MUGABE'S CAMPAIGN OF VIOLENCE AND REPRESSION IS

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.

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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
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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