MEDIA REACTION COMMONWEALTH TROIKA; HARARE

UNCLAS HARARE 000712 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 COMMONWEALTH TROIKA; HARARE ¶1. THE INDEPENDENT DAILY "THE DAILY NEWS" DEDICATED UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 02 HARARE 00712 191048Z ITS MARCH 19 EDITORIAL TO THE COMMONWEALTH DELIBERATIONS OVER ZIMBABWE. THE GOVERNMENT-CONTROLLED DAILY "THE HERALD" USED ITS EDITORIAL TO DISCOURAGING ZIMBABWEANS FROM EMBARKING ON A THREE-DAY WORK STOPPAGE. EXCERPTS: ¶2. UNDER HEADLINE "COMMONWEALTH MUST BE FIRM ON DEMOCRACY," THE "DAILY NEWS" (03/18) COMMENTS: ". . .TODAY, THE COMMONWEALTH, ON THE BASIS OF A REPORT BY TWO AFRICAN PRESIDENTS AND THE PRIME MINISTER OF AUSTRALIA, MUST DECIDE WHAT TO DO WITH ZIMBABWE'S FUTURE MEMBERSHIP. THEY HAVE A REPORT OF THE COMMONWEALTH OBSERVER GROUP TO THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION AS THE BASIS OF THEIR RECOMMENDATION TO THE HEADS OF GOVERNMENT. THAT REPORT WAS CATEGORICAL IN ITS CRITICISM - SOME MIGHT SAY CONDEMNATION - OF THE CONDUCT OF THE ELECTION. . . THE COMMONWEALTH. . .MUST SEND A LOUD AND CLEAR MESSAGE TO PRESIDENT MUGABE. . . THEY CANNOT AFFORD TO BE EQUIVOCAL WITHOUT RISKING LONG-TERM DAMAGE TO THEIR REPUTATION FOR STICKING TO THEIR OWN RULES. . . ." ¶3. UNDER HEADLINE "STAYAWAY CALL EXTREMELY IRRESPONSIBLE," THE "HERALD" (03/18) COMMENTS: "THE CALL FOR A THREE-DAY NATIONAL STRIKE BEGINNING TOMORROW BY THE ZCTU, AN AFFILIATE OF THE MDC, IS AN EXTREMELY IRRESPONSIBLE STATEMENT THAT FLIES IN THE FACE OF EFFORTS TO REBUILD THE COUNTRY. IN ITS UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 03 HARARE 00712 191048Z OVERZEALOUS CAMPAIGN TO PLEASE ITS DEFEATED PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE, MR. MORGAN TSVANGIRAI, THE CLUELESS LABOR MOVEMENT SHOWS TOTAL DISREGARD FOR THE DEVASTATING EFFECT THE STAYAWAY WILL HAVE ON THE ALREADY FRAGILE ECONOMY IN THE WAKE OF A HIGHLY POLARIZED PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN. . . THE STAYAWAY WILL BE THE FINAL INDICATOR ON WHETHER THE MOSTLY WHITE EMPLOYERS AND INDUSTRIALISTS ARE GOING TO SPURN THE HAND OF FRIENDSHIP EXTENDED BY PRESIDENT MUGABE. . . IF COMPANIES WANT TO SHUT DOWN THEIR OPERATIONS, SO BE IT. BUT LET IT BE KNOWN THAT THEY WILL HAVE LOST ANY GOODWILL THAT THE GOVERNMENT IS TRYING TO EXTEND TO THEM. THEY WILL EITHER BECOME TOTALLY IRRELEVANT IN THE NEW ZIMBABWE AND SHOULD BE SIDELINED COMPLETELY IN THE GENERAL SCHEME OF THINGS. . . AT A TIME WHEN NEGOTIATIONS ARE BEING HELD TO BRIDGE THE RIFT BETWEEN THE RULING ZANU PF AND OPPOSITION MDC, THE ZCTU STRIKE IS ILL ADVISED, PREMATURE, ILL- CONCEIVED AND DESERVES NO SERIOUS ATTENTION. WE DO NOT BELIEVE THAT THE MDC, WHICH HAS AGREED TO ENGAGE ZANU PF IS TALKS, WOULD BE SO PETTY AND NEGOTIATE IN SUCH BAD FAITH. THE OPPOSITION PARTY SHOULD REIN IN ITS DOGS TO GIVE DIALOGUE A CHANCE." SULLIVAN UNCLASSIFIED >