MEDIA REACTION MUGABE WINS POLL; HARARE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 000689 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 MUGABE WINS POLL; HARARE ¶1. EDITORIALS IN THE GOVERNMENT-CONTROLLED AND THE UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 02 HARARE 00689 01 OF 02 150936Z PRIVATE NEWSPAPERS REMAIN SHARPLY DIVIDED ABOUT PRESIDENT ROBERT MUGABE'S VICTORY IN THE JUST-ENDED PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION IN ZIMBABWE. WHILE THE INDEPENDENT PRESS CHARACTERIZES MUGABE'S VICTORY AS "STOLEN," THE GOVERNMENT-CONTROLLED MEDIA TRUMPETS HIS WIN AS "A TRIUMPH FOR DEMOCRACY." EDITORIAL EXCERPTS FOLLOW: ¶2. UNDER HEADLINE "ELECTION RESULT FLIES IN THE FACE OF CIVILIZATION," THE INDEPENDENT DAILY "THE DAILY NEWS" (03/15) COMMENTS: "PRESIDENT MUGABE HAS MANAGED TO ACHIEVE WHAT TO EVERYBODY LOOKED AN IMPOSSIBILITY: HANGING ON TO POWER WHEN ALL INDICATIONS WERE THAT NEARLY EVERYONE, INCLUDING MANY OF THOSE IN THE INNER CIRCLE OF HIS PARTY, WANTED HIM TO GO. IT WAS AN UNSPOKEN NATIONAL CONSENSUS THAT THE MAN HAD BECOME AN UNSUSTAINABLE LIABILITY TO THE COUNTRY AND SHOULD HAVE NO FURTHER BUSINESS RUNNING THE AFFAIRS OF STATE. IT IS. . .A VERY SAD COMMENTARY ON A MAN WHO ROSE TO POLITICAL PROMINENCE ON THE BASIS OF HIS UNCOMPROMISING ADVOCACY FOR UNIVERSAL SUFFRAGE TO BE SEEN TO HAVE DONE EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO DENY HIS FELLOW CITIZENS THAT VERY RIGHT AS THE ONLY WAY OF ENSURING HE HANGS ON TO POWER AGAINST THE WILL OF HIS COMPATRIOTS. . . THIS ELECTION IS LIKELY TO GO DOWN IN HISTORY AS PROBABLY THE MOST FRAUDULENT POLL IN THE 21ST CENTURY." ¶3. "UNDER HEADLINE "OVER 1,2 M ZIMBABWEANS REFUSE TO UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 03 HARARE 00689 01 OF 02 150936Z BE COERCED," THE INDEPENDENT WEEKLY "ZIMBABWE INDEPENDENT" (03/15) COMMENTS: "'YOU WON THE ELECTION, BUT I WON THE COUNT,' FORMER NICARAGUAN DICTATOR ANASTASIO SOMOZA IS REPORTED AS HAVING ONCE BOASTED. THAT WOULD BE AN APT VIEW OF PRESIDENT MUGABE'S TRANSPARENTLY STOLEN 'VICTORY' IN LAST WEEKEND'S PRESIDENTIAL POLL. . . MEANWHILE, 1,2 MILLION ZIMBABWEANS HAVE DECLARED THEY WILL NOT BE INTIMIDATED OR COERCED AND THAT THEY WON'T ACCEPT MUGABE'S VIOLENT LAND SEIZURES. WE SALUTE THOSE BRAVE PEOPLE." ¶4. UNDER HEADLINE "A TRIUMPH FOR DEMOCRACY," THE GOVERNMENT-CONTROLLED DAILY "THE HERALD" (03/15) COMMENTS: AS EXPECTED ZANU PF CANDIDATE ROBERT MUGABE ROMPED HOME TO VICTORY WITH A MASSIVE VOTE. THAT THE ZANU PF CANDIDATE WON THE PRESIDENCY AND THAT THE SITUATION IS CALM, IS SOMETHING WHICH IS NOT GOING DOWN WELL IN CERTAIN QUARTERS OF THE WESTERN WORLD. ZIMBABWE IS SUPPOSED TO BE EXPERIENCING A BLOODBATH THIS VERY HOUR BECAUSE THE VOTE WAS 'STOLEN' FROM THE MDC. THE VOTE IS VIEWED AS A 'FRAUD.' THE MDC SHOULD HAVE WON, COME WHAT MAY! . . .WE HAVE SAID IN THE PAST THAT THIS WAS THE TIME FOR AFRICA TO MAKE A FINAL STAND ON ITS POLITICAL PROCESSES. AFRICANS MUST OBSERVE AND PASS JUDGEMENT ON THEIR OWN ELECTIONS AND NOT ANYONE ELSE FROM OUTSIDE THE CONTINENT. . . LET US SHOW THE WORLD THAT WE CAN MANAGE OUR OWN AFFAIRS." UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 04 HARARE 00689 01 OF 02 150936Z ¶5. UNDER HEADLINE "ZIMBABWEANS SHAME DETRACTORS," THE BULAWAYO-BASED GOVERNMENT-CONTROLLED DAILY "CHRONICLE" (03/15) COMMENTS: "WE ARE HUMBLED BY THE MATURITY OF ZIMBABWEANS WHO HAVE SHAMED DETRACTORS SUCH AS THE BRITISH AND AUSTRALIANS WHO WERE PREACHING HATE-MONGERING IN ORDER TO INCITE GENOCIDE. ZIMBABWEANS, IN THEIR WISDOM, HAVE SHOWN THE WORLD THAT THEY NEED NOT SHED BLOOD IN ORDER TO MAKE A POLITICAL STATEMENT. IF THERE IS GENOCIDE, THE PEOPLE WHO WILL DIE ARE ZIMBABWEANS AND NOT AUSTRALIANS OR BRITONS. WE URGE THE LOSING CANDIDATES IN THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION TO ACCEPT THAT PRESIDENT MUGABE IS THE PEOPLE'S CHOICE. . . COUNTRIES THAT WANTED TO RE- COLONIZE ZIMBABWE THROUGH THE BACK DOOR HAVE BEEN SHAMED AND WE SHOULD NOT PLAY INTO THEIR HANDS BY ENGAGING IN UNNECESSARY SQUABBLES. NOW IS THE TIME TO PUT OUR HEADS TOGETHER AND MAP THE WAY FORWARD UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED PTQ6412 PAGE 01 HARARE 00689 02 OF 02 150936Z ACTION INR-00 INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AF-00 A-00 ACQ-00 CIAE-00 DODE-00 DS-00 EUR-00 UTED-00 VC-00 TEDE-00 LAB-01 VCE-00 NSAE-00 TEST-00 USIE-00 IIP-00 DSCC-00 DRL-02 NFAT-00 SAS-00 /003W -------------- 7518A3 150936Z /38 P 150925Z MAR 02 FM AMEMBASSY HARARE TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1227 INFO NSC WASHDC AMEMBASSY PRETORIA AMEMBASSY LUSAKA AMEMBASSY WINDHOEK AMEMBASSY GABORONE AMEMBASSY LILONGWE AMEMBASSY LONDON UNCLAS SECTION 02 OF 02 HARARE 000689 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 MUGABE WINS POLL; HARARE AS WE SEEK TO REVIVE THE AILING ECONOMY." UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 02 HARARE 00689 02 OF 02 150936Z SULLIVAN UNCLASSIFIED >