Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05DARESSALAAM2322
2005-12-23 16:23:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Dar Es Salaam
Cable title:  

A/S FRAZER'S DECEMBER 21, 2005, CONVERSATION WITH

Tags:  PGOV PREL PHUM TZ OVIP FRAZER JENDAYI 
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 DAR ES SALAAM 002322 

SIPDIS

FOR AF/E: BYODER

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/22/2015
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM TZ OVIP FRAZER JENDAYI
SUBJECT: A/S FRAZER'S DECEMBER 21, 2005, CONVERSATION WITH
ZANZIBAR PRESIDENT AMANI KARUME

Classified By: Political Officer Maureen B. Latour for reason
1.4(d)

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 DAR ES SALAAM 002322

SIPDIS

FOR AF/E: BYODER

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/22/2015
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM TZ OVIP FRAZER JENDAYI
SUBJECT: A/S FRAZER'S DECEMBER 21, 2005, CONVERSATION WITH
ZANZIBAR PRESIDENT AMANI KARUME

Classified By: Political Officer Maureen B. Latour for reason
1.4(d)


1. (U) December 21, 2005; 3:15pm; Dar es Salaam, Tanzania


2. (U) Participants:

U.S.
Assistant Secretary Jendayi Frazer
Dr. Cindy Courville
Amb. Michael Retzer
DCM Purnell Delly
PolCouns Mary Johnson
Poloff Maureen B. Latour

Tanzania
Amani Karume, President of Zanzibar
Omari Mgenga, Special Assistant to Jendayi Kikwete as Foreign
Minister
Notetaker for President Karume


3. SUMMARY: In a December 21 meeting with AF Assistant
Secretary Frazer, President Karume welcomed the recent

SIPDIS
unveiling of the President's Malaria Initiative on Zanzibar,
pointed to what he said were fair and largely violence-free
elections on Zanzibar, but intimated that there may be some
elements on the isles (i.e., the opposition Civil United
Front) that may fall prey to extremism and see advantage to
violence in the future. The Assistant Secretary raised
polarization on Zanzibar between the CUF stronghold of Pemba
and CCM stronghold Unguja, asking Karume how this division
could be bridged and reconciliation achieved with CUF
opposition leader Hamad and his party. She emphasized that
the best way to deal with the risk of extremism, as President
Bush had underlined in his second inaugural address, was
democratization, opening genuine political space for
opponents and , in the case of Zanzibar, conducting an
electoral process that all parties could have confidence in.
End Summary.


4. (C) On December 21, the Presidential Delegation to the
inauguration of the new president of Tanzania met with Amani
Karume, President of Zanzibar at the State House. The
Delegation was comprised of Assistant Secretary of State
Jendayi Frazer, Special Assistant to the President Dr. Cindy
Courville, Ambassador Retzer and DCM Delly.

Health: Eradicating malaria

5. (C) Karume expressed his gratitude for support received
from the USG, especially for education and for rapidly
expanding health programs, including U.S. assistance on

HIV/AIDS and malaria. Karume stated the government,s goal
is to eradicate malaria completely on Zanzibar and believes
it is possible if they work hard and fully implement the
President,s Malaria Initiative. Karume recalled a similar
project in the 1970,s in which the USG spent $10 million and
sent US experts to Zanzibar for three to four years. Karume
believes if this project had continued, with adequate support
from the GOT, malaria would have been eradicated on the
isles. A/S Frazer agreed noting that the program was another
sign of President Bush's commitment to Africa, and Dr.
Courville noted its goals of building capacity and partnering
with the GOT.

Political Divide: Clear but calm

6. (C) When A/S Frazer asked if the islands of Zanzibar are
divided politically, Karume responded with an unqualified
"yes" and described it as "not a very healthy political
situation." He said it is bad to allow politics to polarize
the people among racial or ethnic lines, but noted that most
people who live on the Zanzibari islands are inter-related
with people from both islands. While Karume said he did not
believe the situation in Zanzibar was explosive, he admitted
there may be some politicians who would like to see the
situation unravel into violence. Karume strongly emphasized
that he was President of both islands, and that "Zanzibar is
Unguja and Pemba."

Reconciliation: Under way

7. (C) A/S Frazer asked how Karume planned to reconcile
with opposition leaders and Ambassador Retzer asked if there
will be a Mufaka III. Karume responded that there is no need
for a Mufaka III because Mufaka II was implemented and gave
birth to an inter-party committee which now consists of 17
parties. He assured the U.S. delegation that these
inter-party talks will continue. He also cited the eventual
success of the political process which began after the
violence of January 2001, when CCM and CUF "sat down,
discussed issues and reached an amicable solution." Those
positive political developments, Karume said, brought about
free, fair and peaceful elections this year.


8. (C) Ambassador Retzer emphasized the importance of a
continuing reconciliation process between Unguja and Pemba,
CUF and CCM. Karume said elections on October 30 and
December 14 were very peaceful and that the campaign or
post-election period had little effect on tourism. He
assured the delegation that Zanzibar is going to remain
peaceful and declared that to be the responsibility of his
government.

Pemba: Small island, big role

9. (C) Karume declared CCM support on Pemba &the nucleus of
our political integration8 and said CCM is going to increase
its support base there. Though CUF won all the seats on
Pemba, he said they will sit on the opposition bench, to
criticize, scrutinize and give the government the most
appropriate political challenge possible. Karume said he
believed different political views enhance progress.


10. (C) When Ambassador Retzer commented that CCM on the
mainland won because of the economy and the voters, desire
to see economic progress continue, Karume took the
opportunity to describe progress on Pemba. He described the
island in 2001 as one with no electricity, running water or
internet, bad roads, sporadic telecommunication services and
businesses that were not doing well. Karume said that since
then the government has paved many roads, installed
generators that produce energy 24 hours a day at a subsidized
cost, that &everywhere you go there is a primary school,8
and that more people enjoy clean and safe water on Pemba than
on Unguja. Karume stated the government,s work and progress
will continue. He added that the majority of CUF top
leadership do not even live on Pemba, but on Unguja or in Dar
and that he has spent more time on Pemba in the last five
years than did Hamad.

CUF: as seen from across the aisle

11. (C) Karume said CUF lost all its seats on the mainland
because it is portrayed as a party which preaches violence,
not peace. Karume said it is a shame to see a party whose
leaders have lost control, describing CUF,s leaders as
unruly and violent, and their policy as not conducive to
integration or development. Karume illustrated this by
contrasting the CCM and CUF reaction to events of September
11, 2001, saying "we" were all shocked, condemned terrorism,
will continue to fight terrorism, and sided with the US while
the opposition in Zanzibar and Dar launched huge
demonstrations, praising "outlaws" and cheering "bad acts."
A/S Frazer said a key part of the solution to dealing with
extremism is providing greater political space and
implementing a political process, including elections, in
which all sides have confidence, noting that President Bush
had emphasized this in his inauguration speech.

Elections: looking ahead

12. (C) A/S Frazer told Karume the USG will work with him
to develop Zanzibar and with ZEC to improve the quality of
elections. Karume then renewed a request he made more than a
year ago to then-Charge Michael Owen for a biometric engine.
Karume said the engine would cost about one million USD, is
manufactured in the US and could increase voter registration
by three hundred to four hundred percent. The engine could
be used to create voter cards for the Zanzibar ID card
program, newly-instituted for all who live on Zanzibar.
Karume believes that the use of identity cards in the
election process will reduce complaints, but commented that
Hamad said there was no need for this system.


13. (C) A/S Frazer emphasized the key to elections is
transparency and told Karume the USG is looking for ways to
start working now to help ZEC with capacity. Karume welcomed
this idea (but without evident enthusiasm),saying it should
be done by both NEC and ZEC and needs to be discussed with
the electoral commissions. Karume advised the delegation
never to expect election results in Africa to be accepted as
it is the nature of the opposition to complain.

Pemba: A cautionary tale

14. (C) When A/S Frazer mentioned the Delegation,s plans to
travel to Pemba for a cultural event and to meet with clerics
the next day, December 22, Karume advised the delegation not
to go as they may be seen as aligning with the clerics, some
of whom are highly politicized. Karume said he would be more
comfortable with the delegation going to Unguja rather than
Pemba.


15. (C) Ambassador Retzer reminded Karume that A/S Frazer
had a similar dialogue with clerics on Unguja during her
October visit and described both trips as part of a larger
effort covering the entire Swahili coast. Dr. Courville
stated the effort reaches throughout sub-Saharan Africa and
is part of a global outreach to the Islamic world. Karume
suggested the embassy has cultural officers for such
purposes, and said it was not a proper role for a senior
official like an Assistant Secretary. A/S Frazer responded
that she likes to see things first-hand and would proceed
with the event. Karume responded "I don,t want your
embarrassment to drag down us."


16. (C) A/S Frazer reassured Karume that her message to CUF
is to accept the results of the election and move on. She
said that she would convey Karume,s message regarding
accountability and the need to work with the government.
Karume agreed that the message is positive but said they are
arranging for Hamad to be sworn in as a "leader" on Pemba.
He cautioned A/S Frazer to "be careful they don,t drag you
in" as it could send bad signals and not to get mixed up with
Zanzibar politics as it can be "too rough." A/S Frazer
assured Karume she was capable of handling the situation.

17. (C) Comment: Karume's distrust of U.S. intentions in
Pemba was evident both in his speech and demeanor as he
fidgeted with his hands and appeared uncomfortable when the
trip was discussed. His message seemed equally divided
between his desire to keep USG representatives away from CUF
leaders and the CUF stronghold of Pemba and his desire to be
portrayed as a friend of the U.S., concluding that his
message to President Bush is to support your friends and that
"we were, are now, and will continue to be your friends".


18. (U) A/S Frazer has cleared this cable.
DELLY