Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
01HARARE1054
2001-03-19 14:56:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Harare
Cable title:
NEW ELECTIONS FOR ZIMBABWE'S UMBRELLA LABOR
how-toThis record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available. 191456Z Mar 01 CONFIDENTIAL PTQ2588 PAGE 01 HARARE 01054 191807Z ACTION DRL-02 INFO LOG-00 AF-00 AID-00 CIAE-00 DODE-00 SRPP-00 EB-00 VC-00 H-01 TEDE-00 INR-00 IO-00 L-00 AC-01 NSAE-00 NSCE-00 OIC-02 OMB-01 PA-00 PM-00 PRS-00 ACE-00 P-00 SP-00 SS-00 STR-00 TRSE-00 T-00 USIE-00 PMB-00 PRM-01 G-00 SAS-00 /008W ------------------D43516 191807Z /45 FM AMEMBASSY HARARE TO SECSTATE WASHDC 8458 INFO NSC WASHDC DEPT OF LABOR WASHDC SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY AMEMBASSY NAIROBI
C O N F I D E N T I A L HARARE 001054
SIPDIS
DRL/IL FOR KBRYANT
NSC FOR JFRAZER
ILAB FOR RSHEPHARD
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 03/19/11
TAGS: ELAB PGOV PHUM PINR
SUBJECT: NEW ELECTIONS FOR ZIMBABWE'S UMBRELLA LABOR
ORGANIZATION NOT LIKELY.
CLASSIFIED BY CHARGE D' AFFAIRES EARL M. IRVING FOR
REASONS 1.5 (B/D).
C O N F I D E N T I A L HARARE 001054
SIPDIS
DRL/IL FOR KBRYANT
NSC FOR JFRAZER
ILAB FOR RSHEPHARD
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 03/19/11
TAGS: ELAB PGOV PHUM PINR
SUBJECT: NEW ELECTIONS FOR ZIMBABWE'S UMBRELLA LABOR
ORGANIZATION NOT LIKELY.
CLASSIFIED BY CHARGE D' AFFAIRES EARL M. IRVING FOR
REASONS 1.5 (B/D).
1. (SBU) THE MARCH 18 EDITION OF THE GOVERNMENT OF
ZIMBABWE (GOZ)-CONTROLLED "THE SUNDAY MAIL" RAN A FRONT-
PAGE STORY STATING THAT THE JUST-ELECTED LEADERSHIP OF
THE ZIMBABWE CONFEDERATION OF TRADE UNIONS (ZCTU),
ZIMBABWE'S INDEPENDENT UMBRELLA LABOR ORGANIZATION, WAS
BEING PRESSURED TO HOLD NEW ELECTIONS BECAUSE OF
IRREGULARITIES AT ITS FEBRUARY 23-24 FIVE-YEAR CONGRESS.
NO OTHER NEWS ORGANIZATIONS HAVE REPORTED ON THIS
ALLEGED DEVELOPMENT. THE ALLEGED IRREGULARITIES ARE NOT
RELATED TO THE ELECTION OF THE NEW ZCTU NATIONAL
LEADERSHIP. RATHER, THE IRREGULARITIES ARE THAT THE
JUST-COMPLETED CONGRESS FAILED TO CONFIRM OR REJECT
AMENDMENTS AND CORRECTIONS MADE TO THE ZCTU CONSTITUTION
AT THE 1995 CONGRESS. ACCORDING TO THE ARTICLE, 15 OF
THE 32 UNIONS AFFILIATED TO THE ZCTU ARE NOW CLAIMING
THAT THE ELECTIONS OF THE NEW LEADERSHIP ARE NULLIFIED,
AND DEMANDING THAT NEW ELECTIONS BE HELD.
2. (C) LABOFF, THOUGH UNABLE TO REACH ANYONE AT THE
ZCTU, DID TALK WITH GEBRE GEBREMARIAM (PROTECT),THE
AMCIT REGIONAL REPRESENTATIVE OF THE AFL-CIO SOLIDARITY
CENTER IN HARARE, WHO MAINTAINS CLOSE TIES WITH THE ZCTU
LEADERSHIP. GEBREMARIAM STATED THAT THE ARTICLE WAS, TO
THE BEST OF HIS KNOWLEDGE, GOZ PROPAGANDA AIMED AT
DISCREDITING THE NEW ZCTU EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP (WHOSE
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 03 HARARE 01054 191807Z
MEMBERS ALL SUPPORT THE OPPOSITION MOVEMENT FOR
DEMOCRATIC CHANGE). HE OPINED THAT THE ALLEGED
IRREGULARITIES MENTIONED IN THE ARTICLE, EVEN IF TRUE,
WOULD NOT NECESSITATE THE HOLDING OF NEW ELECTIONS FOR
THE ZCTU LEADERSHIP. HE WAS ALSO VERY SKEPTICAL THAT 15
OF THE 32 AFFILIATED UNIONS DESIRED THAT NEW ELECTIONS
BE HELD.
3. (C) COMMENT: "THE SUNDAY MAIL" ARTICLE DEFINITELY
SMACKS OF A GOZ/ZANU-PF PROPAGANDA CAMPAIGN TO DISCREDIT
THE NEW ZCTU LEADERSHIP. THE ZCTU IS A MAJOR PLAYER IN
ZIMBABWE POLITICS, AND COULD HOLD A VERY INFLUENTIAL, IF
NOT DECISIVE, ROLE IN THE UPCOMING PRESIDENTIAL
ELECTIONS. THE GOZ/ZANU-PF ARE STILL FUMING THAT,
HAVING FUNDED THE PAYMENT OF BACK-DUES OF UNIONS TO THE
ZCTU AND, ALLEGEDLY, BRIBING INDIVIDUAL UNION DELEGATES
IN ORDER TO INFLUENCE THE ZCTU ELECTIONS, NOT ONE PRO-
ZANU-PF CANDIDATE WAS ELECTED TO THE ZCTU LEADERSHIP.
THEY WOULD DEARLY LOVE TO HAVE ANOTHER SHOT AT GAINING
CONTROL OF THE ZCTU, AND THE HOLDING OF NEW ELECTIONS
FOR THE ZCTU LEADERSHIP WOULD PRESENT THIS OPPORTUNITY.
WHILE "THE SUNDAY MAIL" ARTICLE IS THE FIRST ATTEMPT AT
FORCING NEW ELECTIONS, WE STRONGLY DOUBT IT WILL BE THE
LAST. END COMMENT.
IRVING
CONFIDENTIAL
>
SIPDIS
DRL/IL FOR KBRYANT
NSC FOR JFRAZER
ILAB FOR RSHEPHARD
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 03/19/11
TAGS: ELAB PGOV PHUM PINR
SUBJECT: NEW ELECTIONS FOR ZIMBABWE'S UMBRELLA LABOR
ORGANIZATION NOT LIKELY.
CLASSIFIED BY CHARGE D' AFFAIRES EARL M. IRVING FOR
REASONS 1.5 (B/D).
1. (SBU) THE MARCH 18 EDITION OF THE GOVERNMENT OF
ZIMBABWE (GOZ)-CONTROLLED "THE SUNDAY MAIL" RAN A FRONT-
PAGE STORY STATING THAT THE JUST-ELECTED LEADERSHIP OF
THE ZIMBABWE CONFEDERATION OF TRADE UNIONS (ZCTU),
ZIMBABWE'S INDEPENDENT UMBRELLA LABOR ORGANIZATION, WAS
BEING PRESSURED TO HOLD NEW ELECTIONS BECAUSE OF
IRREGULARITIES AT ITS FEBRUARY 23-24 FIVE-YEAR CONGRESS.
NO OTHER NEWS ORGANIZATIONS HAVE REPORTED ON THIS
ALLEGED DEVELOPMENT. THE ALLEGED IRREGULARITIES ARE NOT
RELATED TO THE ELECTION OF THE NEW ZCTU NATIONAL
LEADERSHIP. RATHER, THE IRREGULARITIES ARE THAT THE
JUST-COMPLETED CONGRESS FAILED TO CONFIRM OR REJECT
AMENDMENTS AND CORRECTIONS MADE TO THE ZCTU CONSTITUTION
AT THE 1995 CONGRESS. ACCORDING TO THE ARTICLE, 15 OF
THE 32 UNIONS AFFILIATED TO THE ZCTU ARE NOW CLAIMING
THAT THE ELECTIONS OF THE NEW LEADERSHIP ARE NULLIFIED,
AND DEMANDING THAT NEW ELECTIONS BE HELD.
2. (C) LABOFF, THOUGH UNABLE TO REACH ANYONE AT THE
ZCTU, DID TALK WITH GEBRE GEBREMARIAM (PROTECT),THE
AMCIT REGIONAL REPRESENTATIVE OF THE AFL-CIO SOLIDARITY
CENTER IN HARARE, WHO MAINTAINS CLOSE TIES WITH THE ZCTU
LEADERSHIP. GEBREMARIAM STATED THAT THE ARTICLE WAS, TO
THE BEST OF HIS KNOWLEDGE, GOZ PROPAGANDA AIMED AT
DISCREDITING THE NEW ZCTU EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP (WHOSE
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 03 HARARE 01054 191807Z
MEMBERS ALL SUPPORT THE OPPOSITION MOVEMENT FOR
DEMOCRATIC CHANGE). HE OPINED THAT THE ALLEGED
IRREGULARITIES MENTIONED IN THE ARTICLE, EVEN IF TRUE,
WOULD NOT NECESSITATE THE HOLDING OF NEW ELECTIONS FOR
THE ZCTU LEADERSHIP. HE WAS ALSO VERY SKEPTICAL THAT 15
OF THE 32 AFFILIATED UNIONS DESIRED THAT NEW ELECTIONS
BE HELD.
3. (C) COMMENT: "THE SUNDAY MAIL" ARTICLE DEFINITELY
SMACKS OF A GOZ/ZANU-PF PROPAGANDA CAMPAIGN TO DISCREDIT
THE NEW ZCTU LEADERSHIP. THE ZCTU IS A MAJOR PLAYER IN
ZIMBABWE POLITICS, AND COULD HOLD A VERY INFLUENTIAL, IF
NOT DECISIVE, ROLE IN THE UPCOMING PRESIDENTIAL
ELECTIONS. THE GOZ/ZANU-PF ARE STILL FUMING THAT,
HAVING FUNDED THE PAYMENT OF BACK-DUES OF UNIONS TO THE
ZCTU AND, ALLEGEDLY, BRIBING INDIVIDUAL UNION DELEGATES
IN ORDER TO INFLUENCE THE ZCTU ELECTIONS, NOT ONE PRO-
ZANU-PF CANDIDATE WAS ELECTED TO THE ZCTU LEADERSHIP.
THEY WOULD DEARLY LOVE TO HAVE ANOTHER SHOT AT GAINING
CONTROL OF THE ZCTU, AND THE HOLDING OF NEW ELECTIONS
FOR THE ZCTU LEADERSHIP WOULD PRESENT THIS OPPORTUNITY.
WHILE "THE SUNDAY MAIL" ARTICLE IS THE FIRST ATTEMPT AT
FORCING NEW ELECTIONS, WE STRONGLY DOUBT IT WILL BE THE
LAST. END COMMENT.
IRVING
CONFIDENTIAL
>