MEDIA REPORT ARMY STANCE CRITICIZED; HARARE

UNCLAS HARARE 000136 SIPDIS AF/PD FOR COX, ROBERTSON, SCHLACHTER, AF/S FOR KRAFT, AF/P, INR/R/MR, NSC FOR FRAZER E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PHUM ZI SUBJECT: MEDIA REPORT ARMY STANCE CRITICIZED; HARARE ¶1. EDITORIALS IN JANUARY 11 EDITIONS OF THE INDEPENDENT DAILY "THE DAILY NEWS" AND THE INDEPENDENT WEEKLY "ZIMBABWE INDEPENDENT," HAVE CRITICIZED A STATEMENT ISSUED BY THE ZIMBABWE DEFENSE FORCES ON JANUARY 9 THAT THEY WOULD NOT ACCEPT A PRESIDENT WITHOUT A CREDIBLE LIBERATION WAR RECORD. EXCERPTS FOLLOW: ¶2. UNDER HEADLINE "ARMY IS ATTEMPTING TO BLACKMAIL VOTERS," THE "DAILY NEWS" COMMENTS: ". . .MAKE NO MISTAKE, FOLLOWING WEDNESDAY'S BLOOD- CURDLING DECLARATIONS BY THE ARMY GENERALS, DEMOCRACY IN THIS COUNTRY IS NO LONGER IN THE INTENSIVE CARE UNIT. DEMOCRACY IS DEAD. . .WE SHALL POINTEDLY IGNORE COMMANDER OF THE ZDF, GENERAL VITALIS ZVINAVASHE'S DECLARATION ABOUT THE COUNTRY'S SECURITY ORGANIZATIONS BEING PREPARED TO 'ONLY STAND IN SUPPORT OF THOSE POLITICAL LEADERS THAT WILL PURSUE ZIMBABWEAN VALUES, TRADITIONS AND BELIEFS FOR WHICH THOUSANDS OF LIVES WERE LOST IN PURSUIT OF ZIMBABWE'S HARD-WORN INDEPENDENCE.' WE DISMISS THAT WITH THE CONTEMPT IT DESERVES. . . ." ¶3. UNDER HEADLINE "ZVINAVASHE CONDUCTS COUP AGAINST DEMOCRACY," THE "ZIMBABWE INDEPENDENT" COMMENTS: "IN A DISGRACEFUL BETRAYAL OF HIS CONSTITUTIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES GENERAL VITALIS ZVINAVASHE DECLARED ON WEDNESDAY THE ARMED FORCES WILL ONLY SUPPORT LEADERS WHO FOUGHT IN THE LIBERATION STRUGGLE. IN OTHER WORDS THEY WILL REFUSE TO SUPPORT THE VERDICT OF THE ZIMBABWEAN PEOPLE IF IT GOES AGAINST PRESIDENT MUGABE IN THE MARCH (9 AND 10) POLL. BY STATING THAT THE UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 03 HARARE 00136 141243Z ARMED FORCES WILL NOT 'SUPPORT OR SALUTE ANYONE WITH A DIFFERENT AGENDA THAT THREATENS THE VERY EXISTENCE OF OUR SOVEREIGNTY, OR COUNTRY AND OUR PEOPLE,' ZVINAVASHE HAS IN EFFECT CARRIED OUT A COUP AGAINST THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS. . .ZVINAVASHE'S COMMENTS CLEARLY MARK ANOTHER MILESTONE IN THE COUNTRY'S DESCENT INTO TYRANNY. A MILITARY COMMAND THAT OPENLY TELLS THE PEOPLE OF ZIMBABWE THAT IT WILL NOT HONOR THEIR DEMOCRATICALLY- EXPRESSED WISHES IS ONE THAT IMMEDIATELY FORFEITS THEIR CONFIDENCE. . .THIS LATEST EXAMPLE OF THE PROSTITUTION OF STATE POWER WILL BE A LITMUS TEST FOR SADC AND ZIMBABWE'S FRIENDS ABROAD. THEY MUST NOT CONTINUE TO INDULGE A REGIME THAT HOLDS THE WILL OF ITS PEOPLE IN SUCH CONTEMPT IN THE NAME OF A REVOLUTION IT LONG AGO BETRAYED." SULLIVAN UNCLASSIFIED >