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

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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