ZANZIBAR: KARUME BERATES AMBASSADORS ON JOINT STATEMENT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 05 DAR ES SALAAM 000578 SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR AF/E JTREADWELL; INR/RAA: FEHRENREICH; NSC FOR MGAVIN E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KDEM PREL PGOV PHUM TZ SUBJECT: ZANZIBAR: KARUME BERATES AMBASSADORS ON JOINT STATEMENT REF: (A) Dar es Salaam 532 (B) Dar es Salaam 531 and (C) Dar es Salaam 517 and previous ¶1. (U) BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY: Over the weekend following issuance of the August 13 Joint Statement by key donors on Zanzibar voter registration anomalies (ref B),FM Membe contacted heads of mission of signatory countries and "invited" them to Zanzibar to hear the views of Zanzibar Revolutionary Government (SMZ) President Karume. On August 17, representatives of the QFriends of 2010Q Group that drafted the Statement met to shore up a common position, and on August 18, Chiefs of Mission of Sweden (as EU President),the European Commission, Canada, Norway, the UK and the U.S. met with Karume and Membe. During the week following the meeting, Zanzibar Affairs Officer and Specialist went to the island of Pemba to monitor the state of play and follow up on assertions made by the SMZ. Tensions that resulted in violence leading up to the Joint Statement appear to have subsided for now. Voter registration remains halted until agreement on a way forward among the parties can be reached on the fairness of the Zanzibar ID system. END BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY. FM MEMBE SUMMONS AMBASSADORS -------------- ¶2. (U) "Friends of 2010" Heads of Mission met on Zanzibar with SMZ President Karume August 18 at the invitation of FM Membe. Membe opened the meeting by recalling that Karume had expressed his intention to President Kikwete to speak with the representatives of the countries sponsoring the Joint Statement in order to clarify certain points. Acting on behalf of President Kikwete, FM Membe said his role was to set up the meeting. He introduced Karume to each of the embassy representatives, and asked Karume to explain the Zanzibar ID system and to share his Qwisdom of the situation.Q FM Membe made no other comment during the meeting, nor did he comment on substance during the lunch he hosted afterward. ¶3. (U) During the meeting, President Karume sat by himself in his QPresidential Chair,Q while a row of seats to his left held Membe and SMZ cabinet members and officials, including, inter alia, the SMZ spokesman, Chief of the QRevolutionary CouncilQ (a type of Chef de Cabinet),Minister of State in the Chief MinisterQs Office (overseeing ZEC and the ID Cards) and the ID Card Director, Mohammed Ame. Seated in the row of chairs to KarumeQs right sat key members of the QFriendsQ group: Sweden, Canada, Norway, the U.S., UK and the European Commission. PRESIDENT KARUME VENTS -------------- ¶4. (SBU) President Karume spoke first. Zigzagging between pique and petulance, he took exception to references in the joint statement that implied there was any Union Government role in the registration and ID processes underway in Zanzibar. He went through the text line-by-line, stopping at each point where QTanzaniansQ and QUnion Government of TanzaniaQ were mentioned vis-a-vis QZanzibaris and the QRevolutionary Government of Zanzibar (SMZ),Q offering arguments on each point. He did not seem to take on board our intent to convey that there should not be any kind of QZanzibar exemptionQ to basic rights in Tanzania or that it was ultimately the responsibility of the Union government to guarantee the rights of all of its citizens, including Zanzibaris. ¶5. (SBU) Karume suggested the Joint Statement was a product of ignorance on the part of the QFriendsQQ regarding Zanzibar and the Union set-up. QIf you knew this, I doubt you would have issued the statement,Q he said. Distinction between authorities (he did not go into responsibilities and obligations) was essential to Zanzibar. QIt safeguards our nationhood; if you mess with the safeguards, you mess with the Union,Q he concluded. ¶6. (U) On the use of ID cards for voter registration, Karume said the purpose was to address long-held complaints of voter impersonation, double voting and other electoral fraud. ID cards were a necessary, transparent and positive reform, he insisted. ZanzibarQs ID cards were an efficient, secure, tamper-proof form of DAR ES SAL 00000578 002 OF 005 identification. Moreover, he claimed, legislation on ID cards was passed through bipartisan support in the House of Representatives. Complaints from the opposition that qualified Zanzibaris were being denied cards were Qtotally unfounded,Q Karume said. ¶7. (U) Karume said he could back up his assertions by statistics, using the 2005 voting numbers for the four districts in northern Pemba and comparing them with current ID card issuance in the same areas: 2005 registered voters 2005 actual votes now registered for IDs CONDE : 8947 8179 9070 MGOGONI: 8329 7835 8472 (Karume noted that Mgogoni was the hometown of CUF leader Seif Sharif Hamad) MICHEWENI: 9779 9085 9554 WETE: 10327 9362 10147 Karume concluded that by looking at the numbers one could conclude that all who qualify for Zanzibari QcitizenshipQ were being issued IDs. Complaints of the opposition were Qunfounded. Everyone who was eligible to vote could vote. SWEDENQS STATEMENT -------------- ¶8. (U) Speaking as EU President on behalf of the EU partners, Sweden said both the statement and the current discussion were helpful activities, and it was important to keep up the dialogue. There were a few elements of common concern: it appeared that some people on the ground were being denied IDs; there was a complicated process to get an ID that might foster irregularities; the role of Shehas in the process was not transparent; and there was concern about the status of those denied an ID to vote. Violence was also a concern. We looked forward to improvements and would watch developments on the ground. Ultimately, as friends, what we see is part of a broader political climate Q there was a need for genuine reconciliation between the political parties. CANADAQS STATEMENT -------------- ¶9. (U) Canada spoke on behalf of the non-EU friends (Japan, Norway, Canada and the U.S.). Canada agreed with the points raised by Sweden, underscoring that the right to vote was fundamental. The comments of the QFriendsQ were being made in the spirit of cooperation. The Joint Statement was an early reaction by committed partners and should be seen in that constructive context. Because at some point donors would be asked to comment on the 2010 elections, there should be no surprises at our views or how they were formed. Free and fair elections in 2010 might be a challenge, but ultimately it was the responsibility of the Union Government to guarantee the rights of all its citizens. U.S. INTERVENTION -------------- ¶10. (U) CDA Andre responded to KarumeQs assertion that there were no anomalies in Pemba and that the QFriendsQ were primarily reacting to false statements made by the opposition party. The U.S. stated that our concerns were collectively formed through direct observation in the field. Moreover, the U.S. was not the only country that was making these observations. (NOTE: Norway pays for an NGO team of observers on Pemba. The Norwegian CDA was at the Karume meeting but chose not to speak. END NOTE.). What we were seeing with our own eyes was a system that appeared to favor people who were committed to the ruling party. They could get a card easily, while it might be harder or impossible for those perceived to be favorable to the opposition to get a card. In some instances, those born and raised in Pemba were being denied Zanzibar IDs. ¶11. (SBU) CDA Andre related that in U.S. history there was a DAR ES SAL 00000578 003 OF 005 QshamefulQ period in the past wherein basic freedoms of our Union Government were unevenly applied in the Southern part of our country, especially as regards voting rights. We understood the QgameQ about the ID registration process and did not agree that it was being conducted fairly. Sometimes the will at the top did not always transfer down to the bottom rungs of government. We hoped there would be access to ID cards to all who qualify, but the issue was broader and concerned accessibility to the whole range of government services, not just the right to vote. We held the Union ultimately responsible for guaranteeing liberties for all Tanzanians. Ultimately, in Zanzibar, reconciliation between the parties was essential. KARUME REBUTTAL -------------- ¶12. (U) Karume said those involved in the process who were saying it was unfair were Qcrazy.Q Karume said that at the outset there might have been a few Qbottlenecks,Q but Q well before the Joint Statement Q as soon as there appeared to be a problem, he dealt with it. The only problems seemed to have been in Wete, not in Micheweni or any other constituencies. Karume said he called in the Wete Regional Commissioner, District Commissioners, the Director of IDs and all other relevant leaders to go through what the problems might be. ¶13. (U) He acknowledged there might have been an early problem of a shortage of available ID card application forms, but now the process had been simplified, and every Sheha had enough forms for eligible applicants. Karume stressed that the key words were Qeligible applicants,Q not political parties. There was an incident involving one QmisguidedQ Sheha who did not know Qthe proper method of giving out forms,Q but Qthis had been corrected.Q Karume said it was his responsibility to ensure that every eligible Zanzibari must have the right to vote - not necessarily every Tanzanian in Zanzibar. For all others, Karume said there were NEC offices in every district in Zanzibar. ¶14. (SBU) Karume said that, on the surface, acquiring an ID card might seem complicated, but the whole process took only a week, from application to card issuance. He had ID Card Director Mohammed Ame give details about the card issuance process. Both Karume and Ame stressed that the problem lay with opposition CUF. At the beginning of the ID issuance in 2005-2006, CUF boycotted the process. During the early Qmass registration,Q more than 7,000 cards were issued but were never collected, including by senior CUF parliamentarians. Not being issued a card and not picking up a card were two different matters. Not bothering to register at all was yet another issue. There was a deliberate effort by the opposition to undermine the process. QPlease donQt cover for them [CUF],Q Karume said. The real problem was that QCUF woke up too late to the reality of IDs [that would now limit its ability to pad the voter list with fraudulent supporters], and now they want us to meet their demands. ¶15. (U) On the role of Shehas in the process, Karume said they were essential. Zanzibar, though small in area, had 50 constituencies. On an island were Qeveryone knows everyone,Q Shehas were instrumental in keeping track of Qwho comes in and who goes out. Shehas Qknow what theyQre supposed to do,Q Karume asserted. ¶16. (SBU) Sweden made several efforts to draw Karume out on what specific changes he might be prepared to make on the ground to bring back on board those who were rejected when applying for IDs. Karume insisted that all the right tools were in place. In his view, observers should give the process time and hold those who would obstruct the process responsible for any problems. ¶17. (SBU) Several times Karume suggested that the complaints by the QFriends GroupQ were merely echoes of CUF, a charge rebutted by the U.S. every time it was made. At one point, when responding to a warning by President Karume to beware of self-serving statements made by the opposition party, CDA Andre reminded that we "carefully weigh statements made by both parties,Q to which an exasperated Karume shouted, QI am not a party, I am the Administration!Q By the end of the encounter, Karume even went as far as suggesting that the DAR ES SAL 00000578 004 OF 005 QFriends GroupQ should vet any statement with the QAdministration prior to Qrunning to the press.Q At the meeting's conclusion, during the goodbye handshakes, CDA told President Karume that the issue was being followed in the U.S. at the level of the White House. AFTERMATH -------------- ¶18. (U) PRESS: The Joint Statement was covered broadly in mainland press (front page news for most dailies) and editorials have been sympathetic for the most part, particularly in the Swahili language print media Nipashe and Mtanzania. By contrast, the CCM-controlled newspaper Zanzibar Leo (the only daily published on the islands) neither ran the statement nor even quoted from it. Yet, for several days, Zanzibar Leo ran vituperative responses to the Joint Statement. Following the meeting between Heads of Mission and President Karume, national media took the positive spin offered by FM Membe, that anomalies were being addressed by the SMZ and all who were qualified would get their cards. The August 19 headline in Zanzibar Leo, however, was QDr. Karume Educates Diplomats.Q In the same issue were other stories about Q7849 uncollected ID cardsQ and warnings of possible opposition perfidy. There also was an unusual full page Qnews analysisQ bylined by QMohammed Juma,Q allegedly reporting from Pemba. The QanalysisQ directly criticized QEU diplomats,Q and suggested the Joint Statement violated the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. The author called for the diplomats to Qextend an apologyQ to Zanzibaris. He warned against using development assistance Qas a gateway to defame and degrade Tanzanians.Q A U.S. inquiry with the Zanzibar Leo office in Pemba and with the SMZ Information Office in Pemba revealed no local knowledge of QMohammed Juma.Q Nonetheless, local radio stations (the number one source of information in Zanzibar) read out the statement or summarized it and covered the commentary of the mainland press. ¶19. (U) NEC/ZEC: Following a meeting in Pemba between ZEC and CUF held at about the same time as our QFriendsQ meeting with Karume, CUF decided not to participate in any registration process based on Zanzibar IDs unless the ID application process is changed. On August 25 ZEC released a press statement saying it could not proceed with registration until there was a political settlement on the ID issue. On August 29 ID Director Ame responded with a broadside against ZEC, denying any problems with the ID process and calling ZEC Qincompetent.Q Meanwhile, to follow-up on KarumeQs claim that the National Electoral Commission (NEC) was protecting the rights of those denied under the Zanzibari system (ZEC),we visited every District in Pemba. There were no NEC staff present (although we saw locked or abandoned offices marked for NEC use). We are still investigating NECQs role in Zanzibar for 2010. 20 (U) ID PROCESS: It appears that the specific issue of lack of ID forms at the Sheha level had been addressed for the most part, although there still remained complaints about the ShehasQ partisan role in the process. The issue of birth certificates and the various complaints about impediments for first-time would-be ID registrants continue. The registration of youths as adults still seems to be occurring. ¶21. (U) We have seen thousands of unclaimed ID cards at every District center, where none had been just two weeks ago. However, among the populace there remains some confusion about the availability of IDs for those who have already applied. CUF has been slow to respond to this development, and leadership seems to have issued no guidance for CUF cadres as to whether they will assist their supporters to claim the IDs they heretofore had complained were unavailable. We saw some approved ID applicants show their receipts and claim their IDs that for whatever reason had been unclaimed for years. Meanwhile, we also listened to others complain that they were being asked to produce more documents before they could collect their IDs. Others complained that CUF officers had collected their receipts as Qevidence of CCM meddlingQ and hadnQt returned them. DAR ES SAL 00000578 005 OF 005 ¶22. (SBU) The ID centers in Pemba are now swamped with dozens (if not hundreds) of new applicants daily, now that application forms seem more plentiful. To address this, ID centers have devised a neighborhood-by-neighborhood process by which applicants can come to collect their cards, and this system seems to be of some utility. ID Card Chief Ame said there is an appeals process. There exists a form (QForm 4Q) by which applicants can air grievances about all aspects of the process, including direct complaints about Shehas and District Commissioners. It is against the law for anyone to obstruct or manipulate the ID process. Theoretically, the form is to be sent directly to the ID HQ in Unguja, and Ame said he would review each one personally. When asked, ID Center workers were aware of the form, but none were on display (even after multiple visits to ID offices over several days). On the ground, few people (including CUF cadres) know about the form, and we know of no appeals made so far. On obtaining birth certificates or, for those born before 1964, swearing affidavits that no birth certificate existed, there was confusion on the ground as to how this might be done. Converting a Qregistration of birthQ document (that most people seem to have) into a Qbirth certificateQ (the only paper accepted by the ID Center) is a one-to-two month process, if all goes correctly. Obtaining paperwork from scratch might be more problematic. We have yet to see first-hand how older ID applicants have obtained affidavits, although we have talked to dozens of older men denied a card due to lack of documentation. ¶23. (U) Meanwhile, we have seen hundreds of Pemban ID cards apparently issued during Qmass registrationQ (circa 2005-06) that feature only a year for date of birth and QxQsQ for month and day. Complaints of youth being registered as adults persist, and we have talked to a couple of people issued cards who admitted to us they were underage. Both CUF and CCM claim that each side has imported people from the nearby mainland city of Tanga to pad the process, but we have seen no evidence of this. ¶24. (U) OTHER OBSERVATIONS: The week of August 17 SMZ Education Minister Haroun visited Pemba to speak to school administrators and community leaders and urge them not to push underage school children into the political process. He also tamped down growing local panic that ID cards would be required for advanced education exams. On August 26, representatives of the (national) Commission on Human Rights and Good Governance went to Pemba to look into the ID issuance process. COMMENT -------------- ¶25. (SBU) In Pemba, almost everyone with whom we spoke commented favorably on the Joint Statement. Many credited it with giving cover for an extension of the Qtime outQ in order for ZEC and others to hold more discussions with the various players in the Pemba registration/ID process. Tensions that resulted in violence leading up to the Joint Statement appear to have subsided for now, although they could flare up immediately should any one side take any unilateral action. It appears that our Joint Statement lessened frustration on the island, reassuring Zanzibaris that recent events were not occurring in a vacuum, hidden from outside eyes. It served to reassure that the international community cared about the fairness of elections in Tanzania and assuaged some cynics that donors were not acquiescent to any Zanzibari Government heavy-handedness. ANDRE