VZCZCXRO2127
RR RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHJO RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHSB #0760/01 2660828
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 230828Z SEP 09
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4938
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
RUEHC/DEPT OF LABOR WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 000760 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
AF/S FOR B. WALCH 
DRL FOR N. WILETT 
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR L.DOBBINS AND E.LOKEN 
STATE PASS TO DOL FOR S. HALEY 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ELAB PHUM EAID EAGR ASEC PGOV PREL ZI
SUBJECT: ZIMBABWEAN FILM DOCUMENTS LAND, HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES 
 
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SUMMARY 
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¶1. (U) The Research Advocacy Unit (RAU), a local NGO dedicated to 
documenting various human rights abuses and launching advocacy 
campaigns, recently completed a film documenting human rights abuses 
involved in the recent land grabs.  Although the land issue has 
largely revolved around the plight of white land owners, the film 
includes extensive interviews with black, indigenous Zimbabwean farm 
workers who have been beaten and tortured, and have seen colleagues 
killed in the chaotic land redistribution.  RAU showed the film to a 
group of diplomats at the Dutch embassy on September 22 and 
solicited ideas on distribution.  Diplomats and RAU hope that the 
film will be used as an advocacy tool in advance of a Southern 
African Development Community (SADC) meeting of the ministerial 
troika of the Organ on Politics, Defense, and Security in Maputo in 
October; among other issues, the troika is expected to review 
Zimbabwe's decision to pull out of the SADC Tribunal.  END SUMMARY. 
 
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Documentary Shows Suffering 
Of Black Farm Workers 
--------------------------- 
 
¶2. (U) On September 22, the Dutch ambassador hosted a screening for 
ambassadors in Harare (including most SADC ambassadors) of the 
locally produced documentary "House of Justice."  The 26-minute film 
was produced by a local NGO, RAU, which received training in 
filmmaking from Witness, an American NGO started by Peter Gabriel. 
The documentary examines recent violence on three Chegutu farms 
which were subjects of the SADC Tribunal ruling that the takeover of 
77 white-owned commercial farms was unlawful.  Despite the ruling, 
the government has continued the violent land grabs.  Minister of 
Justice Patrick Chinamasa rejected the ruling of the Tribunal, 
claiming it lacked jurisdiction, and recently declared Zimbabwe was 
withdrawing from the Tribunal.  The film also highlights the human 
rights abuses suffered by black Zimbabwean farm workers since the 
land invasions began in 2000.  Startling statistics flash on the 
screen during the film: 71 percent of Zimbabwe's farm workers have 
been evicted since 2000; 97.5 percent of victims of human rights 
violations have been farm workers; less than one percent of land has 
been redistributed to farm workers. 
 
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Labor Leader Pushing for Action 
------------------------------- 
 
¶3. (U) RAU Director Tony Reeler told us that the Secretary General 
for the General Agriculture and Plantation Workers Union (GAPWUZ), 
Gertrude Hambira, is currently in South Africa attending the 
Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) National Congress. 
She is there to advocate for greater COSATU action in support of 
Zimbabwe's farm workers who continue to suffer in the violent farm 
invasions.  Hambira hopes to show the film during the COSATU 
meeting.  She will visit other Southern African countries in coming 
weeks to show the film and encourage regional labor movements to 
push their governments to pressure Mugabe to respect the SADC 
Tribunal and to ensure the restoration of human rights and rule of 
law.  RAU hopes labor movements in Zimbabwe and the region will 
become a more effective voice on behalf of farm workers. 
 
¶4. (U) RAU plans to officially launch the film in early October in 
connection with a written report; RAU will use regional labor 
movements to distribute and promote the issue, the film and the 
Qmovements to distribute and promote the issue, the film and the 
report.  RAU also plans to take the film and report to the 
Zimbabwean parliament.  RAU recently produced a short film on 
political violence against women which was viewed in parliament. 
Although members differed in their opinions of the film, RAU did not 
encounter any problems showing it. (NOTE: The film on political 
violence against women in Zimbabwe is online at: 
http://hub.witness.org/en 
/HearUs-ViolenceAgainstWomeninZimbabwe2 END NOTE.) 
 
¶5. (SBU) During a candid discussion after watching the film, the 
Tanzanian ambassador suggested that it be shown to members of the 
Zimbabwean government as well as to decision-makers in the three 
countries currently in the SADC Organ on Politics, Defense, and 
Security troika (Mozambique, Angola,and Swaziland), who will meet 
in October in Maputo to discuss how SADC will respond to Justice 
Minister Patrick Chinamasa's recent declaration that Zimbabwe had 
pulled out of the SADC Tribunal.  (The MDC is asking the Troika to 
consider ZANU-PF's failure to fully implement the GPA as well.) 
Others suggested that RAU post the film on the internet as soon as 
possible to ensure broad distribution to the widest possible 
 
HARARE 00000760  002 OF 002 
 
 
audience.  Post will provide a link for the film to DOL and DOS as 
soon as one is available. 
 
PETTERSON