MDC LOSING HOPE IN SADC

C O N F I D E N T I A L PRETORIA 001204 SIPDIS DEPT FOR AF/S E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/05/2018 TAGS: PREL SF ZI SUBJECT: MDC LOSING HOPE IN SADC Classified By: Acting Deputy Chief of Mission Raymond L. Brown. Reason s 1.4(b) and (d). ¶1. (C) On 04 June, MDC Leader Morgan Tsvangirai's foreign policy and security advisor Stuart Doran told PolOff that the MDC is losing hope that SADC as a collective, or even a majority of SADC countries, will take any public stance against the current regime in Zimbabwe, the ongoing violence, or the likely possibility that the run-off election will be rigged in Mugabe's favor. Doran told PolOff that Zambian President Mwanawasa has been extremely helpful to the MDC, but is frustrated with the lack of support he is receiving from his fellow SADC counterparts. Doran believes Mwanawasa will likely call another SADC extraordinary summit before the 27 June run-off to show that he is trying to "do the right thing," but he suspects he also does not have high hopes. ¶2. (C) Doran also told PolOff that Mwanawasa sends down a former Zambian intelligence officer to regularly brief the MDC. He said the last time the intelligence officer came down, he showed him a pessimistic report on the side meeting of SADC members at the Tokyo International Conference on African Development 28-30 May. The report noted that President Mwanawasa tried to talk about the current crisis in Zimbabwe, but King Mswati of Swaziland stonewalled any discussion, arguing proper protocol was not followed and that only SADC's Organ for Peace and Security should discuss Zimbabwe. Angola, Lesotho, and Namibia followed Swaziland's lead, he said, while only Malawi and Botswana supported Zambia's call. (NOTE: PolOff asked about other SADC countries, but Doran said no other countries were mentioned in the intelligence officer's report. END NOTE) ¶3. (C) According to Doran, the intelligence office told Doran that Tsvangirai should embark on another tour around SADC asking leaders for their support. Doran reminded him that the MDC has already done this, visiting some countries multiple times, and were already given assurances. The intelligence officer then suggested that the MDC publicize these conversations, but Doran again rejected the idea, saying doing so would effectively close presidential doors to the MDC around the region. Doran ended the conversation by saying the MDC is losing hope that SADC will do the right thing. BOST