GOVERNMENT OF ZIMBABWE (GOZ) BUYS PAS BUILDING

UNCLAS HARARE 000632 SIPDIS STATE FOR AF/PD FOR CEFIRD, LWKOENGESTER, AF/S FOR DELISI, MRAYNOR E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KPAO ZI SUBJECT: GOVERNMENT OF ZIMBABWE (GOZ) BUYS PAS BUILDING ¶1. SUMMARY. GOZ HAS PURCHASED THE BUILDING HOUSING PAS HARARE AND IS EVICTING ALL THE OTHER TENANTS BUT EXEMPTING PAS. IT IS STILL UNCLEAR IF THE BUILDING WILL BE USED BY THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS OR THE MININSTRY OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT. LONG TERM PAS EMPLOYEES HAVE SUGGESTED SEVERAL SCENARIOS TO EXPLAIN WHY PAS IS EXEMPTED FROM THE MOVE, NONE OF THEM FAVORABLE FOR PUBLIC AFFAIRS. SEVERAL SCENARIOS ARE POSSIBLE AFTER THE GOZ MOVES IN AFTER SEPT 30, 2004. THIS IS AN INFORMATION CABLE AND NO ACTION IS REQUESTED AT THIS TIME. END SUMMARY. ¶2. PAS IS LOCATED OUTSIDE THE EMBASSY ON A DOWNTOWN STREET IN AN OLDER BUILDING WITH PAS ON THE FIRST AND SECOND FLOORS AND OTHER TENANTS ON THE FLOORS ABOVE. WHILE PAS HAS A DOOR DESIGNATED FOR ITS USE, IT SHARES A COMMON LOBBY AND HAS ONLY A STAIR RAIL BETWEEN THE LOBBY AND THE STAIRS LEADING TO THE FIRST FLOOR. EVERYONE COMING TO PAS IS IN CLEAR VIEW OF EVERYONE IN THE LOBBY. ¶3. LONG TERM FSNS REACTED BADLY TO THIS NEWS. THE LOBBY ISSUE IS RIGHT ON THE TOP OF THEIR FEARS. IF THE GOZ FOLLOWS ITS NORMAL POLICY THEY WILL BE SETTING UP THEIR GUARDS TO MONITOR ENTRANCE INTO THEIR OFFICES AND THIS COULD MAKE OUR PATRONS LEERY OF COMING TO PAS FOR FEAR OF FINDING THEMSELVES ON A LIST. THE OFF-SITE LOCATION OF PAS HAS MADE IT EASY FOR REPORTERS AND ACTIVISTS AND OPPOSITION LEADERS TO COME AND GO WITHOUT BEING NOTICED. THE VERY BUSY STREET AND THE HEAVY TRAFFIC IN AND OUT OF THE PAS IRC AND EDUCATIONAL ADVISING HAS MASKED THEIR COMINGS AND GOINGS. ¶4. FSNS HAVE ALSO VOICED CONCERN THAT THEY WILL BE FOLLOWED, QUESTIONED ABOUT THEIR EMPLOYMENT AND HARASSED. THEY ARE CONVINCED THAT OUR PHONES WILL BE BUGGED AND THERE WILL BE CAMERAS WATCHING US. THEY HAVE ALSO POINTED OUT THAT THE BUILDING CONTROLS OUR ELECTRICITY. THEY HAVE SUGGESTED THAT WE WILL ONLY BE EXEMPT UNTIL IT GETS CLOSER TO ELECTIONS WHEN WE WILL BE ASKED TO MOVE, RESULTING IN A PERIOD OF INACTIVITY DUE TO LACK OF CONNECTIONS, ETC. A SUDDEN MOVE WOULD BE VERY DIFFICULT DUE TO THE NEED FOR SO MANY PHONE LINES, INTERNET CONNECTIVITY ETC. AT THE MOMENT, EVEN GETTING ADDITIONAL PHONE LINES CAN TAKE MONTHS. ¶5. IS ANY OF THIS REASONABLE? POSSIBLY, BUT IT IS ALSO POSSIBLE THAT THE GOZ BOUGHT THE BUILDING BECAUSE IT NEEDED MORE SPACE DOWNTOWN, OR SIMPLY TO KEEP A BETTER EYE ON THE BUILDING ACROSS FROM PAS THAT HOUSES THE OPPOSITION MDC OFFICES. NONETHELESS, WITH ELECTIONS LOOMING IN MARCH AND OUR BELIEF THAT NO FOREIGN REPORTERS WILL BE GIVEN VISAS, PAS HAD BEEN PLANNING ON USING THE NEW DVC EQUIPMENT TO LET THE PRESS SPEAK DIRECTLY TO PEOPLE INVOLVED IN THE ELECTION, INCLUDING ACTIVISTS, NGOS AND POLITICIANS. PAO MET WITH THE INTERNATIONAL AND SOUTH AFRICAN PRESS WHEN IN PRETORIA LAST WEEK. IN ANTICIPATION OF BEING ABLE TO KEEP THE PRESS INVOLVED VIA DVC, WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON GETTING ACCESS TO A 516K LINE THAT SHOULD PRODUCE CLOSE TO TELEVISION QUALITY TRANSMISSION. ONE SUSPECTS THAT THE GOZ WOULD NOT BE HAPPY WITH THIS AND COULD INDEED TRY TO STOP IT BY INTIMIDATION, HAVING US MOVE OR SHUTTING OFF THE POWER. ¶6. AS WE FIND MORE INFORMATION WE WILL KEEP YOU INFORMED. NO ACTION IS REQUESTED AT THIS TIME. UNTIL THE GOZ MOVES IN THIS IS ALL SPECULATIVE. SULLIVAN