Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07HARARE331
2007-04-19 15:32:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Harare
Cable title:
GOZ'S NEGATIVE REACTION TO CATHOLIC CHURCH'S
VZCZCXRO0837 RR RUEHMR RUEHRN DE RUEHSB #0331 1091532 ZNY CCCCC ZZH R 191532Z APR 07 FM AMEMBASSY HARARE TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1380 INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY RUEHUJA/AMEMBASSY ABUJA 1576 RUEHAR/AMEMBASSY ACCRA 1442 RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA 1580 RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN 0247 RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 0843 RUEHDK/AMEMBASSY DAKAR 1206 RUEHKM/AMEMBASSY KAMPALA 1635 RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 4039 RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 1405 RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 2063 RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 0703 RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE RUFOADA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 1797
C O N F I D E N T I A L HARARE 000331
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
AF/S FOR S.HILL
ADDIS ABABA FOR USAU
ADDIS ABABA FOR ACSS
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR E.LOKEN
STATE PASS TO NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR B.PITTMAN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/19/2012
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM ZI
SUBJECT: GOZ'S NEGATIVE REACTION TO CATHOLIC CHURCH'S
PASTORAL LETTER
REF: HARARE 284
Classified By: Ambassador Christopher Dell under Section 1.4 b/d
C O N F I D E N T I A L HARARE 000331
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
AF/S FOR S.HILL
ADDIS ABABA FOR USAU
ADDIS ABABA FOR ACSS
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR E.LOKEN
STATE PASS TO NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR B.PITTMAN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/19/2012
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM ZI
SUBJECT: GOZ'S NEGATIVE REACTION TO CATHOLIC CHURCH'S
PASTORAL LETTER
REF: HARARE 284
Classified By: Ambassador Christopher Dell under Section 1.4 b/d
1. (SBU) The hard-hitting pastoral letter (Ref) of the
Catholic Bishops Conference was made public on April 12 and
read by priests in churches throughout the country on Sunday,
April 15. We understand that many priests gave copies of the
letter to their parishioners to take home and discuss within
their communities. We don't yet know how widespread
knowledge of the letter is throughout Zimbabwe.
2. (C) We received some anecdotal reaction that ZANU-PF
pushed back against some priests in Harare. At St. Gerrards
Church on April 15, in the upscale Harare suburb of
Borrowdale, Father Raymond Mupandusekwa read the letter to
about 500 parishioners, including high-level ZANU-PF
officials. Minister of Justice Patrick Chinimasa, in
attendance, stood up with his wife and left. Chinimasa
subsequently told Father Raymond that this kind of criticism
of the government was not good for his career.
3. (C) Comment. The GOZ has in the past used its familiar
divide and rule tactics to mute church criticism, co-opting
some religious leaders while sanctioning critics. How it
reacts to the priests who read and circulated the pastoral
letter may depend on the government's perception of how
widespread dissemination of the letter has been and how
aggressively the Catholic Church pursues the letter,s
agenda. We will report septel.
DELL
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
AF/S FOR S.HILL
ADDIS ABABA FOR USAU
ADDIS ABABA FOR ACSS
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR E.LOKEN
STATE PASS TO NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR B.PITTMAN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/19/2012
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM ZI
SUBJECT: GOZ'S NEGATIVE REACTION TO CATHOLIC CHURCH'S
PASTORAL LETTER
REF: HARARE 284
Classified By: Ambassador Christopher Dell under Section 1.4 b/d
1. (SBU) The hard-hitting pastoral letter (Ref) of the
Catholic Bishops Conference was made public on April 12 and
read by priests in churches throughout the country on Sunday,
April 15. We understand that many priests gave copies of the
letter to their parishioners to take home and discuss within
their communities. We don't yet know how widespread
knowledge of the letter is throughout Zimbabwe.
2. (C) We received some anecdotal reaction that ZANU-PF
pushed back against some priests in Harare. At St. Gerrards
Church on April 15, in the upscale Harare suburb of
Borrowdale, Father Raymond Mupandusekwa read the letter to
about 500 parishioners, including high-level ZANU-PF
officials. Minister of Justice Patrick Chinimasa, in
attendance, stood up with his wife and left. Chinimasa
subsequently told Father Raymond that this kind of criticism
of the government was not good for his career.
3. (C) Comment. The GOZ has in the past used its familiar
divide and rule tactics to mute church criticism, co-opting
some religious leaders while sanctioning critics. How it
reacts to the priests who read and circulated the pastoral
letter may depend on the government's perception of how
widespread dissemination of the letter has been and how
aggressively the Catholic Church pursues the letter,s
agenda. We will report septel.
DELL