LETTER TO PRESIDENT THABO MBEKI FROM MDC LEADER

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 002687 SIPDIS NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR JENDAYI FRAZER LONDON FOR CGURNEY PARIS FOR CNEARY NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/20/2012 TAGS: OPDC PREL ZI SUBJECT: LETTER TO PRESIDENT THABO MBEKI FROM MDC LEADER TSVANGIRAI SIPDIS REF: HARARE 2620 Classified By: Political Section Chief Matt Harrington. Reasons: 1.5 (B) and (D). ¶1. (c) As reported reftel, we received a copy of a letter sent by MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai to South African President, Thabo Mbeki. The letter was delivered in person to President Mbeki's office by Tsvangirai's special advisor. As of November 20, Tsvangirai had not yet received a response. ¶2. (c) Begin Text of Tsvangirai-Mbeki letter: 8th November, 2002 His Excellency President Thabo Mbeki Republic of South Africa I greet you in the name of African brotherhood. Your Excellency, I write to you to raise a few issues of concern to ourselves as party to the dialogue co-sponsored by yourselves and President Obasanjo. I want to believe that we all accept that there is a political crisis in Zimbabwe emanating from the presidential election that was not conducted in a free and fair manner. Your Excellency as member of the Commonwealth troika are party to the March 2002 decision of the organization to suspend Zimbabwe, (government),from the councils of the same resulting from its failure to uphold certain principles concerning the conduct of elections. We in the party salute your decision and indeed your boldness to arrive at it. Indeed the election in Zimbabwe was not free and fair and the political crisis in the country is about a stolen election and is therefore a crisis of legitimacy. In-spite of the outcome we further salute your intervention through the inter-party dialogue initiative, which without your wisdom would not have taken place. The crisis of legitimacy in Zimbabwe remains compounding the crisis of governance that has been with us for some time now. The very acceptance by the parties to enter into dialogue on the agreed agenda is a recognition that there is a political crisis in the country needing resolution through dialogue. I still believe that dialogue is ultimately inevitable to the resolution of the crisis in Zimbabwe. Your Excellency while appreciating your role in trying to resolve the crisis in Zimbabwe I wish to raise here two issues of concern to us in the party. Firstly, I note that since the inter-party dialogue stalled many South African government delegations have visited Zimbabwe engaging the ZANU(PF) government. The last such delegation was led by Foreign Minister, Nkosazana Zuma, not too long ago. We in the party do not mind your continued engagement of the government on the various issues concerning the political crisis in the country. However, we believe that if Your Excellency recognizes that the political crisis in the country still persists and that you still consider yourself as an impartial broker to the resolution of the crisis then South African government delegations to the country engaging the ZANU(PF) government should also take the courtesy of at least allowing a briefing from ourselves as party to the effort to finding a resolution of the crisis. I believe that the failure by the various South African government delegations to engage our party compromises your image as an impartial broker. Secondly, I note with concern the statement by Foreign Minister, Nkosazana Zuma, during her last visit to Zimbabwe in which she says that South Africa does not see any signs of a looming bloodbath in Zimbabwe. I want to believe that her statement was irresponsible. We in the party have made all efforts and against all odds to contain public anger by counseling patience on a restless population. But we could be reaching a stage where that may no longer be possible especially given the increasing arrogance of the ZANU(PF) government on the one hand and the growing impatience of the masses on the other hand. I want to believe that the Minister's statement is unfortunate and therefore should be withdrawn. Your Excellency, the Zimbabwe crisis is real and needs resolution rather than management. I avail myself, Your Excellency, this opportunity to renew the assurances of my highest consideration. Yours Sincerely, Morgan Tsvangirai President End Text SULLIVAN