MEDIA REACTION POWELL OP-ED ON ZIM UNDER FIRE;

UNCLAS HARARE 001319 SIPDIS DEPT FOR AF/PDPA FOR DALTON, MITCHELL AND SIMS NSC FOR JENDAYI FRAZER LONDON FOR GURNEY PARIS FOR NEARY NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL KPAO KMDR ZI SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION POWELL OP-ED ON ZIM UNDER FIRE; HARARE ¶1. Under headline "Powell is a slow learner" the government-controlled daily "The Herald" dedicated its June 27 editorial to criticizing Secretary of State Colin Powell for penning a critical op-ed in the "New York Times" on Robert Mugabe's government. Excerpts follow: ¶2. "American Secretary of State Colin Powell, despised throughout the world as a boot-licking Uncle Tom by all self-respecting people of color, is a disappointing slow learner. . .Several important facts must have struck Powell when he was dismissed in South Africa if he had been endowed with a bit of wit. The first is that he is not as powerful and as popular as he fancies himself. The second and most important one is that while the U. S., Britain and Australia top the list of a few countries rabidly opposed to the land reform program in Zimbabwe, they are not the international community. . .We feel that Powell, who is part of the Bush regime, which invaded Iraq and mercilessly slaughtered thousands of unarmed, innocent civilians including women and children, is not the best person to lecture anyone on democracy, rule of law and human rights. . .If Powell really cares about these values, why was he party to the Iraqi invasion? Why is he silent on the dire situation in the DRC and Liberia? As a starting point towards being useful, Powell should advise his cronies in the Bush regime to apologize to the world and the Iraqi people for lying about the situation in Iraqi and waging a senseless and cruel war against that country. . .South African Foreign Affairs spokesman Mr. Ronnie Mamoepa, commenting on Powell's hate campaign against Zimbabwe, said: `I would urge you to ignore Powell.' We concur." SULLIVAN