SUPPORTING HUMAN RIGHTS AND DEMOCRACY: THE U.S.

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 HARARE 000147 SIPDIS SENSITIVE AF/S FOR BNEULING NSC FOR D. TEITELBAUM PARIS FOR C. NEARY DRL/PHD FOR MICHAEL ORONA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ELAB KDEM PREL PGOV PHUM EAID ZI HURI SUBJECT: SUPPORTING HUMAN RIGHTS AND DEMOCRACY: THE U.S. RECORD - ZIMBABWE REPORT REF: A. 04 STATE 267453 ¶B. 04 HARARE 2046 AND PREVIOUS ¶C. 04 HARARE 2035 ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: The Zimbabwe Report for the 2004-2005 edition of Supporting Human Rights and Democracy: the U.S. Record, is found in paragraphs 2 through 14. Due to the sensitive nature of U.S. assistance in Zimbabwe, few specific activities were included. Additional material, which is not for publication, appears in paragraphs 15 and 16. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (U) The Government of Zimbabwe,s human rights record remained poor and it continued to commit abuses. Since its disputed victories in 2000 parliamentary and 2002 presidential elections, the ruling Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) has pursued repressive policies designed to restore its dominant position in the country. In the process, it has ignored the rule of law and the welfare of its citizens. In the run-up to parliamentary elections in the spring of 2005, which it is determined to win, the regime has closed independent newspapers, harassed opposition and civil society activists and passed repressive legislation. Instances of political violence did, however, decline in 2004 compared to previous years and government officials issued statements that political violence would not be tolerated, a potentially significant departure from rhetoric in past pre-election periods. In addition, and under regional and international pressure the regime did start to provide the opposition with more democratic space early in 2005. However, in the last week of January 2005, government harassment of the opposition and civil society increased; the government,s intentions and future actions remain unclear. ¶3. (U) In recent months, Parliament passed a spate of repressive legislation, including a bill that restricts non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and bans foreign funding for NGOs engaged in human rights or governance, and a bill that the President recently signed imposing harsh criminal penalties on journalists for not registering. Although the ruling party has embarked on modest electoral reforms, these reforms fall short of complying with the Southern African Development Community (SADC) standards for free and fair elections, and the Government continues to bar the opposition from access to the state media. The only independent daily newspaper remains closed, and the Government closed a semi-independent daily. Independent weeklies and a semi-independent daily continue to operate. Zimbabwean civil society remains a vibrant force in the country, despite ever-greater restrictions. ¶4. (U) Instances of judicial integrity can be found such as the acquittal of MDC President Morgan Tsvangirai on charges of treason. Nevertheless, instances of political manipulation of the judicial system by the ruling party remain commonplace, and the Government ignores the decisions of the courts when it is in its perceived interest to do so. ¶5. (U) The Government continued to use the state media to denigrate Western, especially U.S. and U.K., criticisms of human rights violations as a neocolonial effort to quash Zimbabwe,s sovereignty. However, the Government,s anti-Western rhetoric moderated during the last half of 2004, one of several signals that the regime wanted to reduce Zimbabwe,s international isolation and to seek international assistance in restoring its economy. ¶6. (U) The U.S. human rights strategy in Zimbabwe focuses on supporting efforts to further open democratic space. Resolving Zimbabwe,s political turmoil is necessary for improvement of its human rights situation. The United States continues to communicate to the ruling party the importance of improving the political situation, including cessation of human rights abuses. U.S. financial and travel sanctions on key Zimbabwean officials expanded to additional ruling party and government officials. Statements by U.S. officials received prominent coverage in the government-controlled and quasi-independent local media. U.S. diplomats emphasized in substantive contacts with government and party officials the importance of reducing human rights abuses in Zimbabwe. The Embassy widely circulated its human rights-related reports among civil society, Government, and party officials. ¶7. (SBU) Although the ruling party maintains its monopoly on the Executive branch, other institutions, including especially parliament and the courts, also exert influence on the political landscape and the Embassy continues to engage with them. Moreover, civil society, the political opposition, and the media also still serve to balance the regime,s power, and the United States supports their activities. In order to bring pressure on the regime, U.S. diplomats also continued to engage other governments, particularly those of the Southern African Development Community, on issues of governance and human rights in Zimbabwe. ¶8. (U) In response to human rights abuses in Zimbabwe, the United States gathered information about cases of alleged abuses, and U.S. diplomats interviewed victims of political violence. U.S. diplomats maintained a visible presence at significant events, such as trials, including the treason trial of Morgan Tsvangirai, the President of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change. U.S. officials observed parliamentary by-elections and the pre-election environment in contested areas. The Department sponsored a Zimbabwean on a Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship to study human rights law. ¶9. (U) The United States disseminated information in order to counter Government propaganda. The Embassy provided access to information through the Public Affairs Section and other vehicles and supported efforts to increase public debate. USAID provided support to local citizen groups and local authorities to improve transparency and municipal service delivery. A USAID-funded program to strengthen Parliament has resulted in increased debate in Parliament and stronger participation by the committees in amending legislation drafted by the Executive. The United States hosted a Zimbabwean on a Humphrey Fellowship to study independent media and two Zimbabwean journalists on an International Visitors Program on the role of non-governmental organizations in press freedom. The Embassy sponsored six other International Visitors on programs related to human rights, democracy, and leadership and two others on the role of civil society. ¶10. (U) To encourage respect for the rights of women, children, minorities, and people with disabilities, USAID and the Democracy and Human Rights Fund (DHRF) supported programs by NGOs on a wide variety of social welfare issues. A DHRF grant helped furnish a center for victims of rape, abuse, and domestic violence who are pursuing legal action. The Embassy,s Public Affairs Section sponsored teleconferences with speakers from the U.S. and audiences of Zimbabwean women on women,s rights and women coalition building and brought in an American judge to engage jurists and activists on sexual harassment. ¶11. (U) In support of religious freedom, the United States widely disseminates relevant reports on religious rights, and U.S. officials privately and publicly emphasize concern regarding intimidation and harassment of religious officials who are critical of the Government. The United States supports efforts by religious leaders to sustain dialogue to resolve Zimbabwe,s political situation. ¶12. (U) The United States funded a Solidarity Center program to support workers rights. The program was aimed at assisting trade unions in Zimbabwe respond to and represent their members, interests. ¶13. (U) The United States promoted efforts by the Government to combat trafficking in persons. U.S. officials met with government representatives to convey U.S. interest in the issue and promote cooperation and sharing of best practices. U.S. officials widely disseminated relevant reports and participated in local and regional meetings to address the issue. ¶14. (U) The return of a stable political environment that respects the rule of law and allows democratic institutions to function is crucial to improving the human rights situation in Zimbabwe. The United States must support and sustain democratic elements and institutions in Zimbabwe to build the base for democratic change in the future. U.S. efforts are key to creating an atmosphere that enables political participation and gives voice to those who call for an end to human rights abuses. ¶15. (SBU/NOFORN) In addition to the activities mentioned in the foregoing paragraphs, which are suitable for publication, the United States engaged in other sensitive assistance, which cannot be published publicly. The passage by Parliament and likely signing of the NGO Act (ref B) makes it illegal for democracy and human rights NGOs to receive foreign assistance so we need to be circumspect about mentioning specific assistance to affected groups. The Government remains sensitive about assistance of any type to certain groups and could use our assistance to crack down on these groups. Roughly two-thirds of the democracy and governance assistance the United States gives to Zimbabwe falls into this category. As the largest and most visible donor in Zimbabwe, U.S. actions send messages to other donors about what is feasible and appropriate in Zimbabwe. Our robust support to civil society, democratic forces, and some national institutions signal the continuing importance and viability of such assistance. ¶16. (SBU/NOFORN) Examples of sensitive assistance include the following: Voice of America and Shortwave Radio Zimbabwe, which provides alternatives to the state-run radio. AFL-CIO,s Solidarity Center, which supports the independent labor union, ZCTU. The State University of New York,s parliamentary capacity building program, which has enhanced debate in parliament and helped develop a functioning committee system; Parliament remains the only public venue for debate and an opportunity for both ZANU-PF and MDC legislators to exercise independence from the executive branch. (Ref c) The democratic local government program, which supports the effectiveness and responsiveness of municipal governments, many of them opposition-controlled. The strategy discussed in our country report above depends on the continued funding of these sorts of activities. ¶17. (U) List of USG-funded human rights and democracy programs of $100,000 will be by septel. DELL