MUGABE'S CAMPAIGN OF VIOLENCE AND REPRESSION IS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 04 HARARE 003643 SIPDIS NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR JENDAYI FRAZER LONDON FOR CHARLES GURNEY PARIS FOR CHARLES NEARY NAIROBI TERRY PFLAUMER ADDIS ABABA FOR A/S WALTER KANSTEINER E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/06/11 TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL PINS ZI SUBJECT: MUGABE'S CAMPAIGN OF VIOLENCE AND REPRESSION IS UNABATED BY GROWING INTERNATIONAL PRESSURE REF: A) HARARE 3631, B) HARARE 3602, C) HARARE 3539 D) HARARE 3463, E) HARARE 3286 CLASSIFIED BY POLITICAL OFFICER TODD C. FAULK FOR REASONS: 1.5 (B) AND (D). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: PRESIDENT MUGABE'S CAMPAIGN OF VIOLENCE AND REPRESSION AGAINST OPPONENTS OF ALL STRIPES CONTINUES AMID GROWING INTERNATIONAL PRESSURE -- MOST NOTABLY FROM SOUTH AFRICA -- TO HALT THE SLIDE INTO CIVIL STRIFE. JUST IN THE LAST FEW WEEKS, DOZENS OF MDC SUPPORTERS HAVE BEEN ARRESTED, A WHITE FARMER HAS BEEN SHOT, ARMY SOLDIERS HAVE MURDERED A UNIVERSITY OF ZIMBABWE STUDENT, ZANU-PF MILITANTS HAVE BEATEN AND BURNED DOWN THE HOMES OF MORE THAN 100 FARM WORKERS, AND POLICE HAVE BROKEN UP SEVERAL PEACEFUL DEMONSTRATIONS IN HARARE. WITH THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION AROUND THE CORNER, MUGABE HAS RAMPED UP HIS LEGAL EFFORT TO STYMIE THE OPPOSITION AND SKEW THE ELECTORAL PROCESS IN HIS FAVOR. MUGABE HAS DECREED CHANGES TO THE LAND ACQUISITION ACT, AND A SERIES OF REPRESSIVE MEASURES ARE BEING LINED UP FOR PASSAGE IN PARLIAMENT BEFORE ITS HOLIDAY ADJOURNMENT. THE NUMBER OF MUGABE'S INTERNATIONAL DETRACTORS SEEMS TO GROW DAILY, AND THEY ARE APPLYING NEW PRESSURE TO THE BELEAGUERED PRESIDENT TO MEND HIS ERRANT WAYS. MUGABE IS DESPERATELY TRYING TO FEND OFF THEIR RECRIMINATIONS, BUT ONLY TO THE EXTENT TO BUY TIME TO COMPLETE HIS MULTI-FACETED ELECTION CAMPAIGN. END SUMMARY. CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 HARARE 03643 01 OF 04 061427Z INCREASING INTIMIDATION -------------- ¶2. (C) IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS, DOZENS OF MDC MEMBERS AND SUPPORTERS, INCLUDING AN MDC MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT, HAVE BEEN ARRESTED AND DETAINED ON TRUMPED UP CHARGES OF VIOLENCE. OF THE 30 MDC MEMBERS ARRESTED IN BULAWAYO FOLLOWING THE MURDER OF BULAWAYO WAR VETERANS LEADER CAIN NKALA (REF D),EIGHT REMAIN IN CUSTODY, INCLUDING THE MDC'S NATIONAL TREASURER AND MP FLETCHER DULINI- NCUBE, WHO HAS BEEN CHARGED WITH CONSPIRACY AND ACCESSORY TO MURDER. A JUDGMENT IN DULINI-NCUBE'S BAIL HEARING IS DUE DECEMBER 7; THE JUDGE IS AWAITING THE RESULTS OF AN EXAMINATION BY A COURT-APPOINTED DOCTOR. EVEN THOUGH DULINI-NCUBE SUFFERS FROM DIABETES AND HYPERTENSION, MDC SECRETARY-GENERAL WELSHMAN NCUBE TOLD US HE IS UNLIKELY TO BE RELEASED BECAUSE HIGH COURT JUDGE CHIWESHE IS A FORMER MILITARY JUDGE AND STAUNCH ZANU-PF SUPPORTER. DULINI-NCUBE'S ATTORNEY TOLD US THAT HE HAS NOT BEEN ALLOWED TO CONFER WITH HIS CLIENT SINCE HIS ARREST NOVEMBER 19. ¶3. (C) ON DECEMBER 3, EIGHT MDC YOUTHS, ALONG WITH TWO "DAILY NEWS" REPORTERS, WERE ARRESTED IN BULAWAYO, SUPPOSEDLY IN CONNECTION WITH THE CAIN NKALA CASE, ACCORDING TO THE MDC PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER. WELSHMAN NCUBE TOLD US THAT POLICE ARE PICKING UP MDC SUPPORTERS AND MEMBERS EVERY DAY IN BULAWAYO FOR QUESTIONING AND THEN RELEASING THEM WHEN NO CHARGES CAN BE BROUGHT AGAINST THEM. IT IS PURE HARASSMENT AND INTIMIDATION, HE SAID. ON NOVEMBER 29, 12 MDC MEMBERS, INCLUDING THE CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 04 HARARE 03643 01 OF 04 061427Z MIDLANDS PROVINCIAL CHAIRMAN, WERE ARRESTED FOR ALLEGEDLY KIDNAPPING A ZANU-PF TOWN COUNCILLOR IN KADOMA. THE COUNCILLOR WAS LATER FOUND WALKING BESIDE THE ROAD WITH A BRUISED FACE, ACCORDING TO THE GOVERNMENT-CONTROLLED "THE HERALD." ¶4. (U) EVEN THOUGH THE MID-NOVEMBER UPHEAVAL OF VIOLENCE IN BULAWAYO HAS ENDED, INCIDENTS OF VIOLENCE AT THE HANDS OF RULING PARTY SUPPORTERS CONTINUE UNABATED AROUND THE COUNTRY. AMONG THE MORE PROMINENT CASES ARE: -- ON NOVEMBER 20, HARARE POLICE QUASHED A SMALL DEMONSTRATION BY FEWER THEN 50 YOUTHS BELONGING TO THE NATIONAL CONSTITUTIONAL ASSEMBLY