The Daily News said it was dangerous for the Commonwealth not to expel Zimbabwe from the organisation because this emboldened the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front into cockiness that might translate into an escalation of violence against the opposition.
The paper said the decision could force ZANU-PF to show its true intentions.
If the party was being honest with the European Union and the Commonwealth, then violence against the opposition should end.
Full cable:
Viewing cable 02HARARE303, MEDIA REPORT — COMMONWEALTH ACTIONS ON
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
041458Z Feb 02
UNCLASSIFIED PTO7013
PAGE 01 HARARE 00303 041512Z
ACTION AF-00
INFO LOG-00 NP-00 A-00 ACQ-00 CIAE-00 DODE-00 DS-00
EUR-00 UTED-00 VC-00 TEDE-00 INR-00 LAB-01 VCE-00
NSAE-00 TEST-00 USIE-00 EPAE-00 IIP-00 DSCC-00 DRL-02
NFAT-00 SAS-00 /003W
——————61B3F8 041513Z /38
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0861
INFO NSC WASHDC
AMEMBASSY PRETORIA
AMEMBASSY LUSAKA
AMEMBASSY WINDHOEK
AMEMBASSY GABORONE
AMEMBASSY LILONGWE
AMEMBASSY LONDON
UNCLAS HARARE 000303
SIPDIS
AF/PD FOR COX, ROBERTSON, AF/S FOR KRAFT, AF/RA FOR
SWANN, INR/R/MR, NSC FOR JENDAYI FRAZER
E.O. 12958: N/A
SUBJECT: MEDIA REPORT — COMMONWEALTH ACTIONS ON
ZIMBABWE; HARARE
¶1. UNDER HEADLINE “DANGEROUS TO LET ZIMBABWE OFF THE
HOOK AT THIS STAGE,” THE INDEPENDENT DAILY “THE DAILY
NEWS” DEDICATED ITS FEBRUARY 1 EDITORIAL TO CAUTIONING
THE COMMONWEALTH ABOUT ITS DECISION NOT TO EXPEL
ZIMBABWE FROM THE ORGANIZATION. EXCERPTS FOLLOW:
¶2. “. . . AT ONE LEVEL, THE CMAG DECISION TO HOLD OFF
THE SUSPENSION COULD BE VERY DANGEROUS, EMBOLDENING
ZANU PF INTO A COCKINESS THAT MIGHT TRANSLATE INTO THE
ESCALATION OF VIOLENCE AGAINST THE OPPOSITION AND OTHER
DETRACTORS. AT ANOTHER LEVEL, THE DECISION COULD FORCE
ZANU PF TO SHOW ITS TRUE INTENTIONS. IF THE PARTY IS
BEING HONEST WITH THE COMMONWEALTH AND THE EUROPEAN
UNION (EU), THEN THE VIOLENCE AGAINST THE OPPOSITION
SHOULD END IMMEDIATELY. IF IT DOESN’T END, THEN
EVERYBODY, EVEN THE NIGERIANS AND THE SOUTH AFRICANS IN
THE COMMONWEALTH. . .MUST KNOW THAT MUGABE HAS ONCE
AGAIN PULLED THE WOOL OVER THEIR EYES. THE BOTTOM LINE
FOR THIS FLURRY OF ACTIVITY IS THAT THE PRESIDENTIAL
ELECTION SHOULD BE ABSOLUTELY FREE AND FAIR. . . .”
SULLIVAN
UNCLASSIFIED
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