MEDIA REACTION ZIMBABWE DEMOCRACY BILL; HARARE

UNCLAS HARARE 002389 SIPDIS AF/PD FOR COX, ROBERTSON, AF/S FOR KRAFT, AF/PD, INR/R/MR, NSC FOR JENDAYI FRAZER E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ZI PREL PHUM SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION ZIMBABWE DEMOCRACY BILL; HARARE ¶1. CONTRIBUTING TO DEBATE ON PRESIDENT ROBERT MUGABE'S ADDRESS TO PARLIAMENT, FORMER CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE ORGANIZATION (CIO) UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 02 HARARE 02389 101231Z DIRECTOR-GENERAL AND GOVERNING ZANU PF PARTY BACKBENCHER MR. SHADRECK CHIPANGA CALLED, ON AUGUST 8, FOR THE DECLARATION OF "MARTIAL LAW" IN ZIMBABWE. THE AUGUST 9 EDITIONS OF THE GOVERNMENT-CONTROLLED DAILY 'THE HERALD' AND THE INDEPENDENT DAILY 'THE DAILY NEWS' COVERED THE LEGISLATOR'S STATEMENT IN PARLIAMENT WHICH COMES IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE APPROVAL OF THE ZIMBABWE DEMOCRACY AND ECONOMIC RECOVERY BILL BY THE U. S. SENATE. THE LEAD STORY IN TODAY'S EDITION OF THE INDEPENDENT WEEKLY 'THE FINANCIAL GAZETTE' CENTERS ON THE SAME ISSUE. ARTICLE EXCERPTS FOLLOW: ¶2. UNDER HEADLINE "DECLARE STATE OF EMERGENCY IF U. S. CONGRESS PASSES BILL - CHIPANGA," THE GOVERNMENT CONTROLLED DAILY 'THE HERALD' REPORTS: "A ZANU-PF BACKBENCHER YESTERDAY (AUGUST 8) CALLED UPON PARLIAMENT TO SUPPORT THE DECLARATION OF A STATE OF EMERGENCY IN THE COUNTRY IF THE U. S. CONGRESS PASSES THE CONTROVERSIAL ZIMBABWE DEMOCRACY (AND ECONOMIC RECOVERY) BILL. MAKONI EAST MP (MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT) SHADRECK CHIPANGA SAID THIS WAS THE ONLY WAY THE COUNTRY WOULD PROTECT ITSELF. 'I WANT TO APPEAL TO THIS HOUSE THAT IF AND WHEN THIS BILL IS PASSED, WE SHOULD AS A NATION MAKE SURE THAT A STATE OF EMERGENCY IS DECLARED. THE STATE OF EMERGENCY IS THE ONLY WEAPON IN OUR KIT. THIS WOULD ENSURE THAT NO BY-ELECTION AND NO ELECTION IS HELD IN THIS COUNTRY AND THAT NO ONE, PARTICULARLY THOSE WHO ARE IN THE HABIT OF GLOBETROTTING ADVOCATING FOR SANCTIONS WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO LEAVE THE COUNTRY. . .HOWEVER, BULIMAMANGWE SOUTH MP MR. EDWARD MKHOSI (MOVEMENT FOR DEMOCRATIC CHANGE (MDC) SAID A STATE OF EMERGENCY WOULD 'DEVOUR' THE COUNTRY. . .'THE STATE OF EMERGENCY THAT IS BEING ADVOCATED FOR IS DANGEROUS BECAUSE I HAVE EXPERIENCED IT. THAT WAS THE MOST DANGEROUS THING THAT EVER HAPPENED TO THIS COUNTRY. YOU HAVE UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 03 HARARE 02389 101231Z BROTHER KILLING BROTHER AND IT WAS A HORRENDOUS SITUATION.' HE SAID THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD RUN ELECTIONS AND WORK WITH THE OPPOSITION 'IN A PROPER WAY. . . .'" ¶3. UNDER HEADLINE "EX-CIO BOSS URGES GOVERNMENT TO IMPOSE STATE OF EMERGENCY," THE INDEPENDENT DAILY 'THE DAILY NEWS' REPORTS: "SHADRECK CHIPANGA, THE ZANU PF MP FOR MAKONI EAST, SAID YESTERDAY THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD IMPOSE A STATE OF EMERGENCY ONCE THE UNITED STATES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES PASSES THE ZIMBABWE DEMOCRACY AND ECONOMIC RECOVERY BILL. BUT AN MDC MP FROM MATABELELAND SAID THE CONSEQUENCES OF A STATE OF EMERGENCY WOULD BE AS HORRENDOUS AS THEY WERE IN THE 1983-87 PERIOD. CHIPANGA, A FORMER CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE ORGANIZATION DIRECTOR-GENERAL, SAID A STATE OF EMERGENCY SHOULD BE DECLARED ONCE THE BILL PASSES THROUGH THE U. ¶S. CONGRESS AND EVENTUALLY SIGNED INTO LAW BY PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH. . . ." ¶4. UNDER HEADLINE "MARTIAL LAW LOOMS," THE AUGUST 9 EDITION OF THE INDEPENDENT WEEKLY 'THE FINANCIAL GAZETTE' CARRIED THE FOLLOWING LEAD ARTICLE BY THE PAPER'S POLITICAL EDITOR, SYDNEY MASAMVU: "PRESIDENT ROBERT MUGABE'S CABINET IS ACTIVELY CONSIDERING DECLARING A STATE OF EMERGENCY IF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY GOES AHEAD TO IMPOSE SANCTIONS AGAINST HIM AND HIS SENIOR GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, AUTHORITATIVE OFFICIAL SOURCES SAID THIS WEEK. THEY SAID THE APPROVAL BY THE U. S. SENATE LAST WEEK OF THE ZIMBABWE DEMOCRACY (AND ECONOMIC RECOVERY) BILL, WHICH STILL HAS TO BE ENDORSED BY CONGRESS AND THE WHITE HOUSE, HAD RE-IGNITED INTENSE DEBATE WITHIN CABINET ON WHETHER HARARE SHOULD IMPOSE EMERGENCY RULE. . .OFFICIALS IN BOTH THE HARARE GOVERNMENT AND ITS GOVERNING UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 04 HARARE 02389 101231Z ZANU PF PARTY THIS WEEK SAID THE 'LAW OF SURVIVAL' WOULD TAKE OVER IF SANCTIONS ARE IMPOSED ON ZIMBABWE. 'WE WILL BE LEFT WITH NO CHOICE BUT TO DECLARE A STATE OF EMERGENCY IF WE ARE UNDER SANCTIONS . . .WITH THE WAY THE SITUATION IS DEVELOPING, THAT CANNOT BE RULED OUT. THE LAW OF SURVIVAL WILL TAKE OVER,' THE MINISTER SAID, PREFERRING NOT TO BE NAMED. . . .'" WHITEHEAD UNCLASSIFIED >