MEDIA REPORT ARMY WARNS SCRIBES; HARARE

UNCLAS HARARE 000090 SIPDIS AF/PD FOR COX, ROBERTSON, SCHLACHTER, AF/S FOR KRAFT, AF/P, INR/R/MR, NSC FOR JENDAYI FRAZER E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PHUM ZI SUBJECT: MEDIA REPORT ARMY WARNS SCRIBES; HARARE ¶1. ZIMBABWE'S MILITARY AND SECURITY CHIEFS HAVE WARNED JOURNALISTS WORKING FOR THE INDEPENDENT PRESS AGAINST PUBLISHING "FALSE REPORTS THAT DISCREDIT THE LEADERSHIP AND MEMBERSHIP OF SECURITY ORGANIZATIONS." ADDRESSING JOURNALISTS IN HARARE ON JANUARY 10, THE COMMANDER OF THE ZIMBABWE DEFENSE FORCES, GENERAL VITALIS ZVINAVASHE, TOLD JOURNALISTS IN NO UNCERTAIN TERMS THAT "ANY REPORTS AND ACTIONS DESIGNED TO CREATE INSTABILITY IN ZIMBABWE WILL BE MET BY THE FULL FORCE OF THE LAW." THIS WARNING COMES BACK- TO-BACK WITH THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE MARCH 9 AND 10, 2002 PRESIDENTIAL POLL DATES BY PRESIDENT ROBERT MUGABE YESTERDAY (JANUARY 9). AT THE PRESS BRIEFING, ALL THE SERVICE CHIEFS FROM THE ZIMBABWE NATIONAL ARMY, THE CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE ORGANIZATION, AIR FORCE OF ZIMBABWE, THE ZIMBABWE REPUBLIC POLICE AND ZIMBABWE PRISON SERVICES FLANKED ZVINAVASHE. ALL THE DEFENSE AND SECURITY FORCE CHIEFS ARE VETERANS OF ZIMBABWE'S WAR OF LIBERATION. WITHOUT MENTIONING NAMES, THE ARMY CHIEF ALSO TOOK THIS BIZARRE OPPORTUNITY TO DECLARE THAT THE ZIMBABWE ARMED FORCES WILL "NOT ACCEPT, LET ALONE SUPPORT OR SALUTE ANYONE" WITHOUT LIBERATION WAR CREDENTIALS. EXCERPTS OF THE STATEMENT FOLLOW: ¶2. ". . .ATTACKS ON INDIVIDUALS BASED ON CONTRIVED INFORMATION BY THE MEDIA USING SECURITY ORGANIZATION SYSTEMS BREED MISUNDERSTANDINGS, MISTRUST, DIVISIONS AND UNDERMINE THE CREDIBILITY OF THE SECURITY ORGANIZATIONS. . .WHILST IT IS KNOWN THAT MEDIA HOUSES ARE IN BUSINESS, THEY MUST NOT GENERATE PROFITS OUT OF FALSE REPORTS THAT DISCREDIT THE LEADERSHIP AND MEMBERSHIP OF SECURITY ORGANIZATIONS. . .ANY REPORTS AND ACTIONS DESIGNED TO CREATE INSTABILITY IN ZIMBABWE WILL BE MET BY THE FULL FORCE OF THE LAW. . .TO THIS END, LET IT BE KNOWN THAT THE UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 03 HARARE 00090 101127Z HIGHEST OFFICE ON THE LAND IS A 'STRAIGHT JACKET' WHOSE OCCUPANT IS EXPECTED TO OBSERVE THE OBJECTIVES OF THE LIBERATION STRUGGLE. WE WILL THEREFORE NOT ACCEPT, LET ALONE SUPPORT OR SALUTE ANYONE WITH A DIFFERENT AGENDA THAT THREATENS THE VERY EXISTENCE OF OUR SOVEREIGNTY. . . ." ¶3. THIS STATEMENT HAS ECLIPSED THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION DATES. IT IS THE LEAD STORY IN ALL THE NEWSPAPERS PUBLISHED IN HARARE TODAY (JANUARY 10). THE GOVERNMENT-CONTROLLED DAILY "THE HERALD" CARRIED THE ARTICLE UNDER HEADLINE "NO TO TRAITORS," WITH THE FOLLOWING SUB-TITLE "SERVICE CHIEFS MAKE A STAND," ACCOMPANIED BY TWO BULLETIN TITLES "GAINS OF THE STRUGGLE MUST BE MAINTAINED," AND "POLLS SHOULD BE PEACEFUL." THE INDEPENDENT DAILY "THE DAILY NEWS" PRINTED THE ARTICLE UNDER HEADLINE "ARMY BACKS MUGABE: SAYS IT WILL NOT ACCEPT ANYONE WITHOUT LIBERATION WAR CREDENTIALS." THE INDEPENDENT WEEKLY "THE FINANCIAL GAZETTE" CARRIED THE ARTICLE UNDER HEADLINE "ARMY SHOOTS DOWN TSVANGIRAI." PRESIDENT ROBERT MUGABE AND OPPOSITION MOVEMENT FOR DEMOCRATIC CHANGE (MDC) LEADER MORGAN TSVANGIRAI ARE THE MAJOR CANDIDATES FOR THE MARCH PRESIDENTIAL POLL. SULLIVAN UNCLASSIFIED >