Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06HARARE583
2006-05-17 16:55:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Harare
Cable title:
"OPERATION ROUND-UP" SO FAR LARGELY ILLUSORY
VZCZCXRO8152 PP RUEHMR DE RUEHSB #0583 1371655 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 171655Z MAY 06 FM AMEMBASSY HARARE TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0031 INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY RUEHUJA/AMEMBASSY ABUJA 1209 RUEHAR/AMEMBASSY ACCRA 1045 RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA 1212 RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 0473 RUEHDK/AMEMBASSY DAKAR 0839 RUEHKM/AMEMBASSY KAMPALA 1266 RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 3629 RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 1038 RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 1672 RUEKDIA/DIA WASHDC//DHO-7// RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 1424 RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC RUFOADA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK//DOOC/ECMO/CC/DAO/DOB/DOI// RUEPGBA/CDR USEUCOM INTEL VAIHINGEN GE//ECJ23-CH/ECJ5M//
C O N F I D E N T I A L HARARE 000583
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
AF/S FOR B. NEULING
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR C. COURVILLE
AFR/SA FOR E. LOKEN
COMMERCE FOR BECKY ERKUL
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/31/2011
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM ASEC ZI
SUBJECT: "OPERATION ROUND-UP" SO FAR LARGELY ILLUSORY
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires, a.i., Eric T. Schultz under Section 1
.4 b/d
C O N F I D E N T I A L HARARE 000583
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
AF/S FOR B. NEULING
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR C. COURVILLE
AFR/SA FOR E. LOKEN
COMMERCE FOR BECKY ERKUL
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/31/2011
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM ASEC ZI
SUBJECT: "OPERATION ROUND-UP" SO FAR LARGELY ILLUSORY
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires, a.i., Eric T. Schultz under Section 1
.4 b/d
1. (U) The GOZ-controlled Herald daily reported in a
front-page story on May 15 that Harare police last week had
picked up 10,000 "squatters, vagrants and street youths" for
relocation to rural areas after "screening." According to
the article, the exercise was part of "Operation Round-Up",
an anti-crime program launched by police on April 12.
2. (SBU) International Organization for Migration Chief of
Mission Mohammed Abdiker told poloff that IOM had confirmed
the presence of 100 detainees at Melfort Farm (about 40 km
east of Harare). According to Abdiker, the detainees were
homeless victims of last year's Operation Restore Order
picked up three weeks ago from the streets of Epworth, a high
density Harare suburb. He added that 30 more detainees
picked up much more recently were being held in Harare's
central police station. He said that detainees in both
locations were receiving one meal per day and added that IOM
had not confirmed a report that three detainees had died from
hunger. He added that homeless people were being arrested in
unspecified numbers in the Harare suburbs of Mbare, Hatcliffe
and Epworth, and there was an unconfirmed report of an
additional camp for detainees near Mazowe.
3. (SBU) Representatives from UNICEF, Human Rights NGO
Forum, Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, and Streets Ahead
(an NGO that advocates for the homeless) told us they knew
nothing of the operation beyond what had been reported in the
Herald. The Embassy's police contacts also know nothing of
the exercise.
4. (C) COMMENT: The authorities have long made periodic
efforts to "clear" the streets of street children and other
"undesirables." This latest report coincides with the first
anniversary of "Operation Restore Order", the GOZ's urban
demolition campaign that deprived an estimated 700,000 of
their homes and/or livelihoods last year, and which some GOZ
officials have referred to as &unfinished business.8 While
the initial reports appear to exaggerate the exercise's
magnitude, Post will track this issue closely and alert
Washington to any further developments.
SCHULTZ
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
AF/S FOR B. NEULING
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR C. COURVILLE
AFR/SA FOR E. LOKEN
COMMERCE FOR BECKY ERKUL
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/31/2011
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM ASEC ZI
SUBJECT: "OPERATION ROUND-UP" SO FAR LARGELY ILLUSORY
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires, a.i., Eric T. Schultz under Section 1
.4 b/d
1. (U) The GOZ-controlled Herald daily reported in a
front-page story on May 15 that Harare police last week had
picked up 10,000 "squatters, vagrants and street youths" for
relocation to rural areas after "screening." According to
the article, the exercise was part of "Operation Round-Up",
an anti-crime program launched by police on April 12.
2. (SBU) International Organization for Migration Chief of
Mission Mohammed Abdiker told poloff that IOM had confirmed
the presence of 100 detainees at Melfort Farm (about 40 km
east of Harare). According to Abdiker, the detainees were
homeless victims of last year's Operation Restore Order
picked up three weeks ago from the streets of Epworth, a high
density Harare suburb. He added that 30 more detainees
picked up much more recently were being held in Harare's
central police station. He said that detainees in both
locations were receiving one meal per day and added that IOM
had not confirmed a report that three detainees had died from
hunger. He added that homeless people were being arrested in
unspecified numbers in the Harare suburbs of Mbare, Hatcliffe
and Epworth, and there was an unconfirmed report of an
additional camp for detainees near Mazowe.
3. (SBU) Representatives from UNICEF, Human Rights NGO
Forum, Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, and Streets Ahead
(an NGO that advocates for the homeless) told us they knew
nothing of the operation beyond what had been reported in the
Herald. The Embassy's police contacts also know nothing of
the exercise.
4. (C) COMMENT: The authorities have long made periodic
efforts to "clear" the streets of street children and other
"undesirables." This latest report coincides with the first
anniversary of "Operation Restore Order", the GOZ's urban
demolition campaign that deprived an estimated 700,000 of
their homes and/or livelihoods last year, and which some GOZ
officials have referred to as &unfinished business.8 While
the initial reports appear to exaggerate the exercise's
magnitude, Post will track this issue closely and alert
Washington to any further developments.
SCHULTZ