MEDIA REPORT "WEST BIASED AGAINST ZIMBABWE";

UNCLAS HARARE 000292 SIPDIS AF/PD FOR COX, ROBERTSON, SCHLACHTER, AF/S FOR KRAFT, AF/P, INR/R/MR, NSC FOR JENDAYI FRAZER E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ZI PREL PHUM SUBJECT: MEDIA REPORT "WEST BIASED AGAINST ZIMBABWE"; HARARE ¶1. UNDER HEADLINE "WEST BIASED AGAINST ZIMBABWE: SOME LOCAL SCRIBES HAVE BECOME MASCOTS OF NEO-COLONIALISM," THE JANUARY 31 EDITION OF THE GOVERNMENT-CONTROLLED DAILY "THE HERALD" CARRIED AN OPINION PIECE BY OLLEY MARUMA THAT IS CRITICAL OF THE U. S. FOREIGN POLICY. ARTICLE EXCERPTS FOLLOW: ¶2. ". . .WHAT IS BAFFLING IS WHY THE AMERICANS ARE PREPARED TO TAKE PUNITIVE MEASURES AGAINST THE ZIMBABWE ARMY, WHEN THEY ARE QUITE PREPARED TO CO-OPERATE WITH PEREZ MUSHARAF. . .A MAN WHO USURPED POWER THROUGH A MILITARY COUP? IS IT BECAUSE ZIMBABWE IS A SMALL AFRICAN STATE THAT SHOULD BE TREATED LIKE A VASSAL. . . ? ALTHOUGH MUSHARAF'S GOVERNMENT USES A WIDE RANGE OF LEGAL AND CONSTITUTIONAL POWERS TO CURB PRESS FREEDOM, THE AMERICAN CONGRESS STILL HAS NOT COME UP WITH A PAKISTANI DEMOCRACY BILL. IN PAKISTAN, THE AUTHORITIES HAVE FREQUENTLY DETAINED AND THREATENED JOURNALISTS, INTERFERED WITH NEWSPAPER DISTRIBUTION. . .BUT THE ONLY WORDS WE HAVE HEARD ABOUT MUSHARAF FROM AMERICAN OFFICIALS ARE GLOWING TRIBUTES ABOUT HIS COURAGE IN FIGHTING TERRORISM. . .IN SEPTEMBER 2001, PAKISTAN BANNED CABLE OPERATIONS FROM AIRING INDIAN CABLE AND SATELLITE TV CHANNELS ON THE GROUNDS THAT THE INDIAN MEDIA WAS PROMOTING 'ANTI-PAKISTAN PROPAGANDA.' BUT WHEN ZIMBABWE AUTHORITIES CLOSE DOWN A PIRATE RADIO STATION BECAUSE IT IS OPERATING WITHOUT A LICENSE, THEIR ACTIONS ARE VILIFIED ALL OVER THE WEST AND THEY ARE ACCUSED OF 'SUPPRESSING THE MEDIA. . .' ANOTHER LEADER WHO HAS ESCAPED CENSURE FOR HER DUBIOUS USURPATION OF POWER IS THE PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES, GLORIA ARROYO. . .THE REASON BOTH MRS. ARROYO AND GENERAL MUSHARAF HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY CENSURE FROM AMERICAN OFFICIALS FOR THEIR USURPATION OF UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 03 HARARE 00292 012228Z POWER IS THAT THEY ARE BOTH SERVING AMERICAN SECURITY, ECONOMIC AND STRATEGIC INTERESTS. BOTH. . .HAVE ALLOWED THEIR TERRITORIES TO BE USED BY AMERICAN TROOPS TO FIGHT THE ABU SAYYAF AND THE TALIBAN RESPECTIVELY. SO WHY THE DEMONIZATION OF PRESIDENT MUGABE AND HIS GOVERNMENT? HE HAS BROKEN OUT OF THE STRAIGHTJACKET OF KOWTOWING TO AMERICAN AND BRITISH INTERESTS. HE HAS CHANGED THE BALANCE OF POWER IN SOUTHERN AFRICA TOWARDS THE BLACKS BY MAKING THEM MASTERS OF THEIR OWN LAND. . . ." SULLIVAN UNCLASSIFIED >