MEDIA REACTION ZIMBABWE VOTES; HARARE

UNCLAS HARARE 000599 SIPDIS AF/PD FOR COX AND ROBERTSON, AF/S FOR KRAFT AND SCHLACHTER, AF/RA FOR SWANN, INR/R/MR, NSC FOR JENDAYI FRAZER E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ZI PREL PHUM SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION ZIMBABWE VOTES; HARARE UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 02 HARARE 00599 071034Z ¶1. THE INDEPENDENT WEEKLY "THE FINANCIAL GAZETTE" PUBLISHED A STRONGLY WORDED FRONT-PAGE EDITORIAL IN ITS MARCH 7 EDITION. UNDER THE HEADLINE "SHOCK MUGABE" THE NEWSPAPER URGES VOTERS TO TELL PRESIDENT MUGABE TO GO. EXCERPTS FOLLOW: "MARTIN LUTHER KING JUNIOR, THE SLAIN AMERICAN CIVIL RIGHTS ICON, HAD THIS TO SAY IN 1963, THE HEIGHT OF THE STRUGGLE FOR FREEDOM BY UNITED STATES CIVIL RIGHTS GROUPS: 'WE KNOW THROUGH PAINFUL EXPERIENCE THAT FREEDOM IS NEVER VOLUNTARILY GIVEN BY THE OPPRESSOR; IT MUST BE DEMANDED BY THE OPPRESSED.' ZIMBABWE'S LONG- PROMISED MOMENT OF RECKONING HAS FINALLY COME. IT BECKONS ALL PATRIOTIC AND VALIANT CITIZENS TO STAND UP WITH ONE VOICE TO TELL ONE ROBERT MUGABE: MR. PRESIDENT, PLEASE GO AND GO NOW. ".SHOCK THE OLD MAN OF ZIMBABWEAN POLITICS INTO HIS LONG-DELAYED RETIREMENT. WHETHER HE RETIRES TO HIS HOME VILLAGE OF ZVIMBA OR MALAYSIA OR THAILAND IS NOT AN ISSUE. SHOCK HIM BY VOTING OVERWHELMINGLY FOR A NEW ERA THAT IS FIRMLY ANCHORED IN PALPABLE PEACE, JUSTICE AND PROSPERITY - AND NOT IN THE MURDER, RAPE, TORTURE AND STARVATION OF SO MANY INNOCENTS IN THE LAND. SHOCK HIM BY MASSIVELY REJECTING THE POVERTY AND SQUALOR THAT HAVE BECOME YOUR DAILY LIVES IN THIS BRAVE 21ST CENTURY AND IN A COUNTRY SO RICH WITH BOTH MAN-MADE AND GOD'S RESOURCES. SHOCK HIM BY DEMONSTRATING THAT ZANU PF'S DEATH THREATS TO FORCE YOU TO ATTEND HIS MANY RALLIES IN THE PAST MONTH CANNOT AND WILL NOT ALTER YOUR VOTE. UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 03 HARARE 00599 071034Z ".NO ONE ELSE - NO MATTER WHAT ZANU PF AND ITS WAR VETERANS AND MILITIA TELL YOU - WILL EVER KNOW HOW YOU VOTED. YOUR VOTE IS TOTALLY SECRET AND IS YOUR BIGGEST WEAPON TO USHER IN A NEW AND PEACEFUL REVOLUTION IN THE MOTHERLAND, WHICH HAS YEARNED FOR YEARS TO JOIN THE REST OF THE WORLD IN HUMANITY'S HURRIED MARCH TOWARDS A BETTER LIFE FOR ALL. ".DON'T BE AFRAID, DON'T BE INTIMIDATED AND DON'T LOSE HEART. YOUR VOTE, ALL OF YOU ZIMBABWEANS, WILL SINK MUGABE FOREVER AND THERE IS NOTHING HE CAN DO ABOUT THIS." SULLIVAN UNCLASSIFIED >