RULING PARTY STEPS UP ATTACKS AGAINST NGOS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 002337

SIPDIS

NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR J. FRAZER
LONDON FOR C. GURNEY
PARIS FOR C. NEARY
NAIROBI FOR T. PFLAUMER

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/23/2012
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL EAID ECON ASEC ZI ZANU PF
SUBJECT: RULING PARTY STEPS UP ATTACKS AGAINST NGOS

REF: HARARE 2311

Classified By: Political Officer Audu Besmer for reasons 1.5 b/d

SUMMARY:
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1. (C) A recent ZANU-PF theft of WFP food in Nsiza and GOZ
orders to halt NGO food distribution in Binga come amid a
looming general GOZ crackdown on NGOs. In mid September the
GOZ issued a notice for all NGOs to register with the
Ministry of Social Welfare, or cease operations. It appears
that the GOZ is cracking down on NGOs that embarrass or are
critical of government. A tightening crackdown against NGOs
distributing food under the WFP program would be the most
troubling, as it would lead to starvation. End Summary.

RULING PARTY DISRUPTS NGO FOOD DISTRIBUTION
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2. (U) On October 4 local authorities ordered Save the
Children U.K. to halt food distribution in the Matabeleland
North town of Binga, five months after forcing the Catholic
Commission for Justice and Peace (CCJP) to stop distribution
efforts in the same town. Authorities accused both
organizations of supporting the opposition MDC--a charge they
both deny as contrary to their policy of political
neutrality. However, according to a Catholic priest in
Binga, two CCJP volunteers who did community organizing and
food distribution work in the Binga area, and were paid a
stipend of ZWD$5,000 (about US$5.00) per month, won MDC
council seats in the September rural council elections.
Zimbabwe Country Director of Save the Children, UK., Chris
McIvor, met with the Minister of Social Welfare and other GOZ
officials last week and is optimistic about restarting their
food distribution in Binga soon. Tarcisius Zimbiti, Zimbabwe
Country Director of the CCJP, said he was waiting for the
"dust to settle" before pursuing a restart of their feeding
programs. According to Chris Bowley, Emergencies Manager at
Save the Children UK., Binga has not received food for the
past two months. On October 16, the independent Daily News
reported that two people in Binga had died recently of
starvation, and that school children were fainting at their
desks from hunger.


3. (U) On October 18, ZANU-PF supporters in Insiza stole
three metric tons of food from WFP implementing partner the
Organization of Rural Associations for Progress (ORAP),and
distributed it to ZANU-PF supporters. WFP halted all food
distribution in Insiza and requested assurances from GOZ
against further incidents of this kind. Insiza will host a
parliamentary by-election on October 26-27. (More details on
this incident are provided reftel).

CRACKDOWN ON NGOs
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4. (C) The Insiza theft, and Binga halt orders come amid a
general crackdown on NGOs and moves to control their
activities. Recently addressing the 51st ordinary session of
the ruling party, President Mugabe acknowledged the integral
role of NGOs in assistance programs, but accused some NGOs of
inappropriately campaigning for a change of the 'elected'
government. On October 18, the state-controlled newspaper
The Herald, reported the Minister of Social Welfare, July
Moyo as saying there were some NGOs whose agenda was mainly
to destabilize the country and the government was not going
to allow such covert activities. The state-controlled
newspaper, The Sunday Mail, and The Herald, have recently
carried a barrage of criticism of Amani Trust, a prominent
human rights organization which counsels torture victims and
publicizes human rights violations, for being funded by the
UK. and U.S. and for "being involved in the politics of
Zimbabwe." On October 13, Information Minister Jonathan Moyo
was quoted in The Sunday Mail as saying, "we must now do
something about all these NGOs which are receiving British
dirty money to destabilize Zimbabwe."


5. (C) In mid September the GOZ issued a notice requiring all
NGOs to register with the Ministry of Social Welfare under
the Private Voluntary Organizations (PVO) Act, or cease
operations. The registration process takes about 8 months
and NGOs complain it allows the GOZ to direct their programs
by giving the GOZ access to NGO budgets, funding sources, and
allowing GOZ representation on NGO governing boards. Most
NGOs are currently registered as trusts with the Registrar of
Deeds and enjoy relative freedom from formal GOZ control.
The PVO Act, which has been in force in current form since
1996, is very broad, covering any organization providing
social services, development or relief assistance, or legal
aid. Some private companies might be covered, but trusts,
churches, schools, and health services providers are
excepted. There are differing interpretations over which
organizations the Act actually covers. Most NGOs have
ignored the registration requirement but it is clear that the
GOZ now intends to enforce it. To clarify enforcement
issues, the Attorney General's office is re-drafting the
legislation and is supposed to have a version ready in the
coming weeks. (Note: While the National Association of NGOs
(NANGO) has submitted language, the AG's office has not
consulted formally with any NGOs and it seems likely, given
the high-profile politics of this issue, that the new
legislation will be even more draconian than the present.
End Note.)

COMMENT:
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6. (C) It appears that the GOZ intends to crack down on NGOs
it considers thorns in its side--those that are openly
critical of government, that publicize information which
embarrasses the government or that the government does not
fully control. The GOZ also appears unwilling to tolerate
NGOs with any connection to the MDC, although it does not
apply the same standard to NGOs who employ, or are connected
to ZANU-PF members. Many organizations funded by the U.S.
Government which play a key role in treating human rights
victims and keeping space open for expression of alternative
views are likely to comprise the hit list. Most NGOs with
which we cooperate are biding their time, hoping their input
into the new law will make it palatable. If this effort
fails, we suspect they will try to find a way around the
registration requirement or go underground.


7. (C) Further attacks, and a tightening crackdown against
NGOs distributing food under the WFP program would be the
most troubling, as slowing or halting their operations would
most likely lead to starvation in affected areas. End
Comment.
SULLIVAN