MDC RALLY BROKEN UP BY POLICE AND ZANU-PF

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 000211 SIPDIS NSC FOR SENIOR DIRECTOR FRAZER PARIS FOR NEARY LONDON FOR GURNEY NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/23/12 TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL ZI NI SUBJECT: MDC RALLY BROKEN UP BY POLICE AND ZANU-PF MILITANTS, WHILE GOZ-PERPETRATED VIOLENCE SPREADS REF: 1/22 KRAFT/HARRINGTON TELCON CLASSIFIED BY POLITICAL SECTION CHIEF MATT HARRINGTON. REASONS: 1.5 (B) AND (D). SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. (C) ON JANUARY 20, ZANU-PF MILITANTS WAITING IN AMBUSH AND POLICE USING TEARGAS BLOCKED A PLANNED MOVEMENT FOR DEMOCRATIC CHANGE (MDC) RALLY IN BULAWAYO. AT LEAST 20 PEOPLE WERE INJURED IN THE MELEE, AND SEVEN ARE REPORTED MISSING. THE DISRUPTION OCCURRED EVEN THOUGH THE MDC HAD APPLIED FOR AND RECEIVED PERMITS THREE WEEKS IN ADVANCE. IN OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY, VIOLENCE CONTINUES TO SPREAD, MORE ROADBLOCKS ARE BEING ERECTED, SAFEHOUSES FOR REFUGEES FROM POLITICAL VIOLENCE ARE BEING RAIDED, AND THE GOZ IS PREPARING TO SEIZE FIREARMS BELONGING TO COMMERCIAL FARMERS, THEREBY REMOVING THEIR LAST LINE OF DEFENSE. END SUMMARY. MDC RALLY BLOCKED -------------- ¶2. (U) POLICE AND ZANU-PF MILITANTS BLOCKED A PLANNED MDC RALLY AT BULAWAYO'S WHITE CITY STADIUM ON JANUARY ¶20. MDC SECRETARY-GENERAL WELSHMAN NCUBE TOLD CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 HARARE 00211 01 OF 02 231638Z JOURNALISTS ZANU-PF SUPPORTERS HAD OCCUPIED THE STADIUM TO PREVENT THE RALLY FROM BEING HELD, WHILE POLICE BEAT AND FIRED TEARGAS AT 8,000 - 10,000 MDC SUPPORTERS WAITING TO ENTER THE STADIUM. ACCORDING TO PRESS REPORTS, AT LEAST 20 MDC SUPPORTERS WERE INJURED IN THE MELEE, AND ONE OF THE VICTIMS WAS ADMITTED TO AN INTENSIVE CARE UNIT WITH A SERIOUS HEAD INJURY. SEVEN MDC SUPPORTERS WENT MISSING, ACCORDING TO NCUBE. A POLICE SPOKESMAN DENIED CHARGES OF PARTISANSHIP, CLAIMING THAT THE POLICE HAD ACTED TO "STOP VIOLENCE BETWEEN SUPPORTERS OF TWO PARTIES." ¶3. (C) MDC VICE-PRESIDENT GIBSON SIBANDA, WHO WAS THE SENIOR PARTY OFFICIAL SCHEDULED TO ADDRESS THE RALLY, TOLD POLITICAL SECTION CHIEF THAT THE MDC HAD INFORMED THE POLICE THREE WEEKS IN ADVANCE OF THE PLANNED RALLY AND HAD OBTAINED PERMITS AUTHORIZING THE EVENT FROM BOTH THE POLICE AND THE CITY COUNCIL. ACCORDING TO SIBANDA, THE NIGHT BEFORE THE RALLY, SEVERAL HUNDRED ZANU-PF SUPPORTERS CAMPED OUT INSIDE THE STADIUM IN A CLEAR ATTEMPT TO DISRUPT THE FOLLOWING DAY'S RALLY. SIBANDA CLAIMED GOVERNMENT VEHICLES TRANSPORTED THE GROUP THERE AFTER ATTENDING A ZANU-PF RALLY ADDRESSED BY VICE-PRESIDENT JOSEPH MSIKA AND RULING PARTY COMMISSAR ELLIOTT MANYIKA IN INYATHI, 50 KM NORTHEAST OF BULAWAYO. SIBANDA SAID THERE WAS NO QUESTION IN HIS MIND THAT MSIKA AND MANYIKA HAD INSTRUCTED THEIR SUPPORTERS TO BLOCK THE RALLY. AFTER HE AND MDC SECRETARY-GENERAL WELSHMAN NCUBE FAILED TO CONVINCE THE SIPDIS SENIOR POLICE OFFICER PRESENT TO EVICT THE ZANU-PF SUPPORTERS INSIDE SO THAT THE RALLY COULD TAKE PLACE, A CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 04 HARARE 00211 01 OF 02 231638Z MELEE ENSUED BETWEEN THE IRATE MDC SUPPORTERS OUTSIDE AND THE RIOT POLICE, WITH THE FORMER THROWING STONES AND THE LATTER FIRING TEARGAS AND BEATING PEOPLE IN THE CROWD. IN ADDITION TO THE PERSON ADMITTED TO THE INTENSIVE CARE UNIT, SIBANDA SAID A NUMBER OF MDC SUPPORTERS HAD BEEN STABBED. VIOLENCE SPREADS -------------- ¶4. (C) MEANWHILE, WAR VETERANS AND THE RECENTLY- INAUGURATED YOUTH BRIGADES HAVE CONTINUED TO EXPAND THEIR CAMPAIGN EFFORTS ON BEHALF OF ZANU-PF. PHYSICAL VIOLENCE CONTINUES TO BE THE PRIMARY TACTIC OF CHOICE. ON JANUARY 13, MDC MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT WAS STABBED IN THE ABDOMEN BY A GROUP OF ZANU-PF SUPPORTERS AFTER THEY ABDUCTED HIM FROM LUPANE BUSINESS CENTER, ABOUT 160 KILOMETERS NORTHWEST OF BULAWAYO. HE WAS DUMPED SIX KILOMETERS FROM THE BUSINESS CENTER, UNCONSCIOUS AND BLEEDING. ACCORDING TO LEARNMORE JONGWE, THE MDC'S SPOKESMAN, ZANU-PF MILITANTS KILLED THREE MDC MEMBERS AND A FOURTH PASSERBY IN ZAKA DISTRICT, MASVINGO PROVINCE, OVER THE PAST WEEK. AT THE CENTRAL BUS CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PTQ3544 PAGE 01 HARARE 00211 02 OF 02 231639Z ACTION AF-00 INFO LOG-00 AID-00 CIAE-00 DODE-00 WHA-00 SRPP-00 EAP-00 EB-00 EUR-00 VC-00 H-01 TEDE-00 INR-00 IO-00 L-00 AC-01 NSAE-00 NSCE-00 OIC-02 OMB-01 PA-00 PM-00 PRS-00 ACE-00 P-00 SP-00 SSO-00 SS-00 STR-00 TRSE-00 T-00 USIE-00 SNIS-00 NISC-00 PMB-00 PRM-00 DRL-02 G-00 SAS-00 /007W -------------- 5BFE11 231639Z /26 O 231608Z JAN 02 FM AMEMBASSY HARARE TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0775 INFO SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY PRIORITY AMEMBASSY ABUJA PRIORITY AMEMBASSY CANBERRA PRIORITY AMEMBASSY KINGSTON PRIORITY AMEMBASSY OTTAWA PRIORITY AMEMBASSY NAIROBI PRIORITY AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA PRIORITY NSC WASHDC PRIORITY C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 02 HARARE 000211 SIPDIS NSC FOR SENIOR DIRECTOR FRAZER PARIS FOR NEARY LONDON FOR GURNEY NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/23/12 CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 HARARE 00211 02 OF 02 231639Z TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL ZI NI SUBJECT: MDC RALLY BROKEN UP BY POLICE AND ZANU-PF MILITANTS, WHILE GOZ-PERPETRATED VIOLENCE SPREADS TERMINAL IN RUSAPE, ABOUT 200 KM SOUTHEAST OF HARARE, PEOPLE READING INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPERS AND THOSE UNABLE TO PRODUCE ZANU-PF MEMBERSHIP CARDS HAVE BEEN BEATEN, IN THE FULL VIEW OF POLICE, WHO IN MOST CASES REPORTEDLY STOOD IDLY BY. ACCORDING TO NUMEROUS ANECDOTAL REPORTS, SIMILAR INCIDENTS OF BEATINGS PERPETRATED PREDOMINANTLY BY ZANU-PF SUPPORTERS -- INCLUDING INFLICTION OF SERIOUS PHYSICAL INJURY -- ARE HAPPENING NATIONWIDE. WE HAVE EVEN RECEIVED FIRST- HAND REPORTS OF ZANU-PF SUPPORTERS BEATING RULING PARTY MEMBERS WHO ARE NOT MILITANT ENOUGH OR HAVE THE GALL TO MAINTAIN GOOD RELATIONS WITH PEOPLE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE POLITICAL AISLE. ¶5. (C) IN ADDITION, WE RECEIVE REGULAR REPORTS OF ROADBLOCKS BEING ERECTED AROUND THE COUNTRY, MOSTLY AWAY FROM MAIN THOROUGHFARES IN MORE ISOLATED AREAS, WHERE VEHICLE OCCUPANTS NOT IN POSSESSION OF ZANU-PF CARDS ARE SUBJECTED TO PHYSICAL AND VERBAL ABUSE. IN SOME CASES, THOSE MANNING THE ROADBLOCKS SEIZE NATIONAL IDENTITY DOCUMENTS OF THOSE WHO CANNOT PRODUCE ZANU-PF CARDS, MEANING THEY MAY BE UNABLE TO VOTE IN THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION. ¶6. (C) IN ANOTHER RECENT DEVELOPMENT THAT HAS CAUSED STRONG CONCERN AMONG HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVISTS, THE GOVERNMENT OF ZIMBABWE HAS ZEROED IN ON SAFEHOUSES CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 HARARE 00211 02 OF 02 231639Z OPERATED BY THE WELL-RESPECTED HUMAN RIGHTS ORGANIZATION AMANI TRUST FOR VICTIMS OF POLITICAL VIOLENCE. THE GOVERNMENT-CONTROLLED MEDIA HAVE RUN VITRIOLIC FRONT-PAGE STORIES DURING THE PAST WEEK DESCRIBING THE SAFEHOUSES AS "KILLER HOUSES" INTENDED TO HIDE MDC MURDERERS AND PERPETRATORS OF VIOLENCE WANTED BY THE POLICE. AMANI TRUST DIRECTOR TONY REELER TOLD US THAT "THE GUYS IN DARK GLASSES" HAVE SHOWN UP AT MANY OF THE SAFEHOUSES ASKING QUESTIONS AND DEMANDING WRITTEN RECORDS. GIVEN THE INFLAMMATORY TONE OF THE RECENT PRESS ARTICLES, REELER FULLY EXPECTS THE WAR VETERANS OR YOUTH BRIGADES TO ATTACK THE OCCUPANTS SOON. TO TRY TO PREEMPT SUCH AN ATTACK, AMANI TRUST IS DIVIDING THE OCCUPANTS -- MANY OF WHOM HAVE BEEN BADLY INJURED OR SEVERELY TRAUMATIZED -- INTO SMALLER GROUPS AND MOVING THEM TO NEW LOCATIONS. ¶7. (C) COMMERCIAL FARMERS WHOSE PROPERTIES HAVE BEEN DESIGNATED RECEIVED LETTERS FROM THEIR RESPECTIVE REGIONAL POLICE COMMANDERS ON JANUARY 18 ORDERING THEM TO SURRENDER ALL OF THEIR FIREARMS, LICENSED OR NOT, BY FEBRUARY 4. THE LEGAL PROVISION ON WHICH THE GOZ HAS BASED THIS MOVE IS APPARENTLY FULL OF HOLES, BUT WE UNDERSTAND THE GOZ PLANS TO ISSUE A STATUTORY INSTRUMENT (DECREE) LEGALIZING THE SEIZURES. (NOTE: WE HAVE ALSO RECEIVED AN UNCONFIRMED REPORT THAT THE CIO HAS CONFISCATED SOME WEAPONS AND LICENSES, WITHOUT ISSUING RECEIPTS, IN THE FEATHERSTONE AREA 100 KM SOUTH OF HARARE, ALTHOUGH THIS REPORTEDLY IS NOT YET GOZ POLICY. END NOTE.) IAN COCHRAN, A COMMERCIAL FARMER IN KAROI, WHICH HAS BEEN PARTICULARLY BADLY AFFECTED BY CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 04 HARARE 00211 02 OF 02 231639Z THE LAND INVASIONS, TOLD POLITICAL SECTION CHIEF HE WAS EXTREMELY DISTURBED BY THIS NEW REQUIREMENT, AS HIS FIREARMS PROVIDED HIS FAMILY'S ONLY PROTECTION IN THE CHAOTIC ENVIRONMENT PREVAILING IN HIS REGION. IF FORCED TO COMPLY, HE SAID HE AND HIS FAMILY WOULD LEAVE THE COUNTRY. IN THE MEANTIME, COCHRAN AND A NUMBER OF OTHER FARMERS ARE ENCOURAGING THE COMMERCIAL FARMERS UNION TO CHALLENGE THE POLICE ACTION IN COURT. SULLIVAN CONFIDENTIAL >