Tsvangirai complains about Zuma to Mbeki

Movement for Democratic Change leader Morgan Tsvangirai complained to South African President Thabo Mbeki about the way his Foreign Minister Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma was handling the Zimbabwean crisis.

In a letter to Mbeki Tsvangirai complained that Dlamini Zuma was only talking to the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front and not the MDC.

“We in the party do not mind your continued engagement of the government on the various issues concerning the political crisis in the country. However, we believe that if Your Excellency recognizes that the political crisis in the country still persists and that you still consider yourself as an impartial broker to the resolution of the crisis then South African government delegations to the country engaging the ZANU-PF government should also take the courtesy of at least allowing a briefing from ourselves as party to the effort to finding a resolution of the crisis. I believe that the failure by the various South African government delegations to engage our party compromises your image as an impartial broker,” Tsvangirai said.

He also complained that during her visit Dlamini Zuma had remarked that she did not see any signs of a looming bloodbath in Zimbabwe.

“I want to believe that her statement was irresponsible. We in the party have made all efforts and against all odds to contain public anger by counseling patience on a restless population. But we could be reaching a stage where that may no longer be possible especially given the increasing arrogance of the ZANU(PF) government on the one hand and the growing impatience of the masses on the other hand. I want to believe that the Minister’s statement is unfortunate and therefore should be withdrawn,” Tsvangirai said.

Full cable:

Viewing cable 02HARARE2629, LETTER TO PRESIDENT THABO MBEKI FROM MDC LEADER

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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

211104Z Nov 02

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 002629

SIPDIS

NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR JENDAYI FRAZER

LONDON FOR CGURNEY

PARIS FOR CNEARY

NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/20/2012

TAGS: OPDC PREL ZI

SUBJECT: LETTER TO PRESIDENT THABO MBEKI FROM MDC LEADER

TSVANGIRAI

SIPDIS

REF: HARARE 2620

¶1. (c) As reported reftel, we received a copy of a letter

sent by MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai to South African

President, Thabo Mbeki. The letter was delivered in person

to President Mbeki’s office by Tsvangirai’s special advisor.

As of November 20, Tsvangirai had not yet received a response.

¶2. (c) Begin Text of Tsvangirai-Mbeki letter:

8th November, 2002

His Excellency

President Thabo Mbeki

Republic of South Africa

I greet you in the name of African brotherhood.

Your Excellency, I write to you to raise a few issues of

concern to ourselves as party to the dialogue co-sponsored by

yourselves and President Obasanjo. I want to believe that we

all accept that there is a political crisis in Zimbabwe

emanating from the presidential election that was not

conducted in a free and fair manner. Your Excellency as

member of the Commonwealth troika are party to the March 2002

decision of the organization to suspend Zimbabwe,

(government), from the councils of the same resulting from

its failure to uphold certain principles concerning the

conduct of elections.

We in the party salute your decision and indeed your boldness

to arrive at it. Indeed the election in Zimbabwe was not

free and fair and the political crisis in the country is

about a stolen election and is therefore a crisis of

legitimacy.

In-spite of the outcome we further salute your intervention

through the inter-party dialogue initiative, which without

your wisdom would not have taken place. The crisis of

legitimacy in Zimbabwe remains compounding the crisis of

governance that has been with us for some time now. The very

acceptance by the parties to enter into dialogue on the

agreed agenda is a recognition that there is a political

crisis in the country needing resolution through dialogue. I

still believe that dialogue is ultimately inevitable to the

resolution of the crisis in Zimbabwe.

Your Excellency while appreciating your role in trying to

resolve the crisis in Zimbabwe I wish to raise here two

issues of concern to us in the party.

Firstly, I note that since the inter-party dialogue stalled

many South African government delegations have visited

Zimbabwe engaging the ZANU(PF) government. The last such

delegation was led by Foreign Minister, Nkosazana Zuma, not

too long ago.

We in the party do not mind your continued engagement of the

government on the various issues concerning the political

crisis in the country. However, we believe that if Your

Excellency recognizes that the political crisis in the

country still persists and that you still consider yourself

as an impartial broker to the resolution of the crisis then

South African government delegations to the country engaging

the ZANU(PF) government should also take the courtesy of at

least allowing a briefing from ourselves as party to the

effort to finding a resolution of the crisis. I believe that

the failure by the various South African government

delegations to engage our party compromises your image as an

impartial broker.

Secondly, I note with concern the statement by Foreign

Minister, Nkosazana Zuma, during her last visit to Zimbabwe

in which she says that South Africa does not see any signs of

a looming bloodbath in Zimbabwe. I want to believe that her

statement was irresponsible. We in the party have made all

efforts and against all odds to contain public anger by

counseling patience on a restless population. But we could

be reaching a stage where that may no longer be possible

especially given the increasing arrogance of the ZANU(PF)

government on the one hand and the growing impatience of the

masses on the other hand. I want to believe that the

Minister’s statement is unfortunate and therefore should be

withdrawn.

Your Excellency, the Zimbabwe crisis is real and needs

resolution rather than management.

I avail myself, Your Excellency, this opportunity to renew

the assurances of my highest consideration.

Yours Sincerely,

Morgan Tsvangirai

President

End Text

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