future since introduction of dollarization and 
other policy changes earlier this year.  In a series of  meetings in 
Harare, Gweru, and Bulawayo this week with embassy staff, executives 
identified labor demands, access to and terms of credit, high 
utility costs, and the political environment as the main constraints 
on recovery. 
 
¶16.  Cost of Registering a Company Falls...  The Ministry of Justice 
and Legal Affairs reduced company registration fees from 
US$800-1,000 to a minimum US$100 this week.  While a welcome 
improvement, most informal traders have scant capital and will still 
not be able to formalize their businesses.  Expanding the country's 
tax base continues to present a huge challenge to the 
revenue-strapped inclusive government. 
 
¶17.  Quote of the Week: 
 
"Persistent and serious human rights violations, combined with a 
failure to introduce reform of the police, army and security forces 
or address impunity and the lack of clear commitment on some parts 
of the government, are real obstacles that need to be confronted... 
Whenever we raised the issue of human rights change, the government 
answered that it needed more resources.  Ending attacks on human 
rights defenders, lifting restrictions on the media, and allowing 
public protests do not require money - they only require political 
will." 
 
-- Amnesty International Secretary General Irene Khan, 
in a press release issued at the end of her six-day visit to 
Zimbabwe on June 18, 2009. 
 
Q 
MCGEE