MEDIA REACTION RAMSEY CLARK AND ZIMBABWE- HARARE

UNCLAS HARARE 002395

SIPDIS

AF/PD FOR COX, ROBERTSON, AF/S FOR KRAFT, AF/P, INR/R/MR,

NSC FOR JENDAYI FRAZER

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ZI PREL PHUM
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION RAMSEY CLARK AND ZIMBABWE- HARARE



1. THE INDEPENDENT WEEKLY "THE FINANCIAL GAZETTE" DEDICATED
ITS AUGU EDITORIAL TO SPEAK AGAINST THE PROPOSED FREEDOM OF
INFORMATION AN PROTECTION OF PRIVACY BILL. THE
CONTROVERSIAL BILL COULD BECOME B THE END OF THE YEAR.
UNDER HEADLINE "MOYOL FUTILE WAR," THE PAPER COMMENTS:

S

"PERHAPS RAMSEY CLARK, A FORMER AMERICAN ATTORNEY-GENERAL,
CAPTURED T ESSENCE OF AN INDIVIDUAL'S FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS MORE
THA
N MOST OF TODAY SCHOLARS WHEN, IN 1977, HE STATED: 'A RIGHT
IS NOT WHAT SOMEONE GIVES IT IS WHAT NO ONE CAN TAKE FROM YOU-'
AS ZIMBABWE FACES UP TO ITS MOS DEFINING MOMENT POLITICALLY,
CLARK'S WORDS MUST SURELY TROUBLE ALL GO AND WOMEN IN THE LAND
AS
RIGHTS JUST TO CLING TO POWER. JONATHAN MOYO, ONCE THE
GOVERNMENT'S CHIEF FOE AND NOW ITS MOST LOYAL PROPAGANDIST, IS
LEADIN HAS BECOME THE MOST


3.

VICIOUS CAMPAIGN EVER TO SILENCE ALL DIVERGENT VOICES,
CRUCIALLY ZIMB INDEPENDENT MEDIA, AHEAD OF A LANDMARK
PRESIDENTIAL BALLOT THAT THREA TO BURY HIM AND HIS AGEING (SIC)
MASTERS . . . MOYO HAS COME TO SYMBO THROUGH HIS
HIGH-HANDEDNESS AND IRRESPONSIBLE UTTERANCES ALL THAT IS AND
BAD WITH A GOVERNMENT THAT HAS UTTERLY FAILED ITS CITIZENS . .
. AFTER WHIPPING UP A FRENZY OF EMOTIONS AGAINST ALL WHO WISH
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AND WANT ZIMBABWE PROSPER AND BECOME PART OF THE CIVILIZED
WORLD, HE IS RACING ENACT A LAW AGAINST THE MEDIA WHICH HE
KNOWS RUNS COUNTER TO THE NATI

BASIC FREEDOMS . . . LET IT BE KNOWN THAT AN INDIVIDUAL'S UNFETTERED
TO RECEIVE AND IMPART INFORMATION, WHICH HE IS SEEKING TO CURTAIL,
IS CARDINAL PLANK OF ANY DEMOCRACY AND CIVILIZED GOVERNANCE AND THAT
ZIMBABWEANS DESERVE NO LESS AND NO MORE.

"MOYOLS ATTEMPT TO GAG THE MEDIA AND TO PREVENT IT FROM DOING ITS
NAT DUTY OF HIGHLIGHTING ZIMBABWE'S GLARING INJUSTICES, LAWLESSNESS
AND VIOLENCE, CORRUPTION AND OTHER ILLS WILL FAIL SIMPLY BECAUSE
THEY HAV BASIS IN LAW. BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, THE ENTRENCHED RIGHTS
(THAT) HE W TO TRAMPLE UPON ARE GOD-GIVEN AND WILL ALWAYS REMAIN SO.
THE UPCOMING PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION . . . WILL BE FATALLY FLAWED IF
THE NEW ANTI-DEMOCRACY LEGISLATION IS APPROVED . . . AS AMERICA'S
INCOMING AMBASSADOR TO ZIMBABWE, JOSEPH SULLIVAN, BLUNTLY TOLD THE
GOVERNMENT WEEK: I . . . WE CANNOT HAVE GOOD RELATIONS (WITH
ZIMBABWE) UNTIL THE GOVERNMENT ACTS TO END VIOLENCE AND INTIMIDATION
AND RESTORES THE RUL LAW AND RESPECTS THE FREEDOM TO OPERATE OF
POLITICAL PARTIES AND DEMO INSTITUTIONS, INCLUDING AN INDEPENDENT
MEDIA, CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZAT AND THE JUDICIARY . . . I THERE YOU
ARE MOYO. ALL ZIMBABWEANS AND THE TRUE FRIENDS AROUND THE GLOBE WANT
THE SIMPLE BUT CRUCIAL THINGS TO B BUT YOUR GOVERNMENT COULD CARE
LESS."

HOOKS

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POSSIBLY CLASSIFIED