MEDIA REACTION ZIM'S SUSPENSION FROM

UNCLAS HARARE 000751 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'S SUSPENSION FROM COMMONWEALTH HARARE ¶1. MARCH 22 EDITORIALS IN TWO MAINSTREAM NEWSPAPERS DISCUSS AT LENGTH ZIMBABWE'S 12-MONTH SUSPENSION FROM THE COMMONWEALTH. EXCERPTS FOLLOW: ¶2. "WHAT KIND OF DEMOCRACY IS THIS?" THE GOVERNMENT- CONTROLLED DAILY "THE HERALD" (03/22) COMMENTS: "THE BRITISH AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE SO-CALLED WHITE COMMONWEALTH HAVE ACHIEVED WHAT THEY HAVE BEEN FIGHTING FOR - SUSPENSION OF ZIMBABWE FROM THE 54-MEMBER ORGANIZATION. . . WE KNOW, TOO, THAT THIS IS NOT THE END OF THE ANTI-ZIMBABWE GOVERNMENT CAMPAIGN BY THE BRITISH AND ITS WESTERN ALLIES. . . WHILE THE COMMONWEALTH SUSPENSION IS LARGELY SYMBOLIC, IT NEVERTHELESS OPENS THE WAY FOR RABID WESTERN RACISTS TO ACT AGAINST ZIMBABWE ON THE BASIS OF THIS CENSURE. . . SOLIDARITY FROM THE AFRICAN CONTINENT AND THE UNITY OF ALL ZIMBABWEANS WILL CERTAINLY SEE US THROUGH THIS SUSPENSION AND THE SANCTIONS BEING SOLICITED BY THE FORMER COLONIAL WEST." ¶3. "DANKIE SUID-AFRIKA, SIYABONGA, RE A LEBOGA," THE INDEPENDENT WEEKLY "ZIMBABWE INDEPENDENT" (03/22) COMMENTS: ". . .ON MONDAY PRESIDENT THABO MBEKI, ACCOMPANIED BY HIS NIGERIAN COUNTERPART OLUSEGUN OBASANJO, TRIED TO INTEREST ZIMBABWE'S LEADERSHIP IN SOMETHING DEAR TO THE HEARTS OF SOUTH AFRICAN UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 03 HARARE 00751 220828Z POLITICIANS, A GOVERNMENT OF NATIONAL UNITY. . . BOTH LEADERS ARE CONCERNED ABOUT NEPAD, THEIR NEW PARTNERSHIP FOR AFRICA'S DEVELOPMENT PROJECT WHICH STANDS NO CHANCE OF SUCCESS IF PRESIDENT MUGABE CONTINUES TO BEHAVE AS DELINQUENT RULER WITH LITTLE REGARD FOR THE LIVES OR WELFARE OF HIS CITIZENS. . . MBEKI AND OBASANJO SAID IN LONDON THEY INTEND TO REMAIN 'ENGAGED' IN THE SEARCH FOR A SOLUTION TO ZIMBABWE'S CRISIS. THIS SAYS A GREAT DEAL ABOUT MUGABE'S CLAIMS TO LEGITIMACY BASED ON HIS ELECTION 'WIN.' . . .(IN THE) SPACE OF LITTLE UNDER A WEEK, SOUTH AFRICA'S ATTEMPT TO RECOGNIZE THE ELECTION OUTCOME AND PERSUADE THE VICTOR TO BE ACCOMMODATING HAS BEEN TRANSFORMED INTO A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT BALLGAME IN WHICH THE RESTORATION OF DEMOCRACY HAS BECOME THE CHIEF GOAL, BACKED BY THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY. THIS WILL COME AS A SHOCK TO THE SOUTH AFRICANS. BUT WE ARE GRATEFUL TO THEM FOR THE WAY THINGS HAVE TURNED OUT!" SULLIVAN UNCLASSIFIED >