ZIMBABWE'S EMBATTLED CFU PRESIDENT SEEKS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 001021 SIPDIS NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR JFRAZER LONDON FOR CGURNEY PARIS FOR BWILLIAMS NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER PASS USAID FOR AFR/SD - DWELLER, AFR/SA - CPALMA, NNEWMAN, AA/AFR - VDICKSON-HORTON E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/14/11 TAGS: PGOV PREL EAGR EAID PINR ZI SUBJECT: ZIMBABWE'S EMBATTLED CFU PRESIDENT SEEKS CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 HARARE 01021 01 OF 02 150524Z CLARIFICATION OF USG POSITION ON "FAST-TRACK" REFTEL: HARARE 815 CLASSIFIED BY CHARGE D' AFFAIRES EARL M. IRVING FOR REASONS 1.5 (B/D). ¶1. (C) ON MARCH 13, CHARGE EARL IRVING AND ECONOFF (NOTETAKER) MET WITH COMMERCIAL FARMERS UNION (CFU) PRESIDENT TIM HENWOOD AND DIRECTOR DAVID HASLUCK AT THEIR REQUEST TO DISCUSS THE USG'S POSITION ON LAND REFORM IN ZIMBABWE. HENWOOD ASKED THE CHARGE ABOUT THE MARCH 11 ARTICLE THAT APPEARED IN THE "THE SUNDAY TIMES" OF LONDON (THE PAPER AND INTERNET VERSIONS) ENTITLED "BRITAIN SCORNS 'SINISTER' BID TO END LAND GRAB." THIS ARTICLE STATED THAT THERE EXISTS A "'SINISTER' AMERICAN- BACKED DEAL TO END THE CRISIS FACING WHITE FARMERS IN ZIMBABWE" OVER LAND REFORM. CHARGE TOLD HENWOOD THAT THERE IS NO VALIDITY WHATSOEVER TO THE ARTICLE. HE CONTINUED THAT THE USG WAS NOT PURSUING SECRET TALKS WITH THE GOVERNMENT OF ZIMBABWE (GOZ) ON LAND REFORM, AND THE OFFICIAL USG POSITION IS THAT WHILE WE SUPPORT THE NEED FOR LAND REFORM IN ZIMBABWE, IT SHOULD BE DONE IN A LEGAL AND TRANSPARENT MANNER, BASED ON THE PRINCIPLES AGREED TO AT THE 1998 DONORS' CONFERENCE HELD IN ZIMBABWE. HENWOOD WAS REASSURED BECAUSE HE STATED THAT THE "CFU IS FEELING A BIT LONELY THESE DAYS." THE CHARGE REASSURED THE CFU EXECUTIVES THAT THE USG REMAINED DEEPLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE BREAKDOWN IN THE RULE OF LAW ON THE COMMERCIAL FARMS AND THE VIOLENCE DIRECTED BY "WAR VETS" AT COMMERCIAL FARMERS AND THEIR CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 HARARE 01021 01 OF 02 150524Z WORKERS. HE ADDED THAT WE CONTINUE TO COMMUNICATE THIS CONCERN TO THE GOZ, AND THAT ACTING PRINCIPAL DEPUTY ASSISTANT SECRETARY BELLAMY HAD FORTHRIGHTLY COMMUNICATED THIS CONCERN TO THE GOZ DURING HIS RECENT VISIT TO ZIMBABWE. ¶2. (C) HENWOOD AND HASLUCK BOTH INQUIRED ABOUT THE STATUS OF THE ZIMBABWE DEMOCRACY AND ECONOMIC RECOVERY ACT (ZDERA),AND THE PROCESS BY WHICH THE ACT COULD BECOME LAW. THE CHARGE PROVIDED THE CFU EXECUTIVES WITH A COPY OF THE ZDERA INTRODUCED IN THE SENATE, AND EXPLAINED THAT THE PASSAGE OF THE ZDERA WAS NOT ASSURED, BUT THAT RECENT GOZ ACTIONS AGAINST THE INDEPENDENT PRESS AND THE JUDICIARY HAD PUT THE SPOTLIGHT BACK ON THE POLITICAL SITUATION IN ZIMBABWE. HASLUCK ALSO ASKED IF A NEW REGIONAL ASSISTANT SECRETARY HAD BEEN SELECTED AS WELL AS A NEW AMBASSADOR FOR ZIMBABWE. THE CHARGE CONFIRMED THAT WALTER KANSTEINER HAD BEEN PROPOSED AS THE NEW ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR AFRICA, AND WOULD LIKELY BE CONFIRMED. WHILE A NEW AMBASSADOR HAS NOT BEEN CHOSEN, HE INFORMED THEM THAT THE PROPOSED NEW DCM WAS ROBERT WHITEHEAD. THE CHARGE OPINED THAT BOTH MEN HAVE SOLID EXPERIENCE WITH AFRICA AND ZIMBABWE, AND ARE EXCEPTIONALLY GOOD CHOICES. ¶3. (C) CHARGE ASKED HENWOOD AND HASLUCK ABOUT THE UPCOMING MARCH 21 CFU SPECIAL CONGRESS, AND WHETHER WE SHOULD EXPECT ANY SURPRISES OR "FIREWORKS" TO COME OUT OF IT. HENWOOD ANSWERED THAT HE BELIEVES THE CURRENT CFU EXECUTIVE HAS THE SOLID BACKING OF A MAJORITY OF CFU MEMBERS, AND THAT HE DID NOT EXPECT THERE WOULD BE A CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 04 HARARE 01021 01 OF 02 150524Z CHALLENGE TO THE UNION'S LEADERSHIP. HOWEVER, HE DID ASK WHETHER THE CHARGE HAD TALKED WITH JOHN BREDENKAMP, WHO IS MENTIONED IN THE "THE SUNDAY TIMES" ARTICLE. THE CHARGE REPLIED THAT HE HAD NEVER MET WITH BREDENKAMP, NOR, TO THE BEST OF HIS KNOWLEDGE, HAD ANY OTHER MEMBERS OF EMBASSY STAFF. HENWOOD APPEARED RELIEVED BY THIS ANSWER. HE WENT ON TO DESCRIBE BREDENKAMP AS A NEFARIOUS CHARACTER THAT IS INVOLVED IN, AMONG OTHER ACTIVITIES, ARMS TRADING ON THE BLACK MARKET. HENWOOD STATED THAT BREDENKAMP IS NOT A COMMERCIAL FARMER, AND THAT HIS ONLY APPARENT LINK TO THE LAND ISSUE IS THROUGH HIS FRIENDSHIP WITH NICK SWANEPOEL, A FORMER CFU PRESIDENT. HE ADDED THAT NEITHER SWANEPOEL NOR BREDENKAMP REPRESENT THE CFU OR ITS MEMBERSHIP, AND THAT ANY DEALS THEY ARE NEGOTIATING ARE VERY SUSPECT IN HIS EYES. HENWOOD STATED THAT THE CREDIBILITY OF SWANEPOEL IS VERY LOW WITH THE CFU MEMBERSHIP, BECAUSE HIS ALLEGATIONS OF A SECRET DEAL BETWEEN THE GOZ AND THE USG THAT INCLUDED SUBSTANTIAL FINANCING FOR "FAST-TRACK" PROVED TO BE NOT TRUE. HE ALSO SAID THAT THE SPECIAL CONGRESS WILL NOT FOCUS ON CFU LEADERSHIP, BUT RATHER ON THE CONSIDERATION OF STRATEGIES AND ACTIONS TO TAKE TO BENEFIT THE LONG-TERM FUTURE OF COMMERCIAL FARMING IN ZIMBABWE, AS WELL AS SHORT-TERM MEANS OF ADDRESSING THE CURRENT POLITICAL CONUNDRUM AND THE PRESSURES COMMERCIAL CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PTQ1228 PAGE 01 HARARE 01021 02 OF 02 150524Z ACTION AF-00 INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AGRE-00 AID-00 ACQ-00 CIAE-00 COME-00 DINT-00 DODE-00 DOTE-00 SRPP-00 DS-00 EB-00 EUR-00 FAAE-00 FBIE-00 VC-00 H-01 TEDE-00 INR-00 L-00 VCE-00 AC-01 NSAE-00 OMB-01 OPIC-01 PA-00 PM-00 PRS-00 ACE-00 P-00 SP-00 TRSE-00 USIE-00 PMB-00 DSCC-00 DRL-02 G-00 NFAT-00 SAS-00 /006W -------------- D1E4F3 150524Z /38 R 150521Z MAR 01 FM AMEMBASSY HARARE TO SECSTATE WASHDC 8428 INFO NSC WASHDC SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY AMEMBASSY NAIROBI C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 02 HARARE 001021 SIPDIS NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR JFRAZER LONDON FOR CGURNEY PARIS FOR BWILLIAMS NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER PASS USAID FOR AFR/SD - DWELLER, AFR/SA - CPALMA, NNEWMAN, AA/AFR - VDICKSON-HORTON E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/14/11 TAGS: PGOV PREL EAGR EAID PINR ZI SUBJECT: ZIMBABWE'S EMBATTLED CFU PRESIDENT SEEKS CLARIFICATION OF USG POSITION ON "FAST-TRACK" CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 HARARE 01021 02 OF 02 150524Z FARMERS ARE FACING. ¶4. (C) COMMENT: BOTH HASLUCK AND HENWOOD WERE CLEARLY CONCERNED THAT THE USG HAD SHIFTED ITS POSITION ON THE GOZ'S "FAST-TRACK" PROGRAM, AND WERE EQUALLY RELIEVED TO HEAR DIRECTLY FROM THE CHARGE THAT THERE WAS NO SUBSTANCE TO THE RUMORS OF "A SECRET DEAL INVOLVING THE AMERICANS." WE EMPHASIZED TO THE CFU EXECUTIVES THAT THE USG WILL SUPPORT LAND REFORM IN ZIMBABWE, BUT ONLY WHEN IT IS DONE IN A LEGAL, TRANSPARENT AND SUSTAINABLE MANNER AND WITH THE SUPPORT OF ALL STAKEHOLDERS. AS IN OTHER RECENT MEETINGS WITH CFU OFFICIALS, HASLUCK AND HENWOOD WERE NOT VERY CONVINCING WHEN STATING THAT THEIR LEADERSHIP WOULD NOT BE CHALLENGED AT THE SPECIAL CONGRESS. THE MARCH 14 EDITION OF THE INDEPENDENT "THE DAILY NEWS" CARRIED AN ARTICLE INDICATING THAT SWANEPOEL STILL INTENDS TO PROPOSE AT THE CONGRESS A PLAN TO REACH A COMPROMISE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CFU AND THE GOZ ON LAND REFORM. THIS PLAN, AS REPORTED REFTEL, INCLUDES REPLACING THE CURRENT CFU EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP. WE DO NOT HAVE A GOOD SENSE OF SWANEPOEL'S BACKING AMONG THE GENERAL CFU MEMBERSHIP, AND THEREFORE, CANNOT PREDICT HOW MUCH SUPPORT HIS PLAN MAY GARNER FROM FARMERS WEARY OF STRUGGLING WITH THE FARM INVASIONS AND THE CLIMATE OF INTIMIDATION AND VIOLENCE FROM THE "WAR VETS". ONE THING WE CAN PREDICT IS THAT THERE WILL LIKELY BE FIREWORKS AT THE CFU'S SPECIAL CONGRESS. END COMMENT. IRVING CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 HARARE 01021 02 OF 02 150524Z CONFIDENTIAL >