ZIMBABWE GOVERNMENT EXTENDS CRACKDOWN ON

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 000655 SIPDIS NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR JENDAYI FRAZER LONDON FOR CHARLES GURNEY PARIS FOR BISA WILLIAMS NAIROBI FOR TERRY PFLAUMER E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/06/11 TAGS: PHUM PGOV PINS PINR ZI MDC SUBJECT: ZIMBABWE GOVERNMENT EXTENDS CRACKDOWN ON OPPOSITION REF: HARARE 558 CLASSIFIED BY CHARGE D'AFFAIRES EARL M. IRVING FOR REASONS: 1.5 (B) AND (D). SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. (C) SINCE FEBRUARY 1, THE GOVERNMENT OF ZIMBABWE (GOZ) HAS INTENSIFIED AND EXPANDED THE SCOPE OF ITS INTIMIDATION CAMPAIGN IN URBAN AREAS. IT HAS SENT ARMY AND POLICE UNITS INTO TOWNSHIPS NEAR HARARE TO INDISCRIMINATELY BEAT PEOPLE IN THEIR HOMES AND PUBLIC PLACES. ON FEBRUARY 3, POLICE SQUASHED A SMALL, BUT PEACEFUL DEMONSTRATION AGAINST MEDIA ATTACKS WITH OVERWHELMING POLICE FORCE. ON FEBRUARY 4 AND 5 IT BEGAN TARGETING PROMINENT MEMBERS OF THE OPPOSITION MDC FOR BEATINGS AND ARREST. THE GOZ'S LEVEL OF INTIMIDATION IS NOW HIGHER THAN AT ANY TIME SINCE LAST YEAR'S PRE- ELECTION PERIOD. IF THE GOZ SUCCESSFULLY CLAMPS DOWN ON THE OPPOSITION AS A POLITICAL FORCE, OPPOSITION SOURCES FEAR EXTREMIST MEMBERS OF THE URBAN POPULACE MAY RESORT TO ISOLATED ACTS OF VIOLENCE TO VENT THEIR ANGER. END SUMMARY. RENEWAL OF INDISCRIMINATE BEATINGS -------------- CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 HARARE 00655 01 OF 02 061625Z ¶2. (C) ON THE NIGHT OF FEBRUARY 1, ARMY AND POLICE UNITS DESCENDED ON CHITUNGWIZA, THE SPRAWLING TOWNSHIP 30 KM SOUTH OF HARARE, TO BEAT RESIDENTS, APPARENTLY AT RANDOM. "THE DAILY NEWS" REPORTED THAT SOLDIERS STORMED SEVERAL NIGHTCLUBS AND CLUBBED PARTY-GOERS WITH BATONS, ACCUSING THEM OF BURNING COPIES OF THE GOVERNMENT- INFLUENCED "THE HERALD." IN ANOTHER INCIDENT, SOLDIERS REPORTEDLY RAIDED A RESTAURANT, ORDERED ALL THE PATRONS TO THE FLOOR, AND BEAT THEM WITH BATONS FOR 15 MINUTES. AN EMBASSY SOURCE CONFIRMED THAT MILITARY, NOT POLICE, VEHICLES WERE SEEN ALL OVER CHITUNGWIZA THE NIGHT OF FEBRUARY 1. SOLDIERS RETURNED TO ONE NIGHTCLUB IN THE HIGH-DENSITY AREA ON FEBRUARY 4 AND AGAIN BATTERED ITS PATRONS, ACCORDING TO THE PRESS. THE ATTACKS FOLLOWED A WEEK OF TENSION AND VIOLENCE INVOLVING VENDORS OF THE AFOREMENTIONED RIVAL NEWSPAPERS, WHICH WAS PRECIPITATED BY THE BOMBING OF "THE DAILY NEWS" PRINTING PLANT ON JANUARY 28 (REFTEL). PEACEFUL DEMONSTRATIONS BROKEN UP -------------- ¶3. (U) ON FEBRUARY 2, POLICE USED BATONS AND TEAR GAS TO BREAK UP A DOWNTOWN HARARE DEMONSTRATION BY ABOUT 100 MDC YOUTHS, WHO WERE PROTESTING THE BREAKDOWN OF LAW AND ORDER IN THE COUNTRY. POLICE CHASED AND BEAT UP THE DEMONSTRATORS UNTIL THEY DISPERSED, ACCORDING TO PRESS REPORTS. ¶4. (SBU) THE ZIMBABWE UNION OF JOURNALISTS (ZUJ) MET ON THE EVENING OF FEBRUARY 2 TO ORGANIZE A DEMONSTRATION IN CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 04 HARARE 00655 01 OF 02 061625Z DOWNTOWN HARARE THE NEXT DAY TO PROTEST THE BOMBING OF "THE DAILY NEWS" AND OTHER GOVERNMENT ABUSE OF THE INDEPENDENT MEDIA. ZANU-PF SUPPORTERS VISITED THE MEETING IN AN ATTEMPT TO INTIMIDATE THE GATHERED JOURNALISTS, BUT THEY WERE EVENTUALLY EXPELLED, ACCORDING TO AN EMBASSY SOURCE. EARLY ON FEBRUARY 3, BEFORE THE 100 OR SO JOURNALISTS COULD BEGIN THEIR DEMONSTRATION IN FRONT OF THE AMBASSADOR HOTEL, ABOUT 250 RIOT POLICE HAD ALREADY GATHERED AND ORDERED THE JOURNALISTS TO DISPERSE. THE ZUJ LEADERS CALLED OFF THE PLANNED DEMONSTRATION, SAYING THEY HAD NO CHANCE AGAINST THE POLICE AND WOULD "LIVE TO FIGHT ANOTHER DAY," ACCORDING TO PRESS REPORTS. ARMY AND POLICE TARGET MDC LEADERS -------------- ¶4. (C) "THE DAILY NEWS" REPORTED THAT IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS OF FEBRUARY 5, MEN IN ARMY UNIFORMS BROKE INTO THE HOME OF JOB SIKHALA, THE MDC SECRETARY FOR SECURITY AND MP FOR ST. MARY'S, AND BEAT HIM SEVERELY. SIKHALA'S SISTER AND MAID WERE REPORTEDLY STRUCK WITH CHAINS. SIKHALA MANAGED TO ESCAPE BY HIDING IN AN OUTDOOR TOILET. THE SOLDIERS REPORTEDLY WANTED FROM SIKHALA INFORMATION ABOUT THE MDC'S PRESIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PTQ6763 PAGE 01 HARARE 00655 02 OF 02 061625Z ACTION AF-00 INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AID-00 AMAD-00 ACQ-00 CIAE-00 INL-00 DINT-00 DODE-00 DOTE-00 SRPP-00 DS-00 EB-00 EUR-00 FAAE-00 FBIE-00 VC-00 H-01 TEDE-00 INR-00 IO-00 LAB-01 L-00 VCE-00 AC-01 NSAE-00 OIC-02 OMB-01 OPIC-01 PA-00 PM-00 PRS-00 ACE-00 P-00 SP-00 IRM-00 SSO-00 STR-00 TRSE-00 USIE-00 PMB-00 DSCC-00 PRM-01 DRL-02 G-00 NFAT-00 SAS-00 /010W -------------- C1ADA1 061626Z /38 O 061626Z FEB 01 FM AMEMBASSY HARARE TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8178 INFO NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY AMEMBASSY NAIROBI C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 02 HARARE 000655 SIPDIS NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR JENDAYI FRAZER LONDON FOR CHARLES GURNEY PARIS FOR BISA WILLIAMS NAIROBI FOR TERRY PFLAUMER E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/06/11 TAGS: PHUM PGOV PINS PINR ZI MDC CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 HARARE 00655 02 OF 02 061625Z SUBJECT: ZIMBABWE GOVERNMENT EXTENDS CRACKDOWN ON OPPOSITION ELECTION STRATEGY. IN A FEBRUARY 6 MEETING, THE HARARE DATT ASKED ARMY AND AIR FORCE OFFICERS ABOUT THE MILITARY'S SUPPOSED INVOLVEMENT IN SIKHALA'S BEATING. ONE ARMY OFFICER SAID NO SOLDIERS WERE DEPLOYED TO ST. MARY'S, BUT ADMITTED THAT THE NATIONAL REACTION FORCE, WHICH COMPRISES SOLDIERS AND POLICEMEN, WAS INVOLVED. THE OFFICER STRESSED THAT ALL MEMBERS OF THE NRF WEAR THE SAME UNIFORM, IMPLYING THAT IT WAS POLICEMEN WHO CONDUCTED THE RAID. ¶5. (C) ON FEBRUARY 5, POLICE ARRESTED THE MDC'S NATIONAL YOUTH CHAIRMAN, NELSON CHAMISA, AND CHARGED HIM WITH INCITING VIOLENCE AT RALLIES IN HARARE'S HIGH- DENSITY SUBURBS OF GLEN NORAH AND KAMBUZUMA THE PREVIOUS WEEK. CHAMISA WAS BOOKED AT WATERFALLS POLICE STATION, BUT WAS LATER TRANSFERRED TO A LOCATION THAT THE POLICE REFUSED TO DISCLOSE, MDC SECRETARY-GENERAL WELSHMAN NCUBE TOLD US. NCUBE SAID THAT CHAMISA TOLD HIM THAT HE WAS AFRAID WE WOULD BE TAKEN TO GOROMONZI PRISON AND TORTURED. CHAMISA WAS LATER LOCATED AT HARARE CENTRAL PRISON AND IS DUE TO APPEAR IN COURT FEBRUARY 7. WHILE ADDRESSING SUPPORTERS IN HARARE ON FEBRUARY 4, CHAMISA HAD CRITICIZED THE MILITARY AND POLICE FOR BEATING UP INNOCENT PEOPLE IN HARARE'S HIGH-DENSITY SUBURBS THE PREVIOUS WEEK. ¶6. (C) THE FEBRUARY 6 "THE HERALD" REPORTED THAT POLICE ARRESTED MDC VICE-PRESIDENT GIBSON SIBANDA ON FEBRUARY 5 CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 HARARE 00655 02 OF 02 061625Z FOR INCITING VIOLENCE AT AN MDC RALLY AT BULAWAYO'S WHITE CITY STADIUM THE PREVIOUS DAY. SIBANDA, WHO WAS ACCOMPANIED BY LAWYER AND MDC MP DAVID COLTART, WAS BRIEFLY QUESTIONED, CHARGED WITH INCITING VIOLENCE, THEN RELEASED, WELSHMAN NCUBE TOLD US. THE POLICE ARE ALSO CONSIDERING PRESSING CHARGES AGAINST NCUBE HIMSELF, WHO ALSO SPOKE AT THE RALLY. NCUBE STATED THAT SIBANDA'S REMARKS WERE MISQUOTED BY "THE HERALD" AND TWISTED AROUND BY THE POLICE. SIBANDA HAD REALLY STATED THAT "WE MUST DEFEND OURSELVES, THAT IT IS RIGHT TO ACT IN SELF-DEFENCE," AND THAT "IT'S NOT UNLAWFUL TO HIT (WAR VETERANS LEADER) CHENJERAI HUNZVI IF HE HITS YOU FIRST," ACCORDING TO NCUBE. COMMENT -------------- ¶7. (C) THE LEVEL OF GOZ-SPONSORED INTIMIDATION IS NOW HIGHER THAN AT ANY TIME SINCE LAST YEAR'S PRE-ELECTION PERIOD. THE SCOPE AND INTENSITY OF THE INTIMIDATION CAMPAIGN, AND THE INCREASING INVOLVEMENT OF MILITARY UNITS, IS A FLASHING SIGN OF THE GOZ'S GROWING DESPERATION--AND DETERMINATION--TO DEFEAT THE MDC. WE ARE HEARING RUMORS THAT MUGABE MAY RESIGN AS EARLY AS APRIL THIS YEAR AND CALL A SNAP ELECTION THAT WOULD CATCH THE MDC OFF-GUARD. SUCH A MOVE IS PLAUSIBLE, CONSIDERING THE INTENSITY OF THE CAMPAIGN AGAINST THE MDC'S STRONGHOLDS AND THE MDC ITSELF. A CAMPAIGN OF URBAN VIOLENCE WAS THE FINAL STAGE IN THE GOZ'S WAVE OF INTIMIDATION IN THE RUN-UP TO LAST YEAR'S PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS. IT IS DIFFICULT TO IMAGINE THE GOZ CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 04 HARARE 00655 02 OF 02 061625Z MAINTAINING THIS LEVEL OF VIOLENCE IN THE URBAN AREAS WITHOUT RISKING A GREATER BACKLASH FROM URBAN RESIDENTS, WHO WILL BE KEY TO ANY PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION. HOWEVER, IF THE GOZ SUCCESSFULLY CLAMPS DOWN ON THE OPPOSITION AND DESTROYS IT AS A POLITICAL FORCE, WHICH APPEARS TO BE ITS INTENTION, OUR CONTACTS IN THE OPPOSITION FEAR THAT EXTREMIST MEMBERS OF THE OPPOSITION OR URBAN POPULACE MAY RESORT TO ISOLATED, RANDOM ACTS OF VIOLENCE TO VOICE THEIR ANGER. WE CANNOT RULE OUT THE KILLING OF POLICE OR ARMY OFFICERS, OR EVEN ATTEMPTS ON THE LIVES OF GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, IN THE NEAR- TO MEDIUM-TERM. WE DO NOT, HOWEVER, ANTICIPATE THAT FOREIGNERS WILL BE THE TARGETS OF THESE ACTS. END COMMENT. IRVING CONFIDENTIAL >