MEDIA REACTION WAR AGAINST TERROR; HARARE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 HARARE 003063 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 WAR AGAINST TERROR; HARARE ¶1. MAINSTREAM NEWSPAPERS CONTINUE TO DEDICATE SIGNIFICANT SPACE TO WIRE ARTICLES BY REUTERS, AGENCE FRANCE PRESSE, AND THE ASSOCIATED PRESS CENTERING ON THE U.S.-LED MILITARY STRIKES IN AFGHANISTAN. THE NATIONAL STATE-RUN TELEVISION STATION, ZTV I, IS CARRYING CABLE NEWS NETWORK FOOTAGE ON THE MILITARY CAMPAIGN. THE NEWS CLIPS ARE BROADCAST DAILY DURING ZTV'S MAIN NEWS PROGRAMS IN ENGLISH AND THE TWO MAJOR VERNACULAR LANGUAGES - SHONA AND NDEBELE. SIMILAR NEWS BULLETINS ARE ALSO BEING AIRED ON ALL THE FOUR NATIONAL STATE-CONTROLLED RADIO STATIONS. ¶2. MEANWHILE, MOST NEWSPAPERS CONTINUE TO PUBLISH OPINION PIECES CENTERING ON THE WAR AGAINST TERROR. SAMPLES OF THE ARTICLES FOLLOW: ¶3. UNDER HEADLINE "IMPERIAL AMERICA CHASES OWN SHADOW: BY REFUSING TO ACCEPT REALITY, U. S. PROBLEMS WILL MULTIPLY," THE OCTOBER 14 EDITION OF THE GOVERNMENT-CONTROLLED WEEKLY "THE SUNDAY MAIL" CARRIED THE FOLLOWING OPINION PIECE BY MWESIGA BAREGU: ". . . IF THE U. S. AND WEST IN GENERAL COULD VIEW THE TRAGIC EVENTS OF SEPTEMBER 11 AS A WAKE-UP CALL. . . AND USE THE OCCASION AS A MIRROR TO TAKE A KEEN LOOK AT THEMSELVES THEN THE DEATHS OF THE VICTIMS WILL NOT HAVE BEEN IN VAIN. . . IN THIS PIECE I WANT TO ARGUE THAT AMERICA IS IN DENIAL WITH RESPECT TO A NUMBER OF ILLS THAT AFFLICT IT. MOREOVER AMERICA LACKS THE COURAGE TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND CONFRONT THESE ILLS BECAUSE. . . ITS DENIAL ARISES FROM ITS SELF-LOVE AND A PERSECUTION COMPLEX. . . AS TO THE WAR IN AFGHANISTAN UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 03 HARARE 03063 01 OF 03 160612Z MY JURY IS STILL OUT. IT IS NOT AT ALL CLEAR WHAT THE ANGLO-AMERICAN WAR AIMS ARE. WHAT IS BECOMING PROGRESSIVELY CLEAR, HOWEVER, IS THAT THE WAR MAY NOT BE ABOUT OSAMA BIN LADEN AND TERRORISM JUST AS THE BOMBING OF YUGOSLAVIA WAS NOT ABOUT MILOSEVIC AND HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS. THE WAR IS ESSENTIALLY ABOUT GEOSTRATEGIC INTERESTS IN THAT PART OF THE WORLD. . ." ¶4. UNDER HEADLINE "BEYOND BIN LADEN: A WIDER AGENDA; UK, U.S. USE 'TERROR WAR' AS OPPORTUNITY FOR EXPANSIONISM," THE SAME PAPER CARRIED THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE BY TAFATAONA MAHOSO: "RESOLUTION 1373 IS THE SECURITY COUNCIL'S RESPONSE TO THE SEPTEMBER 11 ATTACKS ON NEW YORK AND WASHINGTON. BUT THE DIPLOMATIC SOURCES IN HARARE SAID THE REAL PROBLEM FOR THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY WAS THAT THE U. ¶S. AND UK NOW SAW THE RECENT TERRORIST ATTACKS ON NEW YORK AND WASHINGTON AS YET ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO ACQUIRE NEW MILITARY BASES IN CENTRAL ASIA AND TO OVERTHROW GOVERNMENTS WHICH HAVE REFUSED TO TOE THE ANGLO-AMERICAN LINE. . . THOSE WARNING THE WORLD AGAINST THE BUSH-BLAIR ADVENTURE IN AFGHANISTAN ARE NOT JUST CRITICIZING THE CHOICE OF RESPONSE TO TERRORISM IN THIS CASE. THEY ARE OFFERING ALTERNATIVE RESPONSES, WHICH INCLUDE: CALLING A SPECIAL SESSION OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE U. N. TO CONSIDER THE LINK BETWEEN THE DETERIORATION OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND THE ESCALATION OF TERRORISM; CALLING FOR SPECIAL WORLD FORUM OF RELIGIOUS LEADERS AND RELIGIOUS FAITHS IN ORDER TO HARNESS THE POSITIVE INFLUENCE OF RELIGION IN UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 04 HARARE 03063 01 OF 03 160612Z PROMOTING PEACE AND HEALING PEOPLE CAUGHT IN CONFLICT; CONVENING A SPECIAL CONFERENCE FOR THOSE COUNTRIES AND PEOPLES WHO HAVE BEEN VICTIMS OF RELENTLESS TERRORISM, SO THAT ACTUAL HISTORICAL TERRORISM IS EXAMINED, USING AS EXPERTS THOSE WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED IT. REPRESENTATIVES OF THOSE GROUPS ACCUSED OF TERRORISM SHOULD ALSO ATTEND THE CONFERENCE, SO THAT REAL DIALOGUE MAY BEGIN. . . THE NORTH AMERICANS AND THEIR MEDIA HAVE BECOME PART OF THE TERRORISM PROBLEM BECAUSE THEY BEHAVE AS IF THEY THEMSELVES ARE THE FIRST EVER VICTIMS OF TERROR AND AS IF THEY AS A COUNTRY THEY ARE ENTIRELY CLEAN. THE PROPOSED APPROACHES WOULD BRING A SENSE OF PROPORTION AND, MAYBE, SOLIDARITY TO THE DEBATE AND THE OPTIONS." ¶5. UNDER HEADLINE "AMERICANS FEAR COUNTER-STRIKES," THE SAME NEWSPAPER CARRIED THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE BY ITS ¶U. S.-BASED CORRESPONDENT TENDAYI MUSEKIWA: "THE SEPTEMBER 11 ATTACKS ON U. S. TARGETS. . . HAVE ALTERED THE AMERICAN LANDSCAPE, PERHAPS FOREVER. . . UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED PTQ5341 PAGE 01 HARARE 03063 02 OF 03 160612Z ACTION INR-00 INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AF-00 AID-00 A-00 ACQ-00 CIAE-00 INL-00 DODE-00 SRPP-00 DS-00 EUR-00 UTED-00 VC-00 TEDE-00 IO-00 LAB-01 VCE-00 DCP-01 NSAE-00 IRM-00 TEST-00 USIE-00 IIP-00 DSCC-00 DRL-02 NFAT-00 SAS-00 /004W -------------- 2F93E2 160613Z /38 P 160542Z OCT 01 FM AMEMBASSY HARARE TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0029 INFO NSC WASHDC AMEMBASSY PRETORIA AMEMBASSY LUSAKA AMEMBASSY WINDHOEK AMEMBASSY GABORONE AMEMBASSY LILONGWE AMEMBASSY LONDON UNCLAS SECTION 02 OF 03 HARARE 003063 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 WAR AGAINST TERROR; HARARE FOR THE FIRST TIME, THE U. S. AND ITS PEOPLE ARE UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 02 HARARE 03063 02 OF 03 160612Z LEARNING TO DEAL WITH PARANOIA THAT ARISES FROM BEING UNDER ATTACK. AMERICANS ARE ANXIOUS TO SHOW THAT THEY ARE TOUGH, RESILIENT AND ARMED WITH A STEELY DETERMINATION NOT TO GIVE IN TO TERRORISM. BUT THE NEW POWERS BEING GIVEN TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO COMBAT TERRORISM, THE INCREASED SECURITY MEASURES, THE WILLINGNESS TO GIVE UP SOME PERSONAL FREEDOMS, THE NERVOUSNESS ABOUT POSSIBLE BIO-TERRORISM, THE EXPANDING WAR IN AFGHANISTAN AND THE RELUCTANCE TO CRITICIZE, PARODY OR CARTOON MR. BUSH (FOR FEAR OF BEING LABELED UNPATRIOTIC) ARE VIVID REMINDERS THAT THE AURA OF INNOCENCE AND INVINCIBILITY AND THE INCLINATION TOWARD ISOLATION ARE GONE, MAYBE FOREVER." ¶6. THE OCTOBER 12 EDITION OF THE INDEPENDENT WEEKLY "THE ZIMBABWE MIRROR" RAN THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE BY THE "SCRUTATOR": ". . .ONLY THE MAD AND SENSELESS COULD HAVE REMAINED UNTOUCHED BY THE TERROR AND HORROR OF 11 SEPTEMBER, ESPECIALLY WHEN SO MANY INNOCENT LIVES WERE LOST IN NEW YORK, WASHINGTON AND PITTSBURGH. BUT IT IS THE REACTION OF THE U.S.A. AND ITS ALLIES THAT IS NOW CAUSING THE SYMPATHY AND COMPASSION TO DISSIPATE SO DANGEROUSLY. . . EVEN THE PRINCIPLES OF SOVEREIGNTY AND INTERNATIONAL LAW ARE BEING BREACHED WITH IMPUNITY; GONE, TOO, THE IDEA THAT INTERNATIONAL PEACE AND SECURITY SHOULD BE SUSTAINED AND PROMOTED UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE U. N. SADLY, THE LATTER IS NOW LARGELY FOR THE EXPEDIENT AND CONVENIENT USE UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 03 HARARE 03063 02 OF 03 160612Z OF THE U.S.A. AND ITS ALLIES. IN SHORT, ONLY A FEW WOULD STILL BELIEVE THAT THE U.S.A. AND ITS ALLIES ARE PURSUING ONLY OSAMA BIN LADEN AND HIS AL-QAEDA NETWORK; THE OBJECTIVES OF THE WAR OF REVENGE HAVE SO CHANGED IN ITS OBJECTIVES AND TARGETS THAT WE HAVE REASON TO BE SUSPICIOUS ABOUT THE SCOPE OF THIS 'CRUSADE. . .' WE HAVE REASON TO BE FEARFUL, AS MUCH AT PRESIDENT BUSH'S THREAT OF A LONG AND BROADENING WAR FRONT AS AT AL-QAEDA'A WARNING THAT THE U.S. AND ITS ALLIES HAVE, BY ATTACKING AFGHANISTAN 'OPENED A DOOR THEY CAN NEVER CLOSE.'" ¶7. UNDER HEADLINE "POVERTY TO RISE IN WAKE OF U.S. TERRORIST ATTACK," THE OCTOBER 12 EDITION OF THE INDEPENDENT WEEKLY "ZIMBABWE INDEPENDENT" RAN THE FOLLOWING STORY BY BARNABAS THONDHLANA: "THE SEPTEMBER 11 TERRORIST ATTACKS IN THE U.S. WILL HURT ECONOMIC GROWTH IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES WORLD- WIDE IN 2001 AND 2002, CONDEMNING AS MANY AS 10 MILLION MORE PEOPLE TO LIVE IN POVERTY NEXT YEAR, AND HAMPERING THE FIGHT AGAINST CHILDHOOD DISEASES AND MALNUTRITION, THE WORLD BANK SAYS IN A PRELIMINARY ECONOMIC ASSESSMENT RELEASED THIS WEEK. BEFORE SEPTEMBER 11, THE BANK EXPECTED DEVELOPING COUNTRY GROWTH TO FALL FROM 5.5 PERCENT IN 2000 TO 2.9 PERCENT IN 2001 AS A RESULT OF SLOWDOWNS IN THE ¶U. S., JAPAN AND EUROPE, AND THEN REBOUND TO 4.3 PERCENT IN 2002. BUT BECAUSE THE ATTACKS WILL DELAY THE RICH COUNTRIES' RECOVERY INTO 2002, THE BANK NOW WARNS THAT DEVELOPING COUNTRIES' GROWTH COULD BE UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 04 HARARE 03063 02 OF 03 160612Z LOWER BY 0.5 - 0.75 PERCENTAGE POINTS IN 2002. . . ." ¶8. UNDER HEADLINE "PAKISTAN AND THE WAR AGAINST TERRORISM," THE OCTOBER 8 EDITION OF THE INDEPENDENT DAILY "THE DAILY NEWS" PUBLISHED THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE BY YAYYABA MAHBOOB PIRZADA: "THE HORROR AND TERROR OF 11 SEPTEMBER HAS NOW TURNED INTO MOMENTS OF SUSPENSE AND WORRY. . . IT DOES, HOWEVER, CALL FOR REFLECTION BY THE ENTIRE WORLD LEADERSHIP. THE U.S. AND THE WEST NEED TO CHANGE THEIR POLICIES TOWARDS ISLAM, JUST AS MUCH THE MUSLIM WORLD NEEDS TO CORRECT ITS RHETORIC AGAINST 'INFIDELS' AND PROMOTE A CULTURE OF DEMOCRACY AND TOLERANCE WITHIN THEIR OWN COUNTRIES. THE SOLUTION TO TERRORISM DOES NOT LIE IN 'WAGING WARS,' BUT IN BRINGING THOSE RESPONSIBLE TO JUSTICE AND IN ENSURING THAT GOVERNMENTS DO NOT TOLERATE OR PROMOTE TERRORIST GANGS. A MEASURED RESPONSE IS CALLED FOR BECAUSE AN ALL-OUT WAR MAY POLARIZE THE WORLD FURTHER, THUS PLAYING INTO THE HANDS OF THE VERY FORCES WHICH ENCOURAGE TERRORISM. SINCE UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED PTQ5343 PAGE 01 HARARE 03063 03 OF 03 160613Z ACTION INR-00 INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AF-00 AID-00 A-00 ACQ-00 CIAE-00 INL-00 DODE-00 SRPP-00 DS-00 EUR-00 UTED-00 VC-00 TEDE-00 IO-00 LAB-01 VCE-00 DCP-01 NSAE-00 IRM-00 TEST-00 USIE-00 IIP-00 DSCC-00 DRL-02 NFAT-00 SAS-00 /004W -------------- 2F93E9 160613Z /38 P 160542Z OCT 01 FM AMEMBASSY HARARE TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0030 INFO NSC WASHDC AMEMBASSY PRETORIA AMEMBASSY LUSAKA AMEMBASSY WINDHOEK AMEMBASSY GABORONE AMEMBASSY LILONGWE AMEMBASSY LONDON UNCLAS SECTION 03 OF 03 HARARE 003063 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 WAR AGAINST TERROR; HARARE THE INTERNATIONAL ALLIANCE AGAINST TERRORISM CLAIMS TO UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 02 HARARE 03063 03 OF 03 160613Z FIGHT THIS BATTLE TO PROTECT FREEDOM, IT WILL BE EXPECTED TO BE TRANSPARENT IN ITS MOVES. IT WILL REQUIRE GREATER RESOLVE TO UPHOLD THE NORMS OF JUSTICE, PARTICULARLY IN THE FACE OF AN ADVERSARY WHO SPURNS UNIVERSAL VALUES OF FREEDOM. . . WE NEED TO WAGE WAR AGAINST GLOBAL TERRORISM SO THAT WE CAN HAVE A MORE DECENT AND COMPASSIONATE WORLD, WHERE HUMANITY IS NOT DEGRADED - THAT MUST REMAIN THE GOAL AND THIS GOAL MUST NOT BE COMPROMISED. IT SHOULD BE A GOAL THAT IS NOT NEGOTIABLE." ¶9. UNDER HEADLINE "DICTATORS TIGHTEN SCREWS AS WORLD MULLS U. S. ATTACKS," THE SAME EDITION CARRIED THE FOLLOWING PIECE BY TAJUDEEM ABDUL-RAHEEM: "THE HORRORS OF THE ATTACKS ON THE U. S. AND THE THREATENING RESPONSES TO THEM HAVE DOMINATED GLOBAL MEDIA ALMOST TO THE TOTAL EXCLUSION OF OTHER ISSUES. THIS HAS GIVEN MANY DICTATORS A KIND OF SABBATICAL TO DO WHAT THEY PLEASE, WITHOUT MUCH FOCUS FROM THE REST OF THE WORLD WHOSE EYES ARE ON WASHINGTON AND THE BLIGHTED TERRAIN OF AFGHANISTAN. MANY FORMER PARIAH STATES HAVE SUDDENLY BECOME CHERISHED ALLIES IN THE NEW WAR OF 'THOSE WHO ARE WITH US' - THOUGH THE DEFINITION OF 'US' IS VERY AMBIGUOUS - AND THOSE 'AGAINST US.' SUDAN IS 'WITH US' SO WHO IS AGAINST US, OR TO PUT IT DIFFERENTLY, WHO ARE 'US' AGAINST IN SUDAN. . . .?" ¶10. UNDER HEADLINE "BOMBING BIN LADEN OUT OF MOUNTAINS UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 03 HARARE 03063 03 OF 03 160613Z WON'T BE EASY," THE OCTOBER 7 EDITION OF THE GOVERNMENT-CONTROLLED WEEKLY "THE SUNDAY MAIL" RAN THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE BY BRIGADIER FELIX: ". . .AMERICA AND THE WEST ARE REACTING EXACTLY AS THEY DID IN VIETNAM, MASSIVE MOBILIZATION OF BIG SHIPS, STRATEGIC BOMBERS, PRECISION MISSILES, TO BOMB A HEAP OF BARREN MOUNTAINS IN AFGHANISTAN WHILE THE ENEMY SNORES IN THEIR BACKYARD. THE CAUSES OF THIS WAR ARE NOT DIFFICULTY TO FIND. THE MOSLEM HATRED TOWARDS AMERICA IS U. S. FOREIGN POLICY IN THE MIDDLE EAST. THE GREATEST HATRED TOWARDS AMERICA IS ITS SUPPORT TO ISRAEL POLITICALLY, TREATING ISRAEL AS THE 53RD STATE OF THE U.S. . . NO U. S. PRESIDENT WOULD LAST A WEEK WITHOUT ISRAELI SUPPORT. TO MANY ARAB EXTREMISTS AND MODERATES THIS GIVES ISRAEL MORE POWER AND ARROGANCE THAN IT DESERVES, SO ITS POWER MUST BE HIT HARD. . . GIVEN THE DEEP RELIGIOUS BELIEFS OF ISLAM, THE POTENTIAL TO EXPLODE POLITICALLY, SOCIALLY, ECONOMICALLY AND MILITARILY IS HIGH. . . BIN LADEN HAS NO TOWN, NO STATE HOUSE TO DEFEND, NEITHER HAS HE GOT STRATEGIC INDUSTRIAL, ECONOMIC, COMMUNICATION, MILITARY OR AMMUNITION DEPOTS TO DESTROY. . . IF THE AMERICANS COULD NOT BOMB VIETCONG GUERILLAS IN THEIR FOX-HOLE TUNNELS, IT IS GOING TO BE TOUGHER TO BOMB BIN LADEN OUT OF THOSE BALD-HEADED MOUNTAINS WHICH HAVE NO EASY ROADS FOR 'SPECIAL FORCES' TO MOVE. IF THEY MISS TO CAPTURE BIN LADEN 'DEAD OR ALIVE,' HE WILL WIELD EVEN MORE POWER AS AN INVINCIBLE 'SPIRITUAL LEADER' GUIDED BY ALLAH TO INSTILL MORE DETERMINATION, ZEAL AND POWER AMONG THE RELIGIOUS FUNDAMENTALISTS TO KILL 'MORE UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 04 HARARE 03063 03 OF 03 160613Z AMERICANS,' MOSTLY INNOCENT CIVILIANS. A NEW THINKING, NEW ANALYSIS OF STRATEGIC OPTIONS FOR THE NEW TYPE OF 'GUERILLA WARFARE' WITH MASS DESTRUCTION NEEDS TO BE WORKED OUT. MOBILIZATION OF FORCES SO FAR MEANS NOTHING." SULLIVAN UNCLASSIFIED >