GOVERNMENT OF ZIMBABWE RESPONSES TO MALLOCH-

C O N F I D E N T I A L HARARE 001016 SIPDIS LONDON FOR GURNEY PARIS FOR WILLIAMS NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR JENDAYI FRAZER PASS USAID FOR AFR/SA - C. PALMA E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/14/11 TAGS: PGOV PREL ZI SUBJECT: GOVERNMENT OF ZIMBABWE RESPONSES TO MALLOCH- BROWN LETTER REF: HARARE 783 CLASSIFIED BY CHARGE D'AFFAIRES EARL M. IRVING FOR REASONS 1.5 B/D. ¶1. (U) THE MARCH 14 EDITION OF THE GOVERNMENT OF ZIMBABWE (GOZ)-CONTROLLED "THE HERALD" NEWSPAPER REPORTED THAT ON MARCH 13 THE MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, STAINSLAUS MUDENGE, HANDED TO UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM (UNDP) RESIDENT REPRESENTATIVE VICTOR ANGELO THE LETTER CONTAINING THE GOZ'S RESPONSE TO THE DECEMBER 15 LETTER OF UNDP ADMINISTRATOR MARK MALLOCH BROWN. ALTHOUGH THE PRO-GOVERNMENT DAILY DID NOT REVEAL THE CONTENTS OF THE LETTER, IT REPORTED THAT ANGELO "PLEDGED TO STUDY THE RESPONSE 'POSITIVELY,'" AND FORWARD IT IMMEDIATELY TO MALLOCH BROWN IN NEW YORK. THE ARTICLE FURTHER STATED THAT MUDENGE HAD TOLD UN SYG KOFI ANNAN AND MALLOCH BROWN AT A RECENT MEETING AT THE UN IN NEW YORK THAT THE RECOMMENDATIONS IN MALLOCH BROWN'S LETTER HAD ALREADY BEEN OVERTAKEN BY THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE "FAST- TRACK" PROGRAM, AND THAT WHAT THE UNDP SHOULD NOW BE CONSIDERING WAS HOW TO AID THE "70,000 PEOPLE" THAT THE GOZ CLAIMS HAVE BEEN PERMANENTLY RESETTLED UNDER THE PROGRAM. ¶2. (C) SPEAKING TO CHARGE ON MARCH 14, ANGELO WAS CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC THAT THE GOZ RESPONSE PROVIDED CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 HARARE 01016 141229Z AN OPENING WITH WHICH THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY COULD WORK. HE REPORTED THAT THE ZIMBABWEANS HAD ACCEPTED PLACEMENT OF THE TECHNICAL UNIT WITHIN UNDP PREMISES AND ACKNOWLEDGED THAT ADDITIONAL DIALOGUE ON THE LAND REFORM PROCESS WAS NECESSARY AND THAT IT SHOULD TAKE PLACE UNDER THE AEGIS OF THE NATIONAL ECONOMIC CONSULTATIVE FORUM. THE UNDP RESREP SAID THAT THE GOZ'S LETTER CONDITIONALLY ACCEPTED THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A TRUST FUND MANAGED BY UNDP. FINALLY, THE LETTER MADE AN APPEAL FOR HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE TO THE VICTIMS OF FLOODING AS A RESULT OF EXCESSIVE RAINS IN ZIMBABWE. ANGELO CONCLUDED WITH HIS ASSESSMENT THAT THE GOZ HAD ADVANCED SOME "POSITIVE HYPOTHESES" IN ITS RESPONSE. ¶3. (C) COMMENT: THE GOZ'S RESPONSE TO THE MALLOCH BROWN LETTER, BASED ON MUDENGE'S COMMENTS IN "THE HERALD" ARTICLE, WILL LIKELY NOT PROVIDE A WAY FOR THE GOZ TO GET OUT OF THE CORNER THEY HAVE PLACED THEMSELVES IN ON THE LAND ISSUE. ANGELO'S ACCOUNT, WHILE ADMITTEDLY HURRIED, IS SILENT ON THE GOZ'S RESPONSE TO MALLOCH BROWN'S RECOMMENDATIONS CONCERNING THE FOLLOWING: THE NEED FOR A RETURN OF THE RULE OF LAW ON THE OCCUPIED COMMERCIAL FARMS, AGREEING THAT COMPULSORY ACQUISITION OF LAND FOLLOWS THE RULES ESTABLISHED BY LAW WITH OWNERS HAVING FULL RIGHT TO COURT-ORDERED REMEDIES, COMMENCING SETTLEMENT ON LANDS ALREADY STATE-OWNED AND LEGALLY ACQUIRED, ACCEPTING AND SUPPORTING COMPLEMENTARY APPROACHES TO LAND REFORM BY LOCAL STAKEHOLDERS, AND ACCEPTING THAT THE OVERARCHING GOAL OF LAND REFORM SHOULD BE REDUCING CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 04 HARARE 01016 141229Z POVERTY IN RURAL AREAS AND THAT ITS BENEFACTORS BE SELECTED WITH THAT IN MIND IN A TRANSPARENT MANNER. OUR MOST RECENT SOUNDINGS OF THE GOZ POSITION SUGGEST THE LATTER WILL CONTINUE TO ESCHEW ADVICE FROM THE UNDP AND DONOR NATIONS AND PROCEED WITH THE CHAOTIC, POLITICALLY DRIVEN "FAST-TRACK" RESETTLEMENT EXERCISE. WHILE THE EVER SUNNY ANGELO MAY SEE A LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL, FROM WHAT WE KNOW OF THE GOZ'S POSITION AND THE LIKELY CONTENTS OF THE RESPONSE TO THE MALLOCH BROWN LETTER, THE UNDP INITIATIVE ON LAND REFORM IS DEAD ON THE GROUND IN ZIMBABWE. UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES, WE WOULD BE LOATH TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER MATERIAL SUPPORT FOR THE TSU OR ANY OTHER UN INITIATIVES ON THIS SUBJECT AT THIS TIME. END COMMENT. IRVING CONFIDENTIAL >