MEDIA REPORT: OFFICIAL MEDIA SPIN SADC SUMMIT

UNCLAS HARARE 004445 SIPDIS DEPT FOR AF, AF/S, AF/PD, INR/R/MR E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ZI OIIP SUBJECT: MEDIA REPORT: OFFICIAL MEDIA SPIN SADC SUMMIT DECLARATION ON ZIMBABWE DEMOCRACY ACT ¶1. GOVERNMENT OF ZIMBABWE-CONTROLLED MEDIA, THE HERALD NEWSPAPER AND THE ZIMBABWE BROADCASTING CORPORATION UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 02 HARARE 04445 091251Z (ZBC),ARE SPINNING THE RESULTS OF THE JUST-ENDED SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY (SADC) SUMMIT IN WINDHOEK. THE ANGLE TAKEN BY BOTH MEDIA OUTLETS GIVES PROMINENCE TO SADC CONDEMNATION OF THE ZIMBABWE DEMOCRACY ACT (ZDA). GOVERNMENT MEDIA ALSO REPORT THAT SADC LEADERS GAVE UNEQUIVOCAL SUPPORT TO ZIMBABWE'S LAND REFORM PROGRAM. ¶2. ZBC TELEVISION AND RADIO LED THEIR AUGUST 8 PRIME-TIME NEWSCASTS WITH STATEMENTS BY NEWS READERS THAT THE SUMMIT "CONDEMNED" THE ZDA, PASSED BY THE SENATE IN JUNE AND CURRENTLY AWAITING HOUSE ACTION. A VIDEO REPORT BY THE ZBC REPORTER IN WINDHOEK MADE CLEAR, HOWEVER, THAT SADC'S CONCERN OVER THE ZDA WAS NOT AT THE TOP OF THE SUMMIT AGENDA. OF THE ROUGHLY 3-MINUTE VIDEO OF SADC SPOKESMAN RAMSAMY READING THE SUMMIT DECLARATION, ONLY ABOUT 10 SECONDS WAS RELATED TO THE ZDA. THE VIDEO WAS EDITED TO GIVE RAMSAMY'S STATEMENT ON ZDA GREATER PROMINENCE. ¶3. THE AUGUST 9 EDITION OF THE GOVERNMENT-OWNED "HERALD" DAILY NEWSPAPER GAVE PROMINENT PAGE-ONE COVERAGE TO THE SADC SUMMIT STATEMENTS ON LAND REFORM AND THE ZDA. HEADLINED "SADC LEADERS BACK LAND PROGRAMME," THE SUB- HEAD READ "BRITAIN CALLED UPON TO HONOUR OBLIGATIONS -- SUMMIT CONDEMNS US CONGRESS BILL." THE ARTICLE GAVE THE APPEARANCE THAT THE SADC SUMMIT CONCERNED ITSELF ONLY WITH THESE TWO ISSUES. NO OTHER SADC BUSINESS WAS MENTIONED IN THE ARTICLE. THE ARTICLE EXCERPTED THE SECTIONS OF THE SUMMIT DECLARATION DEALING WITH LAND REFORM AND THE ZDA, AND DREW ON STATEMENTS FROM UNNAMED "SADC LEADERS." ¶4. ZIMBABWEANS WHO RELY ONLY ON GOVERNMENT MEDIA FOR THEIR UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 03 HARARE 04445 091251Z NEWS (A DWINDLING NUMBER OF PEOPLE) WOULD COME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT THE PRIMARY PURPOSE OF THE SADC SUMMIT WAS TO SLAM THE UK FOR ITS FAILURE TO SUPPORT ZIMBABWE'S VERSION OF LAND REFORM AND BERATE THE US FOR CONSIDERING CONDITIONAL ASSISTANCE TO ZIMBABWE. IRVING UNCLASSIFIED >