SADC TROIKA "INVESTIGATES" IBB FACILITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 GABORONE 000485 SIPDIS STATE FOR AF/S, AF/RSA, AF/PD, AND IIP STATE PLEASE PASS TO BBG/VOA E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/18/2019 TAGS: PREL OIIP SADC ZI BC SUBJECT: SADC TROIKA "INVESTIGATES" IBB FACILITY REF: A. GABORONE 481 ¶B. 08 GABORONE 1103 ¶C. 08 GABORONE 1082 Classified By: Ambassador Stephen J. Nolan for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: A SADC investigation team embarked June 17 on a tour of alleged training facilities and other sites allegedly used by Botswana to harm Zimbabwean interests. The delegation's first stop was the U.S. government's IBB/VOA transmitter station in Selibe-Phikwe. The Ambassador and Pol/Econ Chief accompanied the SADC delegation to Phikwe. The SADC group was warmly welcomed by the IBB station manager and staff and were given a brief tour of the facility. The group's questions about station activities, program contents and purpose, and safety of the transmitters were answered and they left with smiles, information packets, and VOA promotional materials. Post hopes that this tour will allow SADC to finally adjudicate the long-standing and spurious complaint by Zimbabwe against its neighbor and move on to other more productive activities. END SUMMARY. Tour Origins and Atmospherics -------------- ¶2. (C) Zimbabwe lodged a formal complaint with SADC in November 2008 alleging that Botswana was providing military training to MDC supporters and undertaking other activities aimed at destabilizing its government (refs B and C). Zimbabwe also complained that the USG and Botswana were using the IBB/VOA transmitter station in Selibe-Phikwe to spread anti-GOZ propaganda. The SADC Troika was charged with investigating Zimbabwe's claims and Botswana's counter-claims. Botswana MFA Permanent Secretary Samuel Outlule told Ambassador Nolan that he made a presentation to the troika at a meeting in May in Swaziland, after which time the GOB believed that the troika would prepare a report and be finished. However, on June 14, the GOB received an urgent request from SADC to organize a "tour" of the various sites alleged by the GOZ in its submissions to have been used by Botswana to harm Zimbabwe (Ref A). Botswana, though frustrated by the short notice, felt that it was best to comply, and hastily organized a 3-day tour to include Selibe-Phikwe, Francistown, Kasane, Pandamatenga, Gantsi, and Thebephatswa. ¶3. (C) The "SADC Organ Troika Technical Assessment Team" included representatives of the governments of Swaziland, Angola, and Mozambique as well as SADC secretariat staff. The GOB sent its Deputy Chief of Protocol, director of Botswana Television/Radio, and police and military representatives, and a 5-member Zimbabwe delegation led by Attorney General Johannes Tomana was also supposed to attend. (Note: Full agenda and participant list emailed to AF/S.) The tour was scheduled to commence at 0615 June 17, however, the start was delayed by approximately 2 hours when the Zimbabwe delegation failed to appear. Botswana's Deputy Chief of Protocol told us that the Zimbabwe delegation had arrived at the border in the middle of the night and their large security detail were reportedly armed. Because they had not been pre-cleared to bring weapons into Botswana, there was a problem at that border and the MFA Permanent Secretary had to make late-night phone calls to get the delegation across the border. The Zimbabweans reportedly arrived in Gaborone around 0300 June 17 and were angry at what they alleged was "mistreatment" and delays at the border crossing, so they refused to participate in the tour as scheduled. Instead, the Zimbabweans called for a meeting at SADC headquarters at 1000 June 17. The SADC team debated whether or not to proceed, but the Swazi Chair of the team, Brigadier General Dlamini, finally decided that the Zimbabweans were simply invited to observe as a courtesy but were not necessary, so the group would proceed without them. Charm Offensive at IBB -------------- ¶4. (C) After a military flight to Selibe-Phikwe, the group arrived at the USG's IBB/VOA facility at 1045. They asked for an abbreviated tour as they were already running two and a half hours behind schedule. The Station Manager and other staff welcomed the group and gave them a briefing on the station's history and activities. Ambassador Nolan gave some background on Voice of America's purpose and worldwide activities and explained that it was similar to BBC, Deutsche Welle, or any other state-supported broadcast service. He emphasized that we are proud of the role that VOA plays in GABORONE 00000485 002 OF 002 bringing accurate news and information to people around the globe, and proud of the work of our colleagues in Selibe-Phikwe in achieving the VOA mission. The troika team asked questions about Zimbabwe's allegations against the facility. They learned that no programming originates in Selibe-Phikwe and that neither the GOB nor the USG has editorial control over VOA programming, except clearly labeled editorials which are the opinion of the USG. The Ambassador explained that "Studio 7" is focused on Zimbabwe, but that VOA also offers other programming in local languages around the world to serve the needs and interests of our listeners. One delegate asked whether there was any way that the powerful radio signals being emitted from the station could harm citizens of Zimbabwe. The Ambassador responded that such an allegations was "simply a lie" and IBB technicians discussed the station's safety standards. At the end of the tour, the group devoured refreshments in the Manager's office and eagerly accepted information packets about Studio 7, VOA history and its code of ethics, and the Broadcasting Board of Governors as well as VOA souvenir calendars, pencils, rulers, and coffee mugs. The troika investigation team posed for smiling group photos before departing for Francistown. Sunshine the Best Medicine -------------- ¶5. (C) COMMENT: It seems clear that our willingness to accommodate a last-minute request and our warm welcome achieved our desired aim. The SADC delegation left our facility smiling and well-informed about our VOA programs and services. We hope that some of them will tune into Studio 7 (either on the radio or online) and judge our program on its own merits. Zimbabwe's wholly unfounded allegations (at least about the IBB facility) seem to have been dispelled, though we will not know for sure until the troika's report is released. Though we were disappointed that the Zimbabwean delegation did not attend (it would have been interesting to watch their reaction to our transparency in response to the lies they presented to SADC),we were pleased that the troika team was not swayed by the Zimbabwean boycott and went ahead with the investigation without them. Post hopes that this tour will allow SADC to finally adjudicate the long-standing and spurious complaint by Zimbabwe against its neighbor and move on to other more productive activities. END COMMENT. NOLAN