Identifier | Created | Classification | Origin |
---|---|---|---|
01HARARE881 | 2001-03-01 15:10:00 | UNCLASSIFIED | Embassy Harare |
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available. 011510Z Mar 01 UNCLASSIFIED PTO4413 PAGE 01 HARARE 00881 011512Z ACTION AF-00 INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AID-00 AMAD-00 ACQ-00 CIAE-00 USNW-00 DINT-00 DODE-00 DOTE-00 SRPP-00 DS-00 EB-00 EUR-00 FAAE-00 FBIE-00 UTED-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 SCT-00 SP-00 IRM-00 STR-00 TEST-00 TRSE-00 USIE-00 PMB-00 DSCC-00 PRM-01 DRL-02 G-00 NFAT-00 SAS-00 /010W ------------------CC2219 011512Z /38 FM AMEMBASSY HARARE TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8323 INFO NSC WASHDC PRIORITY SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY AMEMBASSY NAIROBI |
UNCLAS HARARE 000881 |
1. (SBU) ON MARCH 1, GEORGE WALLS CALLED ON POLOFF TO RELAY THE EVENTS SURROUNDING THE ATTACK ON HIM BY SUSPECTED WAR VETERANS THE NIGHT OF FEBRUARY 23. WALLS IS THE SON OF PETER WALLS, FORMER COMMANDER OF THE RHODESIAN ARMY UNDER THE IAN SMITH REGIME. THE FEBRUARY 26 EDITION OF "THE DAILY NEWS" REPORTED THE ATTACK ON THE YOUNGER WALLS IN A HEADLINE STORY. 2. (SBU) WALLS TOLD POLOFF THAT "THE DAILY NEWS" STORY WAS GENERALLY ACCURATE. AROUND 10:15 PM ON FEBRUARY 23, WHILE WALLS WAS DRIVING TO HIS SUBURBAN HARARE HOME, FOUR MEN IN ANOTHER VEHICLE PULLED A GUN ON HIM AND FORCED HIM TO STOP. THREE OF THE MEN, SHABBILY DRESSED, ACCORDING TO WALLS, GOT OUT AND DEMANDED TO KNOW THE LOCATION OF HIS FATHER. (NOTE: IT WAS REPORTED IN DECEMBER 2000 THAT WALLS' FATHER HAD BEEN SEEN IN ZIMBABWE AT VICTORIA FALLS. THE JUNIOR WALLS SAID IT WAS COMPLETELY FALSE, AS HIS FATHER HAD NOT BEEN TO ZIMBABWE IN 21 YEARS, AND THAT THE AUTHORITIES HAD MISTAKEN A BRITISH NATIONAL NAMED PETER WELLS FOR HIS FATHER. END NOTE.) WALLS STATED THAT THE MEN CLAIMED TO BE "LIBERATION FIGHTERS." HE NEVER CLAIMED THEY WERE CIO OPERATIVES, AS REPORTED IN "THE DAILY NEWS." WALLS SAID HE WOULD NOT KNOW WHAT A CIO AGENT LOOKED LIKE. UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 03 HARARE 00881 011512Z 3. (SBU) WHEN HE DENIED THAT HIS FATHER WAS IN THE COUNTRY, THE THREE MEN PROCEEDED TO BEAT WALLS. ONE STRUCK HIM IN THE FACE WITH AN ELECTRICAL CORD, WHICH PRODUCED A DEEP GASH FROM HIS FOREHEAD TO BELOW HIS RIGHT EYE, AND PUNCHED HIM IN THE FACE. ANOTHER STABBED HIM IN HIS RIGHT THIGH, HE STATED. (COMMENT: WALLS CLEARLY HAD BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED. HIS FACE WAS COVERED WITH BANDAGES AND HE WALKED WITH A NOTICEABLE LIMP. END COMMENT.) THE ATTACKERS WARNED WALLS THAT IF HE REPORTED THE INCIDENT TO THE POLICE, THEY WOULD RETURN AND KILL HIM. A PASSER-BY TOOK WALLS TO THE HOSPITAL, WHERE HE WAS ADMITTED AND TREATED FOR THREE DAYS. THE GASH TO HIS FACE REQUIRED PLASTIC SURGERY, WALLS SAID. HIS SISTER WENT TO THE POLICE AND MADE A STATEMENT. THEY WERE SYMPATHETIC, WALLS REPORTED, BUT HE DID NOT KNOW IF THEY WERE GOING TO INVESTIGATE THE INCIDENT. WALLS SAID HE RECEIVED A THREATENING PHONE CALL THE NIGHT OF FEBRUARY 28. 4. (SBU) POLOFF ASKED WALLS WHAT HE THOUGHT MIGHT HAVE LED TO THE INCIDENT. HE STATED HE DID NOT REALLY KNOW. HIS FATHER IS ACTUALLY LIVING IN SOUTH AFRICA, AND HE BELIEVES THE ZIMBABWEAN AUTHORITIES KNOW THIS. IN FACT, THE CIO HAD SENT HIS FATHER A LETTER THERE 10 YEARS AGO STATING THAT THEY HAD RECOMMENDED TO PRESIDENT MUGABE THAT WALLS BE ALLOWED TO RETURN TO ZIMBABWE. THE PRESIDENT NEVER FORMALLY GAVE PERMISSION, SO THE OLDER WALLS STAYED IN SOUTH AFRICA, THE SON REPORTED. HE ALSO SAID THAT IN APRIL 2000, THREE WELL-DRESSED CIO AGENTS HAD PAID HIM A VISIT AND POLITELY WARNED HIM AGAINST UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 04 HARARE 00881 011512Z PURSUING POLITICAL ACTIVITIES. SINCE THEN, WALLS HAD NOT BEEN THREATENED IN ANY WAY UNTIL NOW. HE SPECULATED THAT UNION WORKERS AT HIS PLANT MAY HAVE HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH IT, BECAUSE ONE OF THEM WARNED HIM A WEEK BEFORE THAT WAR VETERANS WOULD BE COMING AFTER HIM. WALLS SAID THAT WORKERS AT HIS PLANT SOMETIMES GET MILITANT WHEN CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS COME UP, BUT THAT THEY ARE NOT SCHEDULED UNTIL JULY, AND BESIDES, HE IS ONLY A MIDDLE MANAGER AND WOULD BE THE WRONG PERSON TO THREATEN. WALLS TOLD POLOFF THAT HE BELIEVED THE ATTACK HAD BEEN WELL-PLANNED AND ROBBERY WAS DEFINITELY NOT A MOTIVE. 5. (SBU) COMMENT: THE ASSAULT ON WALLS IS UNUSUAL BECAUSE IT OCCURRED IN A LOW-DENSITY SUBURB OF HARARE AGAINST A WHITE PERSON OF SYMBOLIC VALUE, BASED ON WHO HIS FATHER WAS. THAT HE IS APOLITICAL MADE NO DIFFERENCE TO HIS ATTACKERS. GIVEN INCREASED WAR VETERAN ACTIVITY AND A CRACKDOWN ON GOVERNMENT OPPONENTS IN URBAN AREAS, WE SUSPECT THAT THE ATTACK ON WALLS WAS CARRIED OUT TO INTIMIDATE AND STRIKE FEAR INTO URBAN WHITES, A KEY SOURCE OF SUPPORT FOR THE OPPOSITION MOVEMENT FOR DEMOCRATIC CHANGE (MDC). END COMMENT. IRVING UNCLASSIFIED > |