Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
02HARARE678
2002-03-14 12:42:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Harare
Cable title:
COMMONWEALTH OBSERVER GROUP GIVES
how-toThis record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available. CONFIDENTIAL PTO4508 PAGE 01 HARARE 00678 141252Z ACTION AF-00 INFO LOG-00 NP-00 ACQ-00 CIAE-00 INL-00 DODE-00 WHA-00 DS-00 EAP-00 OIGO-00 VC-00 TEDE-00 INR-00 VCE-00 DCP-01 NSAE-00 SSO-00 SS-00 EPAE-00 DSCC-00 DRL-02 NFAT-00 SAS-00 /003W ------------------7479C3 141252Z /38 FM AMEMBASSY HARARE TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1215 INFO EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE PRIORITY NSC WASHDC PRIORITY AMEMBASSY CANBERRA PRIORITY AMEMBASSY OTTAWA PRIORITY SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L HARARE 000678
SIPDIS
STATE FOR AF, PDAS BELLAMY; ALSO FOR AF/S
PRETORIA PLEASE PASS A/S KANSTEINER
NSC FOR SENIOR DIRECTOR FRAZER
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/20/04
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM ZI
SUBJECT: COMMONWEALTH OBSERVER GROUP GIVES
THUMBS-DOWN ON ZIMBABWEAN ELECTION
CLASSIFIED BY DCM REWHITEHEAD DUE TO 1.5 (B) AND (D).
REF: HARARE 665
C O N F I D E N T I A L HARARE 000678
SIPDIS
STATE FOR AF, PDAS BELLAMY; ALSO FOR AF/S
PRETORIA PLEASE PASS A/S KANSTEINER
NSC FOR SENIOR DIRECTOR FRAZER
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/20/04
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM ZI
SUBJECT: COMMONWEALTH OBSERVER GROUP GIVES
THUMBS-DOWN ON ZIMBABWEAN ELECTION
CLASSIFIED BY DCM REWHITEHEAD DUE TO 1.5 (B) AND (D).
REF: HARARE 665
1. (U) AFTER A ONE-HOUR DELAY, COMMONWEALTH OBSERVER
GROUP (COG) HEAD OF MISSION ABDULSALAMI ABUBAKAR READ TO
THE ASSEMBLED PRESS AND DIPLOMATIC CORPS IN INTERIM
STATEMENT ON THE ZIMBABWEAN ELECTION THAT WAS SHORT BUT
CERTAINLY NOT SWEET TO GOZ EARS. ABUBAKAR REMARKED ON
THE COMMONWEALTH'S ENGAGEMENT IN TRYING TO RESOLVE TO
THE ZIMBABWEAN "CRISIS" SINCE ABUJA AND SAID THAT THE
COG TERMS OF REFERENCE REQUIRED THAT IT PRONOUNCE ON THE
ELECTORAL PROCESS AND WHETHER OR NOT THE ELECTION
ALLOWED THE FREE EXPRESSION OF THE VOTERS' WILL.
2. (U) ON THE FIRST POINT, HE SAID THAT COG HAD BEEN
DEEPLY IMPRESSED BY THE DETERMINATION OF ZIMBABWEANS TO
EXERCISE THEIR DEMOCRATIC RIGHTS UNDER "DIFFICULT
CONDITIONS." HE CONTINUED THAT A HIGH LEVEL OF
POLITICALLY MOTIVATED VIOLENCE MARRED THE PRE-ELECTION
PERIOD, MOST OF IT PERPETRATED BY SUPPORTERS/MEMBERS OF
THE RULING PARTY AGAINST SUPPORTERS/MEMBERS OF THE
OPPOSITION. HE SPECIFICALLY CITED YOUTH MILITIA
ORGANIZED BY THE GOZ OSTENSIBLY AS A TRAINING PROGRAM
THAT HAD CARRIED OUT A "SYSTEMATIC CAMPAIGN OF
INTIMIDATION AGAINST THE MDC." THIS HAD CREATED A
"CLIMATE OF FEAR AND SUSPICION."
3. (U) ABUBAKAR SAID THAT POLICE HAD NOT TAKEN ACTION
AGAINST OR INVESTIGATED INCIDENTS OF VIOLENCE AND BEEN
"HIGH-HANDED" WITH THE MDC AND "LENIENT" TO ZANU-PF.
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 03 HARARE 00678 141252Z
THIS HAD ADVERSELY AFFECTED THE RULE OF LAW IN ZIMBABWE.
4. (U) HE NEXT STATED THAT THE LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORK
FOR THE ELECTION WAS BASICALLY FLAWED. THE PUBLIC
OORDER AND SECURITY ACT IN PARTICULAR HAD PREVENTED FREE
MOVEMENT AND FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND HAD NOT ALLOWED THE
OPPOSITION TO CAMPAIGN. THE STATEMENT CITED OTHER
REGULATIONS HAD KEPT CIVIL SOCIETY FROM PLAYING ITS
NORMAL ROLE, INCLUDING UNNECESSARY RESTRICTIONS THAT
PREVENTED DEPLOYMENT OF DOMESTIC OBSERVERS. THERE WAS A
LACK OF TRANSPARENCY IN THE REGISTRATION PROCESS. THE
STATEMENT CRITICIZED THE WIDE DISCRETION GIVEN THE
REGISTRAR GENERAL AND SAID THAT THE INCUMBENT PARTY HAD
USED STATE RESOURCES FOR ITS CAMPAIGN, IN PARTICULAR THE
GOVERNMENT'S NEAR MONOPOLY ON THE BROADCAST MEDIA.
5. (U) THE STATEMENT CONTINUED THAT MANY COULD NOT VOTE
BECAUSE OF THE REDUCTION OF POLLING STATIONS IN URBAN
AREAS. SUCH A PHENOMENON DID NOT EXIST IN RURAL AREAS.
ABUBAKAR CITED "INEXPLICABLE" DELAYS IN HONORING A HIGH
COURT RULING TO OPEN POLLING STATION FOR A THIRD DAY OF
VOTING IN HARARE AND CHITUNGWIZA. THE REPORT CONCLUDED
THAT "CONDITIONS IN ZIMBABWE DID NOT ADEQUATELY ALLOW
FREE EXPRESSION OF THE WILL OF THE ELECTORS."
6. (C) THE AUSTRALIAN HIGH COMMISSIONER AND AN
AUSTRALIAN MEMBER OF COG TOLD US THAT THE HARD-HITTING
STATEMENT HAD BEEN THE FOCUS OF INTENSE WRANGLING, WITH
NAMIBIAN AND KENYAN DELEGATES (AND TO A LESSER DEGREE
THE SOUTH AFRICANS) ALIGNED AGAINST ALL OTHER MEMBERS OF
THE DELEGATION, INCLUDING OTHER AFRICANS. THEIR
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 04 HARARE 00678 141252Z
ATTEMPTS TO DELETE LANGUAGE CRITICAL OF THE GOZ FAILED
WHEN THE OTHERS THREATENED TO BRING THE ISSUE TO A VOTE
AND FORCE THEM TO WALK OUT. THE AUSTRALIAN OBSERVER
SAID THAT HE DID NOT THINK THAT IT HAD ULTIMATELY COME
TO THAT, BUT THAT CONSENSUS WAS BY NO MEANS UNIVERSAL.
HE ADDED THAT THERE WOULD BE AN EVEN MORE BRUISING
STRUGGLE OVER THE DRAFT OF THE FINAL REPORT, WHICH WILL
CONTAIN A RECOMMENDATION ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT ZIMBABWE
SHOULD BE SUSPENDED FROM THE COMMONWEALTH.
7. (C) COMMENT. DESPITE ITS INTERNAL RIFTS, THE
COMMONWEALTH HAS JOINED RANKS WITH SADC-PF AND THE
NORWEGIANS IN PUBLICLY CONDEMNING THE CONDITIONS UNDER
WHICH THE ELECTION TOOK PLACE (REFTEL),AND BY EXTENSION
CALLING INTO QUESTION ITS LEGITIMACY. THIS OUTCOME
GENERATED CONSIDERABLE EMOTION. THE AUSTRALIAN OBSERVER
FUMED THAT HE FOUND IT INCONCEIVABLE THAT SOME OF THE
AFRICAN OBSERVERS WOULD ARGUE THAT AFRICAN ELECTIONS
SHOULD BE JUDGED BY MORE LENIENT STANDARDS THAN
ELECTIONS HELD ELSEWHERE IN THE WORLD.
SULLIVAN
CONFIDENTIAL
>
SIPDIS
STATE FOR AF, PDAS BELLAMY; ALSO FOR AF/S
PRETORIA PLEASE PASS A/S KANSTEINER
NSC FOR SENIOR DIRECTOR FRAZER
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/20/04
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM ZI
SUBJECT: COMMONWEALTH OBSERVER GROUP GIVES
THUMBS-DOWN ON ZIMBABWEAN ELECTION
CLASSIFIED BY DCM REWHITEHEAD DUE TO 1.5 (B) AND (D).
REF: HARARE 665
1. (U) AFTER A ONE-HOUR DELAY, COMMONWEALTH OBSERVER
GROUP (COG) HEAD OF MISSION ABDULSALAMI ABUBAKAR READ TO
THE ASSEMBLED PRESS AND DIPLOMATIC CORPS IN INTERIM
STATEMENT ON THE ZIMBABWEAN ELECTION THAT WAS SHORT BUT
CERTAINLY NOT SWEET TO GOZ EARS. ABUBAKAR REMARKED ON
THE COMMONWEALTH'S ENGAGEMENT IN TRYING TO RESOLVE TO
THE ZIMBABWEAN "CRISIS" SINCE ABUJA AND SAID THAT THE
COG TERMS OF REFERENCE REQUIRED THAT IT PRONOUNCE ON THE
ELECTORAL PROCESS AND WHETHER OR NOT THE ELECTION
ALLOWED THE FREE EXPRESSION OF THE VOTERS' WILL.
2. (U) ON THE FIRST POINT, HE SAID THAT COG HAD BEEN
DEEPLY IMPRESSED BY THE DETERMINATION OF ZIMBABWEANS TO
EXERCISE THEIR DEMOCRATIC RIGHTS UNDER "DIFFICULT
CONDITIONS." HE CONTINUED THAT A HIGH LEVEL OF
POLITICALLY MOTIVATED VIOLENCE MARRED THE PRE-ELECTION
PERIOD, MOST OF IT PERPETRATED BY SUPPORTERS/MEMBERS OF
THE RULING PARTY AGAINST SUPPORTERS/MEMBERS OF THE
OPPOSITION. HE SPECIFICALLY CITED YOUTH MILITIA
ORGANIZED BY THE GOZ OSTENSIBLY AS A TRAINING PROGRAM
THAT HAD CARRIED OUT A "SYSTEMATIC CAMPAIGN OF
INTIMIDATION AGAINST THE MDC." THIS HAD CREATED A
"CLIMATE OF FEAR AND SUSPICION."
3. (U) ABUBAKAR SAID THAT POLICE HAD NOT TAKEN ACTION
AGAINST OR INVESTIGATED INCIDENTS OF VIOLENCE AND BEEN
"HIGH-HANDED" WITH THE MDC AND "LENIENT" TO ZANU-PF.
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 03 HARARE 00678 141252Z
THIS HAD ADVERSELY AFFECTED THE RULE OF LAW IN ZIMBABWE.
4. (U) HE NEXT STATED THAT THE LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORK
FOR THE ELECTION WAS BASICALLY FLAWED. THE PUBLIC
OORDER AND SECURITY ACT IN PARTICULAR HAD PREVENTED FREE
MOVEMENT AND FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND HAD NOT ALLOWED THE
OPPOSITION TO CAMPAIGN. THE STATEMENT CITED OTHER
REGULATIONS HAD KEPT CIVIL SOCIETY FROM PLAYING ITS
NORMAL ROLE, INCLUDING UNNECESSARY RESTRICTIONS THAT
PREVENTED DEPLOYMENT OF DOMESTIC OBSERVERS. THERE WAS A
LACK OF TRANSPARENCY IN THE REGISTRATION PROCESS. THE
STATEMENT CRITICIZED THE WIDE DISCRETION GIVEN THE
REGISTRAR GENERAL AND SAID THAT THE INCUMBENT PARTY HAD
USED STATE RESOURCES FOR ITS CAMPAIGN, IN PARTICULAR THE
GOVERNMENT'S NEAR MONOPOLY ON THE BROADCAST MEDIA.
5. (U) THE STATEMENT CONTINUED THAT MANY COULD NOT VOTE
BECAUSE OF THE REDUCTION OF POLLING STATIONS IN URBAN
AREAS. SUCH A PHENOMENON DID NOT EXIST IN RURAL AREAS.
ABUBAKAR CITED "INEXPLICABLE" DELAYS IN HONORING A HIGH
COURT RULING TO OPEN POLLING STATION FOR A THIRD DAY OF
VOTING IN HARARE AND CHITUNGWIZA. THE REPORT CONCLUDED
THAT "CONDITIONS IN ZIMBABWE DID NOT ADEQUATELY ALLOW
FREE EXPRESSION OF THE WILL OF THE ELECTORS."
6. (C) THE AUSTRALIAN HIGH COMMISSIONER AND AN
AUSTRALIAN MEMBER OF COG TOLD US THAT THE HARD-HITTING
STATEMENT HAD BEEN THE FOCUS OF INTENSE WRANGLING, WITH
NAMIBIAN AND KENYAN DELEGATES (AND TO A LESSER DEGREE
THE SOUTH AFRICANS) ALIGNED AGAINST ALL OTHER MEMBERS OF
THE DELEGATION, INCLUDING OTHER AFRICANS. THEIR
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 04 HARARE 00678 141252Z
ATTEMPTS TO DELETE LANGUAGE CRITICAL OF THE GOZ FAILED
WHEN THE OTHERS THREATENED TO BRING THE ISSUE TO A VOTE
AND FORCE THEM TO WALK OUT. THE AUSTRALIAN OBSERVER
SAID THAT HE DID NOT THINK THAT IT HAD ULTIMATELY COME
TO THAT, BUT THAT CONSENSUS WAS BY NO MEANS UNIVERSAL.
HE ADDED THAT THERE WOULD BE AN EVEN MORE BRUISING
STRUGGLE OVER THE DRAFT OF THE FINAL REPORT, WHICH WILL
CONTAIN A RECOMMENDATION ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT ZIMBABWE
SHOULD BE SUSPENDED FROM THE COMMONWEALTH.
7. (C) COMMENT. DESPITE ITS INTERNAL RIFTS, THE
COMMONWEALTH HAS JOINED RANKS WITH SADC-PF AND THE
NORWEGIANS IN PUBLICLY CONDEMNING THE CONDITIONS UNDER
WHICH THE ELECTION TOOK PLACE (REFTEL),AND BY EXTENSION
CALLING INTO QUESTION ITS LEGITIMACY. THIS OUTCOME
GENERATED CONSIDERABLE EMOTION. THE AUSTRALIAN OBSERVER
FUMED THAT HE FOUND IT INCONCEIVABLE THAT SOME OF THE
AFRICAN OBSERVERS WOULD ARGUE THAT AFRICAN ELECTIONS
SHOULD BE JUDGED BY MORE LENIENT STANDARDS THAN
ELECTIONS HELD ELSEWHERE IN THE WORLD.
SULLIVAN
CONFIDENTIAL
>