WAR VETERANS INVADE SUPREME COURT

C O N F I D E N T I A L HARARE 006578 SIPDIS NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR GAYLE SMITH LONDON FOR GURNEY PARIS FOR BISA WILLIAMS NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/24/2010 TAGS: PGOV PHUM ZI SUBJECT: WAR VETERANS INVADE SUPREME COURT CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 HARARE 06578 241456Z CLASSIFIED BY DCM EARL M. IRVING FOR REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D). ¶1. (C) SUPREME COURT CHIEF JUSTICE ANTHONY GUBBAY TOLD USAID HARARE DIRECTOR DEPP THAT AT 11:00 AM NOVEMBER 24 SEVERAL MEMBERS OF THE NATIONAL LIBERATION WAR VETERANS ASSOCIATION BROKE INTO THE SUPREME COURT'S HEARING CHAMBER AND STAGED AN UNRULY DEMONSTRATION AGAINST THE COURT. THE JUSTICES WERE SCHEDULED TO RENDER A JUDGMENT, OSTENSIBLY ON THE CONTINUING ILLEGAL LAND OCCUPATIONS, THAT MORNING. THE VETERANS KNOCKED DOWN A SECURITY OFFICER AND SENT A WOMAN EMPLOYEE OF THE COURT FLYING AS THEY FOUGHT TO GAIN ACCESS TO THE CHAMBER. WE LEARNED FROM MOVEMENT FOR DEMOCRATIC CHANGE ADVISOR CLIVE PUZEY THAT SENIOR COMMERCIAL FARMERS' UNION OFFICIAL DAVID HASLUCK WAS FORCED TO FLEE THE SCENE THROUGH A KITCHEN WINDOW. ¶2. (C) THE SUPREME COURT JUDGES WERE IN THE ROBING CHAMBER AT THE TIME THE DISTURBANCE BEGAN. HAD THE DEMONSTRATORS WAITED A FEW MORE MINUTES THEY WOULD HAVE FOUND THE JUDGES SEATED AND HEARING ARGUMENTS. IT TOOK FIFTEEN MINUTES FOR POLICE TO ARRIVE AND DISPERSE THE DEMONSTRATORS, ACCORDING TO GUBBAY. NONE OF THE JUSTICES WERE HARMED AND THE SESSION WAS IMMEDIATELY CANCELED. THE COURT CLOSED ITS DOORS AND A TENSE CALM PREVAILED AROUND THE COURTHOUSE AT MID-AFTERNOON. CHIEF JUSTICE GUBBAY, DETERMINED NOT TO YIELD TO INTIMIDATION, APPEARED ON TIME FOR A 2:00 PM SPEECH OUTSIDE THE COURT, WHICH HE DELIVERED SEEMINGLY UNRUFFLED. CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 HARARE 06578 241456Z MCDONALD CONFIDENTIAL >