MEDIA REACTION ZIM PRESIDENTIAL POLL; HARARE

UNCLAS HARARE 000617 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 ZIM PRESIDENTIAL POLL; HARARE UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 02 HARARE 00617 082343Z ¶1. AS THE COUNTDOWN TO ZIMBABWE'S PRESIDENTIAL POLL COMES TO A CLOSE, THIS ELECTION CONTINUES TO DOMINATE EDITORIAL COLUMNS IN MOST MAINSTREAM NEWSPAPERS. SAMPLES OF THE EDITORIALS FOLLOW: ¶2. UNDER HEADLINE "THE CHOICE IS SIMPLE: BETWEEN A FIST AND A PALM," THE MARCH 8 EDITION OF THE INDEPENDENT WEEKLY THE "ZIMBABWE INDEPENDENT" COMMENTS: "THE CHOICE THIS WEEKEND COULDN'T BE MORE SIMPLE: BETWEEN THE FIST ON THE ONE HAND AND THE OUTSTRETCHED PALM ON THE OTHER. BETWEEN VIOLENCE AND PEACE. THIS IS A CHOICE BETWEEN TWO DIAMETRICALLY OPPOSED SYSTEMS. BETWEEN A BLIND AND MALIGNANT NATIONALISM ROOTED IN THE PAST, AND A FUTURE FULL OF PROMISE BASED ON DEMOCRACY AND RESPECT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS. MAKE NO MISTAKE, SHOULD PRESIDENT ROBERT MUGABE WIN ANOTHER SIX-YEAR TERM ZIMBABWEANS WILL BE DEPRIVED OF THEIR HOPE FOR SOMETHING BETTER. . ." ¶3. UNDER HEADLINE "REPORTS OF RIGGING MERE FABRICATIONS," THE MARCH 8 EDITION OF THE GOVERNMENT- CONTROLLED DAILY "THE HERALD" COMMENTS: ".ALREADY, THE OPPOSITION MDC AND ITS WESTERN MASTERS HAVE LAUNCHED A MASSIVE PROPAGANDA BLITZ THAT THIS WEEKEND'S PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION WILL BE A FRAUD. . . THAT IS TO BE EXPECTED, FOR IT IS PART OF THEIR AGENDA TO CRITICIZE ANYTHING THAT IS NOT IN THEIR FAVOR. . . WE APPEAL TO ALL REGISTERED VOTERS TO TURN UP IN THEIR UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 03 HARARE 00617 082343Z THOUSANDS AND CAST THEIR VOTES TOMORROW AND SUNDAY. THEY SHOULD IGNORE WHAT THE OTHER FORCES ARE SAYING. THEY ARE ONLY BENT ON DISTURBING ZIMBABWE'S PEACE. ZIMBABWEANS NEED TO GIVE AN EMPHATIC NO TO THOSE WHO WANT TO REVERSE THE GAINS OF INDEPENDENCE AND TO RE- COLONIZE THE COUNTRY. WE ARE SURE THAT WHEN ALL THIS HULLABALOO IS OVER, ZIMBABWEANS WILL HAVE BEEN DECLARED THE WINNER. WHAT ZIMBABWEANS DESPERATELY NEED IS PEACE AND CALM." ¶4. AFTER RUNNING AN ARTICLE ACCUSING THE UNITED STATES AND BRITAIN OF MASTERMINDING "A MAJOR MILITARY OFFENSIVE" AGAINST THE MUGABE ADMINISTRATION IF IT REMAINS IN POWER AFTER THE PRESIDENTIAL POLL, THE BULAWAYO GOVERNMENT-CONTROLLED DAILY "CHRONICLE" DEDICATED ITS MARCH 8 EDITORIAL TO CALLING ON ZIMBABWEANS, ESPECIALLY THOSE LIVING IN MATABELELAND, TO RESIST BEING PLUNGED INTO ANOTHER ARMED CONFLICT. UNDER HEADLINE "SAY NO TO WAR," THE PAPER COMMENTS: ". . .FORMER COLONIAL MASTERS BRITAIN AND THEIR RACIST COUSINS, THE UNITED STATES, ARE PREPARING A MILITARY ATTACK ON ZIMBABWE. ONCE AGAIN MATABELELAND IS BEING USED AS THE SCAPEGOAT. THE DISTURBANCES IN THE EARLY 1980S. . .ARE BEING USED AS THE 'REASON' FOR THE INSURGENCY. TO PLAN MILITARY ACTION BASED ON FLIMSY 'EVIDENCE' AND A HISTORY THAT ALL CONCERNED ARE TRYING TO RESOLVE AMICABLY IS HYPOCRISY AT ITS WORST. WE DEMAND THAT BRITAIN AND THE U.S. COME CLEAN ON THIS ONE FOR ZIMBABWEANS WILL NOT JUST LOOK WHILE THEY ATTACK US. . . BRITAIN AND THE U.S. ARE BACK TO THEIR EVIL UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 04 HARARE 00617 082343Z WAYS. THEY ALWAYS GO FOR THE TRIBAL CARD. THEY HAVE DONE SO IN BURUNDI, SOMALIA, ANGOLA AND RWANDA. THE NEXT TARGET IS ZIMBABWE. . . THIS TIME THE PEOPLE OF MATABELELAND SHOULD VOTE EN MASSE AGAINST ATTEMPTS TO RETURN THEM TO WAR. THEY SHOULD SAY NO TO WAR." SULLIVAN UNCLASSIFIED >