GOZ CRITIC SURVIVES APPARENT ARSON ATTACK

UNCLAS HARARE 000008 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS AF/S FOR S. HILL NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR B. PITTMAN ADDIS ABABA FOR USAU ADDIS ABABA FOR ACSS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL ASEC ZI SUBJECT: GOZ CRITIC SURVIVES APPARENT ARSON ATTACK ¶1. (SBU) National Constitutional Assembly (NCA) Chairman Lovemore Madhuku and his family survived an apparent arson attack at his suburban arare home at about 12:30 AM on January 1. Madhku told us that unknown assailants had sprinkled trail of gasoline from his front gate to the gaage in the apparent hope that the fire would causehis car to explode and set fire to the house. Te family, alerted by the flames, was able to escpe the house uninjured and successfully put out te flames. Madhuku told us there was relatively little damage to the house, but that his family, including three young children, was traumatized by the event. ¶2. (SBU) Madhuku said he thought state security officers were to blame for the attack, based on past GOZ attacks on democracy advocates and the NCA's outspoken demands for reform. Madhuku, however, said he did not know if the GOZ actually wanted to kill him or if the state merely intended the attack as a warning. A sole police officer arrived shortly after the flames were extinguished, but stayed only a few minutes, according to Madhuku. The evening of January 1, the police returned to take a statement from the family. The statement, essentially what Madhuku told us above, promptly appeared in the state-controlled Herald newspaper the next morning. ¶3. (SBU) The USG-funded Amani Trust has stepped in to provide support to the Madhuku family with counseling and a guard to provide security at the residence. Amani Trust program manager Fidelis Mudimu told us on January 4 that the family was doing well, but that the children were still having nightmares from the attack. -------------- Comment -------------- ¶4. (SBU) The attack on Madhuku's home is a worrying signal that the ruling party, faced with a crumbling economy and internal dissension over Mugabe's plans to remain in office, may be prepared to ratchet up its repression in 2007 in an effort to mute domestic criticism and tighten its hold on power. DELL