MEDIA REPORT GOZ NEWSPAPER CONDEMNS POLITICAL

UNCLAS HARARE 000216 SIPDIS AF/PD FOR COX AND ROBERTSON; AF/S FOR KRAFT AND SCHLACHTER; AF/RA FOR SWANN; NSC FOR JENDAYI FRAZER E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ZI PREL PHUM SUBJECT: MEDIA REPORT GOZ NEWSPAPER CONDEMNS POLITICAL VIOLENCE; HARARE ¶1. AFTER PUBLISHING AN ARTICLE AND EMBASSY-PLACED "ADVERTORIAL" ABOUT DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING AND HIS MESSAGE OF NONVIOLENCE, THE JANUARY 23 EDITION OF THE GOVERNMENT-CONTROLLED DAILY "THE HERALD" CARRIED AN EDITORIAL IN CALLING FOR PEACE IN THE RUN-UP TO THE MARCH 9 AND 10 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION IN ZIMBABWE. UNDER HEADLINE "WE MUST ALL SUPPORT NON-VIOLENCE," THE PAPER COMMENTS: ¶2. "AS POLITICAL VIOLENCE CONTINUES UNABATED THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY ALL EFFORTS MUST BE MADE TO PRESERVE HUMAN LIFE AND STOP THE SITUATION FROM DETERIORATING ANY FURTHER. ZIMBABWEANS FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE, IRRESPECTIVE OF POLITICAL AFFILIATION, RELIGIOUS BELIEFS, ECONOMIC OR SOCIAL BACKGROUND NEED JOIN HANDS AND SAY NO TO VIOLENCE. . . IT IS INCUMBENT UPON EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US TO ENCOURAGE A CULTURE OF TOLERANCE BY SPEAKING OUT AGAINST THIS EVIL OF VIOLENCE, WHICH HAS SO FAR CLAIMED SEVERAL VALUABLE LIVES. . . ." ¶3. COMMENT: LAUDABLE AS THESE EDITORIAL SENTIMENTS ARE, WE NOTE THAT THE GOVERNMENT- CONTROLLED PRINT AND ELECTRONIC MEDIA CONSISTENTLY BLAME THE OPPOSITION MOVEMENT FOR DEMOCRATIC CHANGE (MDC) PARTY FOR MOST OF THE POLITICAL VIOLENCE IN ZIMBABWE. GOVERNMENT MEDIA REPORTING ON POLITICAL VIOLENCE IS STARKLY AT ODDS WITH THE ASSESSMENT BY THE EMBASSY, AND OTHER NEUTRAL OBSERVERS, THAT THE RULING ZANU-PF PARTY AND ITS SUPPORTERS ARE THE LEADING SOURCE OF POLITICAL VIOLENCE IN ZIMBABWE. UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 03 HARARE 00216 240543Z SULLIVAN UNCLASSIFIED >