MEDIA REPORT TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS; HARARE

UNCLAS HARARE 001780

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR AF/PD, AF/S, INR/R/MR


E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV KPAO KMDR ZI
SUBJECT: MEDIA REPORT TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS; HARARE



1. Under headline "Ban sanction campaigners" the
government-controlled daily "Chronicle" dedicated its
August 5 editorial to calling on the government of Zimbabwe
to retaliate against the "smart sanctions" imposed by the
European Union and the United States against Robert
Mugabe's administration. Excerpts:


2. ". . .We believe that the government, being the
people's representative, should not let neo-colonialists
have a field day dragging the good name of the country and
its citizens in mud. The time to act is now. It is high
time that the government responded to this wanton blackmail
by first blacklisting the local champions of sanctions
against Zimbabwe, principal among them Morgan Tsvangirai of
the dubious opposition party, MDC (Movement for Democratic
Change). . .If Tsvangirai et al want to continue on their
anti-Zimbabwe crusade, they must travel on British or
American documents because the interests that they are
serving have nothing to do with the people of this country.
We believe, therefore, that the first step that the
government should take is to withdraw the privilege of
using the Zimbabwean passport.

"In addition, politicians from Britain and America
should be barred from coming into this country, as
they only want to poison the populace. We have in
mind, Tony Blair, George Bush and their
Chihuahuas. . .There is no need for the government
to waste resources going to court when it wants to
deport British and American spies. It should just
deport them in the same fashion that Zimbabweans are
being humiliated in the hands of British and
American immigration officials. Why should we
continue to treat enemies with kid gloves when it is
clear that they want to destroy us?"

WHITEHEAD