The head of the Commercial Farmers Union Tim Henwood complained to the United States embassy that the media was not picking up on numerous and severe beatings of black farm workers by war veterans.
Another white farmer had also been killed as the violence escalated and a large gathering of farmers was expected at his funeral.
Full cable:
Viewing cable 00HARARE2199, EARLY WEEKEND UPDATE ON ZIMBABWE
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CONFIDENTIAL PTO5166
PAGE 01 HARARE 02199 221455Z
ACTION AF-00
INFO LOG-00 COR-01 NP-00 AID-00 AMAD-01 ACQ-00 CIAE-00
SRPP-00 DS-00 VC-01 H-01 TEDE-00 INR-00 L-00
AC-01 NEA-00 NSAE-00 OMB-01 OPIC-01 PA-00 PM-00
PRS-00 ACE-00 P-00 SP-00 IRM-00 USIE-00 SA-00
PMB-00 DSCC-00 DRL-02 G-00 NFAT-00 SAS-00 /009W
——————4EE3E1 221459Z /38
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 5814
INFO NSC WASHDC
DEPTTREAS WASHDC
SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
WHITE HOUSE WASHDC
SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L HARARE 002199
SIPDIS
C O R R E C T E D C O P Y (INFO ADDEES)
DEPARTMENT FOR AF A/S SUSAN E. RICE, PDAS POWELL,
DAS SCHNEIDMAN, AF/S DIRECTOR RENDER, DESK
OFFICER GURNEY, SA/INS FOR STEVE KRAFT
DEPT ALSO PASS AID
NSC ALSO FOR GAYLE SMITH
E.O. 12958: DECL: 4/22/10
SUBJECT: EARLY WEEKEND UPDATE ON ZIMBABWE
CLASSIFIED BY AMBASSADOR MCDONALD FOR REASONS 1.5
(B), (D)
¶1. (C) AS OF THE MORNING OF APRIL 22–ALMOST
HALFWAY THROUGH THE LONG EASTER HOLIDAY WEEKEND –
THE SITUATION IN HARARE IS FAIRLY QUIET, WITH
SOME SIGNS OF LESSENING TENSIONS. HARARE IS FINE
AND ROADS ARE OPEN THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY. MOST
NOTABLY, A PEACE MARCH IN DOWNTOWN HARARE ON
APRIL 21, THE GOOD FRIDAY HOLIDAY, WENT OFF
WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE MARCH WAS BILLED AS A
RELIGION-BASED EVENT; ITS FOCUS WAS A PLEA FOR
PEACE. MARCHERS PROCEEDED UNDISRUPTED THROUGH
THE DOWNTOWN AREA TO THE CENTRALLY LOCATED
CATHOLIC CATHEDRAL, WHICH IS NEAR THE PARLIAMENT
BUILDINGS. IT IS A POSITIVE SIGN THAT POPULAR
OPINION CONTINUES TO BE IN FAVOR OF CALMING THE
SITUATION AND THAT THIS OPINION IS NOT BEING
SUPPRESSED BY THE GOVERNMENT.
¶2. (C) IN THE COUNTRYSIDE AS WELL THERE ARE
SOME SIGNS THAT, AT A MINIMUM, THINGS ARE NOT
GETTING WORSE. WHILE A WORRISOME STATUS QUO
PREVAILS–THE FARMS THAT HAVE BEEN OCCUPIED
CONTINUE TO BE SO, THE FARMERS THAT HAVE FLED
THEIR PROPERTIES ARE NOT RETURNING, FARM WORKERS
ARE SUFFERING BEATINGS AND DISLOCATION, AND
PROPERTY DESTRUCTION CONTINUES–WE HAVE HEARD NO
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 03 HARARE 02199 221455Z
REPORTS OF SERIOUS VIOLENCE.
¶3. (C) ONE MEDIA REPORT EARLY TODAY INDICATED
THE POLICE HAD HELPFULLY INTERVENED AT A FARM
OCCUPATION SITE. COMMERCIAL FARMERS UNION HEAD
TIM HENWOOD (PROTECT) TOLD US IN A TELEPHONE
CONVERSATION THIS MORNING THAT THE POLICE HAD
MADE SOME ATTEMPT, BUT IT WAS ONCE AGAIN A CASE
OF TOO LITTLE, TOO LATE. HE EMPHASIZED THAT
MEDIA REPORTS ARE NOT PICKING UP ON THE NUMEROUS
AND SEVERE BEATINGS OF BLACK FARM WORKERS BY THE
SO-CALLED 'WAR VETERANS' THAT ARE CONTINUING.
HENWOOD ALSO SAID THE FUNERAL FOR MARTIN OLDS,
THE SECOND FARMER TO BE KILLED, IS BEING HELD
TODAY. A LARGE GATHERING OF FARMERS IS EXPECTED
FOR THE EVENT. HENWOOD THOUGHT IT WOULD BE
PEACEFUL.
¶4. (C) IT ALSO IS RELATIVELY GOOD NEWS THAT
MOVEMENT FOR DEMOCRATIC CHANGE LEADER MORGAN
TSVANGIRAI HAS RETURNED TO THE COUNTRY, HAS BEEN
SIPDIS
IN CONTACT WITH THE MEDIA, AND HAS NOT BEEN
IMPEDED BY THE GOVERNMENT SO FAR. THE EMBASSY
HAS BEEN IN TOUCH WITH SOME OF OUR MDC CONTACTS
AND HAVE HEARD NOTHING FROM THEM INDICATING
UNUSUAL HARASSMENT. AMBASSADOR MCDONALD HAS
ARRANGED A MEETING WITH SENIOR MDC LEADERSHIP,
INCLUDING TSVANGIRAI, WHICH WILL BE HELD ON APRIL
¶25. TSVANGIRAI AND OTHER LEADERS HAVE BEEN BUSY
WITH THE FUNERALS OF THE RECENTLY SLAIN MDC
MEMBERS, AMONG OTHER THINGS.
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 04 HARARE 02199 221455Z
¶5. (U) SOME ROADBLOCKS WERE EXPECTED TODAY ON THE
ROADS APPROACHING HARARE, BUT WE HAVE NOT SEEN
ANY INDICATION OF AN UNUSUALLY HEAVY POLICE
PRESENCE DOWNTOWN. INDEED, PEDESTRIAN AND
VEHICLE TRAFFIC APPEARS LIGHTER THAN USUAL FOR A
SATURDAY, WITH MANY PEOPLE MAKING THEIR
TRADITIONAL VISITS TO THEIR HOMES IN THE
COUNTRYSIDE OVER THE FOUR DAY WEEKEND.
MCDONALD
CONFIDENTIAL
>
@@@OASYS@@@
CONFIDENTIAL PTO4968
PAGE 01 HARARE 02199 220802Z
ACTION AF-00
INFO LOG-00 NP-00 ACQ-00 CIAE-00 DODE-00 SRPP-00 DS-00
VC-01 H-01 TEDE-00 INR-00 L-00 AC-01 NEA-00
NSAE-00 OMB-01 OPIC-01 PA-00 PM-00 PRS-00 ACE-00
P-00 SP-00 IRM-00 TRSE-00 USIE-00 SA-00 PMB-00
DSCC-00 DRL-02 G-00 NFAT-00 SAS-00 /007W
——————4EDA10 220802Z /38
R 220806Z APR 00
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 5814
INFO NSC WASHDC
SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L HARARE 002199
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR AF A/S SUSAN E. RICE, PDAS POWELL,
DAS SCHNEIDMAN, AF/S DIRECTOR RENDER, DESK
OFFICER GURNEY, SA/INS FOR STEVE KRAFT
E.O. 12958: DECL: 4/22/10
SUBJECT: EARLY WEEKEND UPDATE ON ZIMBABWE
CLASSIFIED BY AMBASSADOR MCDONALD FOR REASONS 1.5
(B), (D)
¶1. (C) AS OF THE MORNING OF APRIL 22–ALMOST
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 02 HARARE 02199 220802Z
HALFWAY THROUGH THE LONG EASTER HOLIDAY WEEKEND –
THE SITUATION IN HARARE IS FAIRLY QUIET, WITH
SOME SIGNS OF LESSENING TENSIONS. HARARE IS FINE
AND ROADS ARE OPEN THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY. MOST
NOTABLY, A PEACE MARCH IN DOWNTOWN HARARE ON
APRIL 21, THE GOOD FRIDAY HOLIDAY, WENT OFF
WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE MARCH WAS BILLED AS A
RELIGION-BASED EVENT; ITS FOCUS WAS A PLEA FOR
PEACE. MARCHERS PROCEEDED UNDISRUPTED THROUGH
THE DOWNTOWN AREA TO THE CENTRALLY LOCATED
CATHOLIC CATHEDRAL, WHICH IS NEAR THE PARLIAMENT
BUILDINGS. IT IS A POSITIVE SIGN THAT POPULAR
OPINION CONTINUES TO BE IN FAVOR OF CALMING THE
SITUATION AND THAT THIS OPINION IS NOT BEING
SUPPRESSED BY THE GOVERNMENT.
¶2. (C) IN THE COUNTRYSIDE AS WELL THERE ARE
SOME SIGNS THAT, AT A MINIMUM, THINGS ARE NOT
GETTING WORSE. WHILE A WORRISOME STATUS QUO
PREVAILS–THE FARMS THAT HAVE BEEN OCCUPIED
CONTINUE TO BE SO, THE FARMERS THAT HAVE FLED
THEIR PROPERTIES ARE NOT RETURNING, FARM WORKERS
ARE SUFFERING BEATINGS AND DISLOCATION, AND
PROPERTY DESTRUCTION CONTINUES–WE HAVE HEARD NO
REPORTS OF SERIOUS VIOLENCE.
¶3. (C) ONE MEDIA REPORT EARLY TODAY INDICATED
THE POLICE HAD HELPFULLY INTERVENED AT A FARM
OCCUPATION SITE. COMMERCIAL FARMERS UNION HEAD
TIM HENWOOD (PROTECT) TOLD US IN A TELEPHONE
CONVERSATION THIS MORNING THAT THE POLICE HAD
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 03 HARARE 02199 220802Z
MADE SOME ATTEMPT, BUT IT WAS ONCE AGAIN A CASE
OF TOO LITTLE, TOO LATE. HE EMPHASIZED THAT
MEDIA REPORTS ARE NOT PICKING UP ON THE NUMEROUS
AND SEVERE BEATINGS OF BLACK FARM WORKERS BY THE
SO-CALLED 'WAR VETERANS' THAT ARE CONTINUING.
HENWOOD ALSO SAID THE FUNERAL FOR MARTIN OLDS,
THE SECOND FARMER TO BE KILLED, IS BEING HELD
TODAY. A LARGE GATHERING OF FARMERS IS EXPECTED
FOR THE EVENT. HENWOOD THOUGHT IT WOULD BE
PEACEFUL.
¶4. (C) IT ALSO IS RELATIVELY GOOD NEWS THAT
MOVEMENT FOR DEMOCRATIC CHANGE LEADER MORGAN
TSVANGIRAI HAS RETURNED TO THE COUNTRY, HAS BEEN
SIPDIS
IN CONTACT WITH THE MEDIA, AND HAS NOT BEEN
IMPEDED BY THE GOVERNMENT SO FAR. THE EMBASSY
HAS BEEN IN TOUCH WITH SOME OF OUR MDC CONTACTS
AND HAVE HEARD NOTHING FROM THEM INDICATING
UNUSUAL HARASSMENT. AMBASSADOR MCDONALD HAS
ARRANGED A MEETING WITH SENIOR MDC LEADERSHIP,
INCLUDING TSVANGIRAI, WHICH WILL BE HELD ON APRIL
¶25. TSVANGIRAI AND OTHER LEADERS HAVE BEEN BUSY
WITH THE FUNERALS OF THE RECENTLY SLAIN MDC
MEMBERS, AMONG OTHER THINGS.
¶5. (U) SOME ROADBLOCKS WERE EXPECTED TODAY ON THE
ROADS APPROACHING HARARE, BUT WE HAVE NOT SEEN
ANY INDICATION OF AN UNUSUALLY HEAVY POLICE
PRESENCE DOWNTOWN. INDEED, PEDESTRIAN AND
VEHICLE TRAFFIC APPEARS LIGHTER THAN USUAL FOR A
SATURDAY, WITH MANY PEOPLE MAKING THEIR
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 04 HARARE 02199 220802Z
TRADITIONAL VISITS TO THEIR HOMES IN THE
COUNTRYSIDE OVER THE FOUR DAY WEEKEND.
MCDONALD
CONFIDENTIAL
>
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