CIVIL SUIT AGAINST PRESIDENT MUGABE

C O N F I D E N T I A L HARARE 005052 SIPDIS NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR GAYLE SMITH E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/11/05 TAGS: PREL ZI SUBJECT: CIVIL SUIT AGAINST PRESIDENT MUGABE CLASSIFIED BY AMBASSADOR MCDONALD. REASONS: 1.5 (B) AND (D). ¶1. (U) THE FILING OF A CIVIL SUIT AGAINST PRESIDENT MUGABE CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 HARARE 05052 111737Z LAST WEEK IN U.S. DISTRICT COURT RECEIVED PROMINENT COVERAGE IN ZIMBABWE'S INDEPENDENT PRESS. THE MEDIA FOCUSED PRIMARILY ON THE BASIS FOR THE LAWSUIT -- HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES AGAINST POLITICAL ENEMIES AND THE COLLAPSE OF LAW AND ORDER -- AND THE BACKGROUNDS OF THE FOUR PLAINTIFFS. THEIR SPOKESMAN, ROLAND WHITEHEAD, TOLD THE INDEPENDENT "DAILY NEWS" THAT "WE HAVE HAD TO RESORT TO THIS ACTION BECAUSE OF THE BREAKDOWN OF LAW AND ORDER...AND THE INACTION OF THE POLICE IN BRINGING...CRIMINALS AND MURDERERS TO BOOK BECAUSE OF THE REAL THREAT OF VIOLENT INTIMIDATION BY MUGABE'S CRONIES..." ¶2. (C) THE LAWSUIT WAS FILED BY FOUR ZIMBABWEANS -- EVELYN MASAITI, ELLIOT PFEBVE, MARIA STEPHENS, AND ADELLA CHIMINYA -- WHO TOLD JOURNALISTS HERE THEY HAD FILED THE SUIT BECAUSE THE POLICE HAD MADE NO ARRESTS IN THE MURDERS OF THEIR RELATIVES IN THE RUNUP TO THE PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS IN JUNE. MASAITI IS AN MDC MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT WHO WAS BEATEN AND FORCED FROM HER HOUSE DURING THE CAMPAIGN. HER CONSTITUENCY IN MANICALAND PROVINCE WAS ONE OF THE MOST VIOLENT DURING THE PRE-ELECTION PERIOD. ELLIOT PFEBVE, A MEMBER OF THE MDC'S EXECUTIVE COUNCIL, RAN UNSUCCESSFULLY FOR PARLIAMENT IN MASHONALAND CENTRAL. HIS BROTHER MATTHEW, AN MDC CANDIDATE IN THE SAME PROVINCE, WAS MURDERED DURING THE CAMPAIGN. MARIA STEPHENS' HUSBAND DAVID, A WHITE COMMERCIAL FARMER FROM MACHEKE, ABOUT 75 MILES SOUTHEAST OF HARARE, WAS KILLED NEAR A POLICE STATION. CHIMINYA'S HUSBAND, TICHAONA, WAS BURNED TO DEATH IN A PETROL BOMB ATTACK. TICHAONA WAS A KEY MDC STRATEGIST AND ORGANIZER. CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 HARARE 05052 111737Z MCDONALD CONFIDENTIAL >