MEDIA REPORT ZDERA; HARARE

UNCLAS HARARE 003661 SIPDIS AF/PD FOR COX, ROBERTSON, AF/S FOR KRAFT, AF/RA FOR SWANN, INR/R/MR, NSC FOR JENDAYI FRAZER E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ZI PREL PHUM SUBJECT: MEDIA REPORT ZDERA; HARARE ¶1. THE DECEMBER 10 EDITION OF THE GOVERNMENT-OWNED DAILY "THE HERALD" PRINTED THE FULL TEXT OF THE ZIMBABWE DEMOCRACY AND ECONOMIC RECOVERY ACT (ZDERA) OF 2001 AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ON DECEMBER 4. THE TEXT OF THE BILL WAS PUBLISHED ACCURATELY AND FULLY. THE "HERALD" ALSO PUBLISHED THE HOUSE INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS COMMITTEE REPORT URGING HOUSE APPROVAL OF THE BILL. ¶2. THE NEWSPAPER OFFERED THE FOLLOWING INTRODUCTION TO THE BILL: "THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF MISINFORMATION ABOUT THE ZDERA, WITH SOME SECTIONS OF THE MEDIA SAYING THAT SMART SANCTIONS WOULD TARGET SPECIFIC INDIVIDUALS AND THEIR FAMILIES AND THAT THE MAJORITY OF ZIMBABWEANS WOULD NOT BE AFFECTED. CONTRARY TO THAT VIEW, THE BILL SEEKS TO ECONOMICALLY STRANGLE ZIMBABWE AND ITS CITIZENS, ESPECIALLY WITH ITS INTENDED INFLUENCE OVER THE OPERATIONS OF THE IMF AND THE WORLD BANK." SULLIVAN UNCLASSIFIED >