ZIMBABWE DEMOCRACY BILL GENERATES SIGNIFICANT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 002457 SIPDIS AF/PD FOR COX, ROBERTSON, AF/S FOR KRAFT, AF/P, NSC FOR JENDAYI FRAZER E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL ZI SUBJECT: ZIMBABWE DEMOCRACY BILL GENERATES SIGNIFICANT MEDIA COVERAGE ¶1. THE ZIMBABWE DEMOCRACY AND ECONOMIC RECOVERY BILL 2001 UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 02 HARARE 02457 01 OF 02 201507Z CONTINUES TO DOMINATE HEADLINES IN THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA. LAST WEEK PRESIDENT MUGABE LASHED OUT AT THE U. S. AND OTHER WESTERN NATIONS HE SAID WERE PLANNING RACIST AND PUNITIVE SANCTIONS AGAINST HIS GOVERNMENT BECAUSE OF ITS SEIZURE OF WHITE-OWNED FARMS. EXCERPTS OF NEWSPAPER ARTICLES, INCLUDING PRESIDENT MUGABE'S COMMENTS, ABOUT THE BILL FOLLOW: ¶2. UNDER HEADLINE "STATE OF EMERGENCY OVER SANCTIONS RULED OUT," THE AUGUST 19 EDITION OF THE GOVERNMENT- CONTROLLED WEEKLY "THE SUNDAY MAIL" RAN THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE BY MUNYARADZI HUNI ON PAGE ONE: "THE GOVERNMENT IS NOT GOING TO DECLARE A STATE OF EMERGENCY EVEN IF THE CONTROVERSIAL ZIMBABWE DEMOCRACY AND ECONOMIC RECOVERY BILL IS PASSED IN THE U. S., A GOVERNMENT MINISTER SAID YESTERDAY (AUGUST 18). THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR INFORMATION AND PUBLICITY, PROFESSOR JONATHAN MOYO, SAID THERE WAS NO REASON TO RESORT TO SUCH ACTION SINCE THE COUNTRY WAS ALREADY UNDER UNDECLARED SANCTIONS. . .'ALL THE TALK AND DEBATE ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF IMPOSING A STATE OF EMERGENCY IS IDLE. THE TALK HAS LARGELY BEEN FUELLED BY OPPOSITION ELEMENTS WHO HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR A CRISIS IN THE COUNTRY AND WHO FOOLISHLY IMAGINE THAT THEY CAN PUSH ZIMBABWE TO A CORNER OF A STATE OF EMERGENCY. THE SUGGESTION THAT THE AMERICAN SANCTIONS BILL AGAINST ZIMBABWE WOULD LEAD TO THE DECLARATION OF A STATE OF EMERGENCY IS TOTALLY BASELESS,' SAID PROF. MOYO. . . ." UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 03 HARARE 02457 01 OF 02 201507Z ¶3. UNDER HEADLINE "U. S. INTERESTS PREVAIL OVER RIGHTS: ZIMBABWE BEING PUNISHED FOR TRYING TO REDRESS IMBALANCES," KNOCKS ZENGENI, A SENIOR PRESS SECRETARY IN THE DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION AND PUBLICITY IN THE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT AND CABINET, WROTE THE FOLLOWING OPINION PIECE IN THE SAME NEWSPAPER: "THE RECENT DECISION BY THE U. S. SENATE TO PASS THE SO- CALLED ZIMBABWE DEMOCRACY AND ECONOMIC RECOVERY BILL UNDERLINES THE INHERENT CONTRADICTIONS OF U. S. FOREIGN POLICY TOWARD AFRICA. AS DEMONSTRATED BY PAST AND CURRENT U. S. POLICIES TOWARD AFRICA, DEMOCRATIZATION RHETORIC DOES NOT ALWAYS CONFORM WITH ACTUAL POLICIES. . .AS SUCH, FOR ZIMBABWEANS AND OTHER AFRICANS TO THINK THAT THE U. S. IS GOING TO OFFER A SOLUTION TO THEIR PROBLEMS IS BEING NAVE. U. S. INTERESTS HAVE NEVER BEEN MEANT TO SOLVE AFRICA'S PROBLEMS, BUT HAVE OFTEN CONTRIBUTED TO AFRICA'S PROBLEMS. . .IT IS AGAINST THIS BACKGROUND THAT MANY PATRIOTIC ZIMBABWEANS AND AFRICANISTS ARE STRONGLY CONVINCED THAT THE SO-CALLED ZIMBABWE DEMOCRACY AND ECONOMIC RECOVERY BILL IS NOTHING MORE THAN AN EXPRESSION OF PERSISTING FORMS OF DOUBLE-STANDARDS AND RACISM IN U. S. FOREIGN POLICY. MANY ZIMBABWEANS ARE ASKING WHY A COUNTRY THAT HAS SHOWN WILLINGNESS TO EMBRACE UNDEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENTS IS SO QUICK TO PUNISH A COUNTRY LIKE ZIMBABWE WITH A THRIVING AND STABLE DEMOCRACY. . .ZIMBABWE DOES NOT NEED A DEMOCRACY AND ECONOMIC RECOVERY BILL. IT NEEDS ASSISTANCE AND SUPPORT IN ITS QUEST TO ATTAIN SOCIAL JUSTICE. . . ." ¶4. UNDER HEADLINE "'ACQUIRE WHITE-OWNED FARMS IF U. S. UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 04 HARARE 02457 01 OF 02 201507Z PASSES BILL,'" THE AUGUST 17 EDITION OF THE GOVERNMENT- CONTROLLED DAILY 'THE HERALD, PUBLISHED THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE BASED ON CONTRIBUTIONS IN PARLIAMENT BY A ZANU PF MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT FOR GOKWE WEST, MS. ESTHER NYAUCHI: "ALL WHITE-OWNED FARMS SHOULD BE TAKEN BY THE GOVERNMENT ONCE THE UNITED STATES PASSES THE ZIMBABWE DEMOCRACY AND ECONOMIC RECOVERY BILL, A PARLIAMENTARY BACKBENCHER HAS SAID. 'THEY ARE TRYING TO DICTATE TO ZIMBABWE WHAT TO DO WITH OUR LAND. IS THAT WHAT THEY CALL DEMOCRACY. . .? (MS.) ESTHER NYAUCHI SAID IN PARLIAMENT YESTERDAY ((AUGUST 16). EVERY ZIMBABWEAN SHOULD KNOW THAT THE BILL IS MEANT TO DESTROY OUR HARD- WON ZIMBABWE. . .,' SHE SAID. . . ." ¶5. UNDER HEADLINE "ZIMBABWE DEMOCRACY BILL: WILL MUGABE DECLARE STATE OF EMERGENCY?" THE AUGUST 13 EDITION OF THE INDEPENDENT DAILY 'THE DAILY NEWS' PUBLISHED THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE AUTHORED BY THE NEWSPAPER'S DEPUTY NEWS EDITOR, NYASHA NYAKUNU: UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED PTQ8408 PAGE 01 HARARE 02457 02 OF 02 201507Z ACTION AF-00 INFO LOG-00 NP-00 ACQ-00 CIAE-00 INL-00 DODE-00 DS-00 EUR-00 UTED-00 VC-00 TEDE-00 INR-00 LAB-01 VCE-00 DCP-01 NSAE-00 TEST-00 EPAE-00 DSCC-00 DRL-02 NFAT-00 SAS-00 /004W -------------- 14373C 201507Z /38 P 201502Z AUG 01 FM AMEMBASSY HARARE TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9506 INFO NSC WASHDC AMEMBASSY PRETORIA AMEMBASSY LUSAKA AMEMBASSY WINDHOEK AMEMBASSY GABORONE AMEMBASSY LILONGWE AMEMBASSY LONDON UNCLAS SECTION 02 OF 02 HARARE 002457 SIPDIS AF/PD FOR COX, ROBERTSON, AF/S FOR KRAFT, AF/P, NSC FOR JENDAYI FRAZER E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL ZI SUBJECT: ZIMBABWE DEMOCRACY BILL GENERATES SIGNIFICANT MEDIA COVERAGE UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 02 HARARE 02457 02 OF 02 201507Z "THE WRITING IS ON THE WALL - ZIMBABWE'S EFFORTS TO WARD OFF PRESSURE AGAINST PRESIDENT MUGABE TO CONFORM TO THE NORMS OF INTERNATIONAL DICTATES, HAVE HIT A CUL- DE-SAC. THIS TURN OF EVENTS CAN ONLY SPELL GLOOM AND DOOM FOR ITS IMPOVERISHED MAJORITY POPULATION. THE DEATH-KNELL FOR THE IMPENDING SOCIOECONOMIC AND POLITICAL IMPLOSION WAS SOUNDED LAST WEEK WHEN THE UNITED STATES SENATE PASSED THE ZIMBABWE DEMOCRACY AND ECONOMIC RECOVERY BILL. . . ." ¶6. UNDER HEADLINE "WEST TWO-FACED SAYS PRESIDENT," THE AUGUST 12 EDITION OF THE GOVERNMENT-CONTROLLED WEEKLY 'THE SUNDAY MAIL' PUBLISHED THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE BY FARAI DZIRUTTWE ON PAGE ONE: "PRESIDENT MUGABE YESTERDAY (AUGUST 14) LASHED OUT AT SOME WESTERN GOVERNMENTS FOR DOUBLE STANDARDS AND HYPOCRITICAL PREACHING ABOUT DEMOCRATIC VALUES AIMED AT PRESERVING THE IMPERIALIST CONTROL OF ZIMBABWE'S IMPORTANT NATURAL RESOURCES. SPEAKING TO THOUSAND OF PEOPLE WHO GATHERED AT THE NATIONAL HEROES ACRE IN HARARE TO COMMEMORATE HEROES DAY, (MR.) MUGABE SAID THESE WESTERN GOVERNMENT WERE BEING LED BY BRITAIN AND THE UNITED STATES. . . ." ¶7. EXCERPTS FROM PRESIDENT ROBERT MUGABE'S SPEECH READ ON HEROES DAY (AUGUST 11) FOLLOW: ". . .WHEN THE BRITISH RACIAL AUTOCRACY BRUTALIZED AND TRAUMATIZED US, THE SO-CALLED DEMOCRATIC WORLD WOULD NOT LIFT A FINGER, OR EVEN RAISE AN EYE-BROW, FOR WE UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 03 HARARE 02457 02 OF 02 201507Z DUBBED THE WORLD'S SUPERNUMERARIES, A RACE OF NO RIGHTS BEYOND THAT OF A CHATTEL. . .WHEN ALL THIS HAPPENED, THE FREE WORLD WAS THERE: BRITAIN, AMERICA, GERMANY, HOLLAND, THEY WERE THERE. . .YES THE AMERICAN SENATE AND CONGRESS WERE THERE! AT NO POINT DID THE AMERICAN SENATE THINK OF SUPPORTING OUR STRUGGLE HERE BY CRAFTING A SANCTIONS BILL AGAINST THE RHODESIANS WHO HAD OVERTHROWN THE SUPREME LAW OF THE LAND, THE CONSTITUTION. IF ANYTHING, THE SAME SENATORS WHO TODAY WORK WITH OUR OWN PEOPLE IN THE OPPOSITION TO CRAFT THE INIQUITOUS SO-CALLED ZIMBABWE DEMOCRACY AND ECONOMIC RECOVERY BILL, WERE PART OF THE INFAMOUS INTERNATIONAL RIGHT-WING FRIENDS OF RHODESIA (FOR) MOVEMENT MEANT TO DEFEND OVERSEAS WHITE INTERESTS. JUST WHAT IS OUR CRIME? OUR CRIME IS THAT WE ARE BLACK, AND AMERICA A CONDEMNED RACE! HOW DARE WE CHALLENGE THEIR KITH AND KIN HERE, GOD-CHOSEN ANGLO-SAXONS, WE WHO ONLY YESTERDAY WERE THEIR CONDEMNED SLAVES? THEY FEEL REVULSED (SIC) THAT WE SEEK TO CORRECT THE EFFECTS, IMBALANCES AND INJUSTICES OF THAT SINFUL SLAVE PAST. TO DO SO IS TO PRACTICE TERRORISM AND AUTOCRACY. THESE ANGLO-SAXON BIGOTS GLIBLY USE LANGUAGE AND VOCABULARY OF DEMOCRACY TO DUCK THEIR COLONIAL RESPONSIBILITY SO THEY CAN PROLONG THEIR EVIL CONTROL AND OWNERSHIP OF OUR LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES. . . ." ¶8. UNDER HEADLINE "PRESIDENT DISMISSES BILL," THE AUGUST 12 EDITION OF THE INDEPENDENT WEEKLY 'THE STANDARD' REPORTS: "PRESIDENT ROBERT MUGABE YESTERDAY (AUGUST 11) BRUSHED UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 04 HARARE 02457 02 OF 02 201507Z ASIDE THE ZIMBABWE DEMOCRACY AND ECONOMIC RECOVERY ACT 2001 WHICH SEEKS TO IMPOSE TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS ON HIMSELF AND HIS FAMILY, HIS MINISTERS AND SERVICE CHIEFS, AND THEIR FAMILIES. . .MUGABE SAID THE INTENDED SANCTIONS WOULD NOT STOP GOVERNMENT'S CONTROVERSIAL FAST-TRACK RESETTLEMENT PROGRAM. HE ACCUSED THE U. S. GOVERNMENT OF TRYING TO RULE ZIMBABWE BY "REMOTE CONTROL" THROUGH ITS ECONOMIC MIGHT. . . ." ROTH UNCLASSIFIED >