Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05DARESSALAAM2321
2005-12-23 15:56:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Dar Es Salaam
Cable title:  

ASSISTANT SECRETARY FRAZER'S DECEMBER 22, 2005

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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 DAR ES SALAAM 002321 

SIPDIS

AF FOR DON YAMAMOTO
ALSO FOR AF/E BYODER AND AF/RSA FOR JNAY
LONDON FOR AFRICA WATCHER

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/22/2015
TAGS: PHUM PGOV PREL TZ
SUBJECT: ASSISTANT SECRETARY FRAZER'S DECEMBER 22, 2005
CONVERSATION WITH TANZANIAN SECRETARY GENERAL OF CIVIC
UNITED FRONT, SEIF SHARIF HAMAD


Classified By: Classified by Assistant Secretary Jendayi Frazer
for reasons 1.4 (b and d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 DAR ES SALAAM 002321

SIPDIS

AF FOR DON YAMAMOTO
ALSO FOR AF/E BYODER AND AF/RSA FOR JNAY
LONDON FOR AFRICA WATCHER

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/22/2015
TAGS: PHUM PGOV PREL TZ
SUBJECT: ASSISTANT SECRETARY FRAZER'S DECEMBER 22, 2005
CONVERSATION WITH TANZANIAN SECRETARY GENERAL OF CIVIC
UNITED FRONT, SEIF SHARIF HAMAD


Classified By: Classified by Assistant Secretary Jendayi Frazer
for reasons 1.4 (b and d).


1. (U) December 22, 5:45 p.m., Dar es Salaam, Tanzania


2. (U) Participants:

U.S.
Jendayi Frazer, Assistant Secretary for African Affairs
Purnell Delly, Charge d'Affaires
Mary Johnson, Political Counselor and Notetaker

TANZANIA
Seif Sharif Hamad, Secretary General of Civic United Front
(CUF)
Ismail Jussa, Advisor and Campaign Manager, CUF

Summary
--------------

3. (C) Seif Sharif Hamad, the Secretary General of the Civic
United Front (CUF) and CUF presidential candidate in the
Zanzibar October 30 elections, told A/S Jendayi Frazer
December 22 that the mood among CUF supporters is "gloomy"
and many youth CUF members may be losing all confidence in
the democratic process. A/S Frazer suggested that CUF reach
out to reconcile with President Karume and the CCM leadership
on Zanzibar, but Hamad adamantly stated neither his CUF
leadership nor members are ready to try a third
reconciliation attempt between the two sides since the
previous efforts (Muafaka I, Muafaka II) did not steer the
CCM from trying to "rig the elections in Zanzibar." In
addition, Hamad stated that human rights abuses by the
Zanzibar security forces were severe both in Pemba after
October 30 and Unguja after the December 14 elections. A/S
Frazer strongly urged Hamad to move quickly to meet with and
speak frankly to Tanzania's newly inaugurated Union
President, Jakaya Kikwete, about the polarization on Zanzibar
between Pemba and Unguja as well as between CUF and CCM. She
stressed that the situation cannot be ignored and a way
forward must be found. End summary.

Election Irregularities, Human Rights Abuses
--------------


4. (C) Seif Hamad relayed to A/S Frazer in detail the severe
election irregularities that had occurred on both October 30
and December 14 election days in Zanzibar and the human
rights abuses in Pika Village of Pemba and Tumbatu Island of

Unguja respectively in the wake of those elections. Hamad
said that homes were looted, persons beaten and women had
been sexually abused. He claimed that hundreds had fled Pika
village to hide in the forest; dozens more had fled from
Tumbatu Island in northern Unguja to other parts of Zanzibar
from December 15 to 18, as militia forces, under the
direction of Zanzibar government, looted homes and beat both
men and women, saying: "Why did you vote for CUF?"


5. (C) Hamad said these abuses are known publicly and in the
press, but no action has been taken to bring any of these
militia members before a court or to be held accountable for
these abuses. Unless action is taken by the Union
authorities, he is convinced these abuses will continue. A/S
Frazer assured Hamad that all alleged human rights abuses
need to be investigated and the perpetrators held
accountable. She promised to raise this concern with both
President Kikwete and President Karume at the earliest
possible opportunity.

Polarization
--------------


6. (C) Hamad stated the only lasting approach to ensuring
that true democracy develops in Zanzibar is to allow the
people to determine their leader. CUF remains convinced that
the Zanzibar Electoral Commission (ZEC) was in collusion with
the ruling CCM party to ensure that Karume would become
president again. Hamad and his policy advisor, Ismail Jussa,
tried to convince A/S Frazer that the division between Pemba
and Unguja has been "artificially created" through election
rigging. They believe that if the polling process in
Zanzibar had been truly free and fair on October 30, CUF
would have won up to 15 seats in the House of Representatives
on Unguja Island which, combined with the 18 seats on Pemba,
would have given CUF 33 seats in the House of
Representatives. Instead only one seat on Unguja was won by
CUF.
CUF Youth Losing Hope
--------------


7. (C) Hamad continued by explaining the difficult challenge
the CUF leadership faces: there is very strong "resistance"
among CUF supporters to a third Muafaka Agreement or any
reconciliation efforts with CCM. If the CUF leadership
starts to push in this direction, it could be regarded as
"selling out." If Hamad and his core leadership do nothing,
"our people will look for other ways." Ismail Jussa
recounted in detail the despondent mood at a recent meeting
of CUF youth members who were saying, "Why should we vote;
they always steal the election anyway. Why should we even
live if we have no hope that it will be any different in
2010?"


8. (C) A/S Frazer stated that if this is what Hamad and the
CUF leadership is facing, it is imperative that Hamad meet
with President Kikwete "very early" to clearly outline CUF's
concerns. When Hamad hesitated, implying that President
Kikwete may only follow in the footsteps of President Mkapa
(words, not action),A/S Frazer said in her view Kikwete is
very different. Former President Mkapa seemed insulated from
international opinion, but she believes President Kikwete
aspires to an international leadership role and as such, will
act to resolve the issue of Zanzibar.


9. (C) The Assistant Secretary inquired if CUF had won enough
seats in the House of Representatives for a majority. Hamad
said that CUF has only 19 seats out of 60 because many of the
seats are appointed. A/S Frazer encouraged Hamad to urge
CUF-elected representatives to play, nevertheless, a positive
and constructive role in the House of Representatives. She
said that President Karume appears to be serious about social
development, especially the recently launched USG initiative
to eradicate malaria in Zanzibar. However, Karume is very
defensive about politics, "possibly because our Ambassador
did not go to his inauguration." She told Hamad that when
she met with Karume, he had acknowledged a division on the
isles and she told him that he needs to work hard toward
reconciliation in Zanzibar.


10. (C) Hamad stated adamantly, &We do not trust CCM.
Karume is the last person we would trust. He says the right
words but he never implements them.8 Jussa outlined how CUF
had worked for three years in the Joint Presidential
Commission (JPC) set up as part of the Muafaka II agreement
and had met many times with President Karume and CCM leaders
in Zanzibar, but "they never followed through." Hamad added
that CUF is convinced that CCM does not like Tanzania's
multiparty system. Although CCM accepted it, maybe because
of international pressure, it nevertheless wants to revert
back to a one-party system.

Pemba and Unguja Divide
--------------


11. (C) A/S Frazer then asked, &How can the two islands come
together; what is the fundamental divide between the isles8?
Hamad reiterated that he believes it is an artificial divide
because CCM decided to "let CUF take Pemba, then worked
through election rigging to take as many seats as possible in
Unguja." He continued: &Hard liners within CCM want to see
Pemba isolated. This dates back to the politics in Zanzibar
before the revolution of 1964." Hamad said in reality there
is no such divide. "Our people intermingle and intermarry;
we all have relatives on both islands," he stated. Assistant
Secretary Frazer noted that Karume had told her that he

SIPDIS
himself had relatives on Pemba.


12. (C) A/S Frazer then asked what the U.S. Government can do
to assist in the Zanzibar situation. Hamad replied that the
harassment and human rights abuses must stop and those
militia members who have looted and raped should be brought
before the law. Next, Karume himself needs to be held
accountable and allow for fair elections to be contested.
Hamad repeated: "There is no need to have a multiparty
election if they only want a one-party state."

Political Growth Takes Time
--------------


13. (C) A/S Frazer replied that in the U.S. it was very
frustrating for African Americans to work within the
political system "because we did not have the numbers and
voters did not look at us as being capable." Until now there
have only been three black Senators. She noted while more
African Americans were elected to the House of
Representatives, those elections were in local
constiuencies. Since the Senate race is statewide, "we have
learned that we have to build coalitions."


14. (C) Hamad replied, "But in our case, the people HAVE
elected us, but we have not been given our chance." Hamad
quipped that African countries seem to be moving ahead and
perfecting the "art of election rigging." He stated that CUF
does not believe that President Kikwete really won 80 percent
of the popular vote in the Union election. He gave the
example of the village of Mwanya, a CUF stronghold, where the
CUF presidential candidate Lipumba only got 47 votes on
December 14. A/S Frazer replied that the "myth of election
rigging" is always on the increase, but "I would caution you.
If you start to question the conduct of the elections on the
Mainland, it would risk putting into question your own
credibility. There were many eyes observing the Mainland
elections and they did not see cheating."

15.(C) A/S Frazer continued, "CUF has leverage with the
international community, and Kikwete may care enough about
maintaining a certain stature in Africa and the world that he
will listen to you regarding the problems on Zanzibar." She
repeated that Kikwete, as Foreign Minister, played a role on
the international scene and she would appeal to the new
President to maintain that position.

CUF Election Report Being Published
--------------

16. (C) Jussa said that CUF has finally completed their
report on the October 30 Zanzibar elections and it will go to
the printer next week. They will give a copy of that report
to President Kikwete. CUF is also comparing their recorded
results with the official ZEC results that were published on
December 13. Assistant Secretary Frazer encouraged CUF to
keep trying, noting that the opposition coalition in Kenya
had finally defeated Moi.


17. (C) The Assistant Secretary asked if there were any way
that CUF would be able to work with USAID,s democracy
programs. Hamad replied, &We have been discussing with the
National Democratic Institute (NDI) about possible programs.
Also, we are considering approaching the embassy with some
projects that might include a vocational training center for
both Pemba and Stone Town. We are hoping that this will
help."


18. (C) Assistant Secretary Frazer assured Hamad that she
would follow up and talk to President Kikwete (Septel),but
insisted that it is important for CUF to continue to work so
that Zanzibar does not erupt into violence.


19. (U) Assistant Secretary Frazer has cleared this cable.
DELLY