Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08LUSAKA502
2008-05-08 15:02:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Lusaka
Cable title:  

ZAMBIA: INITIAL OUTREACH TO HUMAN RIGHTS

Tags:  PHUM ZA ZI 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXYZ0001
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHLS #0502 1291502
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 081502Z MAY 08
FM AMEMBASSY LUSAKA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5786
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON IMMEDIATE 0323
RUEHTC/AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE IMMEDIATE 0165
C O N F I D E N T I A L LUSAKA 000502 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/08/2018
TAGS: PHUM ZA ZI
SUBJECT: ZAMBIA: INITIAL OUTREACH TO HUMAN RIGHTS
ORGANIZATIONS REGARDING ZIMBABWE


Classified By: CLASSIFIED BY DCM MICHAEL KOPLOVSKY
REASON 1.4 (B) AND (D).

C O N F I D E N T I A L LUSAKA 000502

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/08/2018
TAGS: PHUM ZA ZI
SUBJECT: ZAMBIA: INITIAL OUTREACH TO HUMAN RIGHTS
ORGANIZATIONS REGARDING ZIMBABWE


Classified By: CLASSIFIED BY DCM MICHAEL KOPLOVSKY
REASON 1.4 (B) AND (D).


1. (C) During a lunch with Poloff on May 8, Legal Resources
Foundation (LRF) Project Officer Robby Shabwanga (protect)
said that his organization has been receiving information on
post-election human rights abuses in Zimbabwe through their
sister branch in Zimbabwe. Shabwanga bemoaned the situation
and said that the LRF in Zimbabwe is constantly under
scrutiny and threats from the government of Zimbabwe.
Shabwanga indicated that LRF Zambia had no plans at this
point to make a statement or to more widely distribute the
materials that they had received; he indicated that he
believed most organizations engaged on human rights in Zambia
also were in possession of documentation of the human rights
abuses in Zimbabwe.


2. (C) Post also received a PowerPoint presentation about
post-election violence entitled "Operation Mavhoterapapi (Who
Did You Vote For)" from the Dutch Embassy in Lusaka. Eduard
Middeldorp, the Dutch ambassador to Zambia, is an outspoken
advocate for good governance and human rights. In the
presence of the Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs and the
invited diplomatic corps, Middeldorp used his speech at the
Dutch Embassy's April 30 celebration of the Queen's birthday
to call on the GRZ to do more to pressure the government of
Zimbabwe. Post believes that allowing the Dutch and/or other
missions to take the lead in condemning post-election
violence and encouraging GRZ action helps contain GRZ
sensitivities about being perceived as a tool of the United
States and Britain. However, Post will continue to meet with
local human rights organizations to inform them on violence
and human rights violations in Zimbabwe.
MARTINEZ