AMERICAN LABOR DELEGATION DENIED ENTRY TO ZIMBABWE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 001175 SIPDIS SIPDIS AF/S FOR S. HILL NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR C. COURVILLE STATE PASS TO USAID FOR M. COPSON AND E.LOKEN E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/22/2011 TAGS: PHUM PREL PGOV ELAB ZI SUBJECT: AMERICAN LABOR DELEGATION DENIED ENTRY TO ZIMBABWE REF: A. HARARE 1143 ¶B. HARARE 1163 Classified By: Ambassador Christopher Dell for reasons 1.5 b/d -------------- Summary -------------- ¶1. (U) An African-American labor delegation was denied entry to Zimbabwe September 22 despite holding valid visas. The visit had been in the planning for months. The only explanation from the GOZ was that the visit was now "unacceptable.Q8 We believe the GOZ feared the visit would draw attention to the brutal suppression of the local independent unionQ,s September 13 demonstration (Reftels). The delegation intends to hold a press conference in South Africa. We recommend the Department issue a statement in support (see proposed text in paragraph 5). End Summary. -------------- CBTU Delegation Denied Entry -------------- ¶2. (SBU) Zimbabwean immigration authorities denied entry to a U.S. Coalition of Black Trade Unionists (CBTU) delegation September 22. The CBTU delegation arrived on a regularly scheduled South African Airways flight from Johannesburg. Ambassador Dell met the delegation at the airport and walked them to the passport control desk. After approximately ten minutes, a Senior Immigration Officer came to the desk and told the Ambassador and the delegation that he had instructions from "higher authorities" not to allow the delegation entry into Zimbabwe despite their valid visas. Each delegation member was then asked to sign a document entitled "Notification of Person Denied Leave to Enter Zimbabwe" before being escorted back to the SAA plane on which they had arrived. ¶3. (SBU) The CBTU delegation was on a planned study tour of South Africa and Zimbabwe from September 16-26 and had just attended the Ninth National Congress of Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) in Johannesburg, South Africa from September 18-21. The delegation had planned to meet with a variety of governmental, labor and civil society groups. The group included CBTU President William Lucy, CBTU Executive Vice President Henry Nicolas, CBTU Representative Miriam Poe, CBTU Representative Margaret Morrison, CBTU Representative Harold Rodgers, and CBTU Representative Robert ¶H. Wilson. The Director for Africa Region for the Solidarity Center Marc Bayard was also traveling with the delegation. ¶4. (SBU) The local Solidarity Center representative confirmed to us today that all the necessary steps had been taken, including informing MFA of the visit, requesting a meeting with the Minister of Labor, acquiring a letter of invitation from a local organization, and securing visas in Washington before travel. However, he informed post late Thursday evening that his office had received a faxed communiquQ from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) that the study tour was now deemed "unacceptable" because the visit "was not planned in consultation with the Ministry of Public Service, Labor and Social Welfare" (a blatant lie). The delegation had decided to come anyway to force the GOZ to either stand down or cause yet another international incident. -------------- Next Steps and Proposed Statement -------------- HARARE 00001175 002 OF 002 ¶5. (U) The CBTU delegation is planning to hold a press conference in South Africa upon its return. We are issuing a statement here in Harare in support of the CBTU and strongly recommend that Washington do so as well. Proposed text follows below: On September 22, Zimbabwean immigration authorities denied entry to a delegation of American labor representatives coming to Zimbabwe on a long-planned visit. This action is a transparent attempt by the Government of Zimbabwe to conceal from the world its brutal suppression of a September 13 demonstration by the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU),during which hundreds of labor leaders and supporters were arrested Q) many of whom were severely tortured and beaten while in detention. -------------- Comment -------------- ¶6. (C) The GOZ doubtless came to the conclusion that the CBTU visit would serve to highlight the brutal repression of the ZCTU demonstration and for that reason denied entry. However, they may once again have miscalculated. The outraged CBTU representatives intend to hold a press conference in South Africa. They will likely have the strong support of the Confederation of South African Trade Unions (COSATU),which has had several of its own delegations denied entry by the GOZ. The resulting media coverage should serve to focus international attention in a way that the visit might not have. The proposed Department statement can ensure that the story gains further momentum. DELL