DEPUTY ENVIRONMENT AND TOURISM MINISTER BRIEFS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 006126 SIPDIS USDOC FOR DHENKE-ROGERS LONDON FOR CGURNEY PARIS FOR BISA WILLIAMS PASS USAID FOR AFR/SD - DWELLER, AND AFR/SA - CPALMA, NNEWMAN NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER PASS USTR - ROSA WHITAKER PASS DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR FOR THE FISH AND WILDLIFE CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 HARARE 06126 01 OF 02 311720Z SERVICE E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/31/10 TAGS: PGOV PHUM SENV PINR ZI SUBJECT: DEPUTY ENVIRONMENT AND TOURISM MINISTER BRIEFS AMBASSADOR ON PLANS TO PROTECT WILDLIFE AND RESOLVE CONSERVANCY LAND OCCUPATIONS CLASSIFIED BY AMBASSADOR TOM MCDONALD FOR REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: EDWARD CHINDORI-CHININGA, DEPUTY MINISTER OF ENVIRONMENT AND TOURISM AND ZANU-PF MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT, PAID A CALL ON AMBASSADOR MCDONALD ON OCTOBER 30 TO INFORM HIM OF HIS MINISTRY'S PLANS TO IMPROVE PROTECTION OF WILDLIFE, RESOLVE THE OCCUPATIONS OF CONSERVANCY LANDS, AND REACH AGREEMENT WITH NEIGHBORING STATES ON THE JOINT MANAGEMENT OF NATIONAL PARKS THAT CROSS BORDERS. CHINDORI-CHININGA ACKNOWLEDGED THAT HIS MINISTRY HAS BEEN UNABLE TO PREVENT POACHING OF WILDLIFE ON OCCUPIED LANDS. HE CLAIMED HIS OFFICE HAS DEVELOPED A PLAN FOR RESOLVING OCCUPATIONS OF LANDS DESIGNATED AS NATURE CONSERVANCIES, BUT POLITICAL CORRUPTION IS AFFECTING THIS PROCESS. TALKS BETWEEN ZIMBABWE AND ITS NEIGHBORS FOR JOINT MANAGEMENT OF PARK LANDS THAT SHARE COMMON BORDERS IS MOVING FORWARD, AND A TREATY IS READY TO BE PRESENTED TO PARLIAMENT FOR THE JOINT MANAGEMENT OF A NATIONAL PARK AREA THAT ZIMBABWE SHARES WITH MOZAMBIQUE AND SOUTH AFRICA. FINALLY, PRESIDENT MUGABE IS SO OBSESSED WITH THE LAND QUESTION, THAT NONE OF THESE ISSUES ARE CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 HARARE 06126 01 OF 02 311720Z IMPORTANT TO HIM, ACCORDING TO THE DEPUTY MINISTER. END SUMMARY -------------- A MINISTRY UNABLE TO PREVENT RAMPANT POACHING -------------- ¶2. (C) CHINDORI-CHININGA ADMITTED THAT THERE HAS BEEN POACHING ACROSS ZIMBABWE, ON COMMERCIAL FARMS AS WELL AS NATURE CONSERVANCIES THAT HAVE BEEN OCCUPIED BY WAR VETERANS AND LANDLESS PEOPLE SINCE FEBRUARY. THE DEPUTY MINISTER'S ASSERTION CONFIRMS THE NUMEROUS PRESS REPORTS AND COMMERCIAL FARMERS UNION UPDATES THAT HAVE DETAILED THIS PROBLEM. HE STATED THAT HIS MINISTRY'S SCOUTS, WHO HAVE TRADITIONALLY CONTROLLED POACHING OF WILDLIFE IN ZIMBABWE, HAVE BEEN PREVENTED FROM DOING THIS THROUGH INTIMIDATION, THREAT OF VIOLENCE, AND IN A FEW CASES, PHYSICAL ASSAULT BY WAR VETERANS. A JOINT COMMAND OF THE ZIMBABWE MILITARY AND POLICE ARE NOW BEING USED TO ATTEMPT TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE POACHING SITUATION. HE BLAMED THE PROBLEM ON A LACK OF COMMUNICATION, ARISING FROM THE FACT THAT HIS MINISTRY HAD NOT MET WITH OCCUPIERS TO ESTABLISH THE CONDITIONS UNDER WHICH HIS SCOUTS COULD SAFELY PATROL OCCUPIED LANDS TO PREVENT/CONTROL POACHING. -------------- A SOLUTION FOR THE OCCUPIED CONSERVANCIES? -------------- ¶3. (C) THE ENVIRONMENTAL AND TOURISM MINISTRY IS WORKING CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 04 HARARE 06126 01 OF 02 311720Z ON A PLAN FOR RESOLVING THE OCCUPATION OF LANDS DESIGNATED AS NATURE CONSERVANCIES TO WHICH, HE CLAIMS, THE CABINET HAS AGREED. THIS PLAN INVOLVES SECURING THE AGREEMENT OF PRIVATE CONSERVANCY LANDOWNERS TO ALLOW THE RESIDENTS OF INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES THAT BORDER THESE CONSERVANCIES TO BUY INTO THE OPERATION OF THESE AREAS, SO THEY MAY BENEFIT DIRECTLY FROM THE TOURISM TRADE THEY GENERATE. THE DETAILS OF SUCH A PLAN, INCLUDING PERCENTAGE OF OWNERSHIP, FINANCING, AND THE JOINT MANAGEMENT OF THESE CONSERVANCIES, WITH THEIR PRIVATELY OWNED LAND, GOVERNMENT OWNED LAND, AND INDIGENOUS COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION, WOULD BE ADDRESSED IN A WORKSHOP THAT THE MINISTRY IS PLANNING. HE SAID HE HAD TWO PROBLEMS: WHERE TO MOVE THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE OCCUPIED THESE LANDS; AND HOW TO FEND OFF THE POLITICIANS WHO WILL SEEK A CUT IN SUCH DEALS. THE AMBASSADOR ASKED THE DEPUTY MINISTER SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE CASE OF THE SAVE CONSERVANCY AND RUMORS THAT JOSIAH HUNGWE, THE GOVERNOR OF THE MASVINGO PROVINCE, WHERE THIS CONSERVANCY IS LOCATED, IS INSISTING ON GETTING A PIECE OF THE ACTION. CHINDORI-CHININGA CONFIRMED THAT HE HAS ALSO HEARD SUCH RUMORS ABOUT HUNGWE, AND THAT THIS COULD PROVE A HINDRANCE TO RESOLVING THE SAVE CONSERVANCY SITUATION. -------------- -------------- TRANSFRONTIER MANAGEMENT OF PARKS CLOSE TO REALITY -------------- -------------- CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PTQ6252 PAGE 01 HARARE 06126 02 OF 02 311721Z ACTION AF-00 INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AID-00 AMAD-00 ACQ-00 CIAE-00 COME-00 INL-00 DINT-00 DODE-00 DOEE-00 DOTE-00 SRPP-00 DS-00 EB-00 EUR-00 E-00 FAAE-00 FBIE-00 VC-00 H-01 TEDE-00 INR-00 IO-00 JUSE-00 LAB-01 L-00 VCE-00 AC-01 NSAE-00 NSCE-00 NSF-01 OES-01 OIC-02 OMB-01 OPIC-01 PA-00 PM-00 PRS-00 ACE-00 P-00 SP-00 SSO-00 STR-00 TRSE-00 USIE-00 EPAE-00 IIP-00 PMB-00 DSCC-00 PRM-01 DRL-02 G-00 NFAT-00 SAS-00 /012W -------------- 98FCCA 311729Z /38 P 311718Z OCT 00 FM AMEMBASSY HARARE TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7489 INFO SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY AMEMBASSY NAIROBI C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 02 HARARE 006126 SIPDIS USDOC FOR DHENKE-ROGERS LONDON FOR CGURNEY PARIS FOR BISA WILLIAMS PASS USAID FOR AFR/SD - DWELLER, AND AFR/SA - CPALMA, NNEWMAN NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER PASS USTR - ROSA WHITAKER PASS DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR FOR THE FISH AND WILDLIFE CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 HARARE 06126 02 OF 02 311721Z SERVICE E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/31/10 TAGS: PGOV PHUM SENV PINR ZI SUBJECT: DEPUTY ENVIRONMENT AND TOURISM MINISTER BRIEFS AMBASSADOR ON PLANS TO PROTECT WILDLIFE AND RESOLVE CONSERVANCY LAND OCCUPATIONS ¶4. (C) THE DEPUTY MINISTER STATED THAT ZIMBABWE, MOZAMBIQUE, AND SOUTH AFRICA HAVE REACHED AGREEMENT ON A PLAN TO MANAGE JOINTLY THE AREA THAT CONSISTS OF THE GONAREZHOU NATIONAL PARK IN ZIMBABWE, THE COUTADO 16 NATIONAL PARK IN MOZAMBIQUE, AND THE KRUGER NATIONAL PARK IN SOUTH AFRICA. THIS AGREEMENT WOULD SOON BE PRESENTED TO THE ZIMBABWEAN PARLIAMENT FOR APPROVAL. HE ALSO REPORTED THERE IS PROGRESS TOWARDS AGREEMENTS BETWEEN/AMONG ZIMBABWE, BOTSWANA, NAMIBIA, ZAMBIA, AND MOZAMBIQUE FOR THE JOINT MANAGEMENT OF OTHER NATIONAL PARKS THAT SHARE BOUNDARIES. -------------- NONE OF THIS INTERESTS MUGABE -------------- ¶5. (C) THE DEPUTY MINISTER WAS ASKED IF, GIVEN THE IMPORTANCE OF TOURISM AS A FOREIGN EXCHANGE EARNER FOR ZIMBABWE, AND THE PAST HISTORY OF ZIMBABWE HAVING A REPUTATION AS A COUNTRY THAT PROTECTED ITS WILDLIFE AND NATURAL AREAS, PRESIDENT MUGABE WAS INTERESTED IN THESE ISSUES. WITHOUT SAYING SO EXPLICITLY, CHINDORI-CHININGA IMPLIED THAT MUGABE NOW HAS NO REAL INTEREST IN THESE CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 HARARE 06126 02 OF 02 311721Z ISSUES. THE DEPUTY MINISTER EXPLAINED THAT HE RECENTLY MET WITH MUGABE TO DISCUSS THESE ASPECTS OF HIS PORTFOLIO, AND WHILE MUGABE WOULD PAY ATTENTION AS HE SPOKE, WHEN IT CAME TIME FOR MUGABE TO TALK, HIS COMMENTS INVARIABLY RETURNED TO THE ISSUE OF LAND FOR THE LANDLESS. -------------- LAND CASES OF AMERICAN CITIZENS -------------- ¶6. (C) THE AMBASSADOR TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY OF THIS MEETING TO RAISE THE SPECIFIC CASES OF AMERICAN CITIZENS RESIDENT IN ZIMBABWE WHO HAVE HAD THEIR LANDS LISTED FOR COMPULSORY ACQUISITION BY THE GOVERNMENT OF ZIMBABWE (GOZ). IT WAS POINTED OUT TO THE DEPUTY MINISTER THAT ALL OF THESE CASES INVOLVE LANDS THAT WERE PURCHASED BY THE AMERICAN CITIZENS IN ORDER TO PURSUE NATURE CONSERVATION AND TOURISM. IT WAS MADE CLEAR TO CHINDORI-CHININGA THAT IF THESE LANDS ARE EVENTUALLY FORCIBLY ACQUIRED BY THE GOZ WITHOUT APPROPRIATE COMPENSATION, IT WOULD HAVE A REAL ADVERSE AFFECT ON U.S.-ZIMBABWE RELATIONS. THE DEPUTY MINISTER PROMISED HE WOULD LOOK INTO THESE CASES. ¶7. (C) COMMENT: WHILE THE DEPUTY MININSTER'S COMMENTS WERE GENERALLY IN A POSITIVE VEIN REGARDING STEPS THAT THE GOZ SHOULD CLEARLY TAKE ON THE ISSUES DISCUSSED, THE ACTIONS THAT THE GOZ TAKES WILL BE WHAT COUNT. WHILE HE IS AN UP-AND-COMING ZANU-PF POLITICIAN WITH POLITICAL ACUMEN, THE DEPUTY MINISTER ALSO HAS UNCLEAN HANDS. CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 04 HARARE 06126 02 OF 02 311721Z POST HAS HEARD CREDIBLE ACCOUNTS THAT CHINDORI-CHININGA WAS INVOLVED IN PLANNING AND EXECUTING THE POLITICAL VIOLENCE IN HIS HOME AREA IN THE PERIOD LEADING UP TO THE PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS. HE THUS SHARES BLAME FOR THE MINDLESS POACHING OF WILDLIFE, CUTTING OF TREES, AND SETTING OF FIRES THAT HAS OCCURRED ON ZIMBABWE'S PRIVATE NATURE CONSERVANCIES, RANCHES, AND COMMERCIAL FARMS. END COMMENT. MCDONALD CONFIDENTIAL >