United States ambassador to Zimbabwe James McGhee said some reports of violence that were being reported by the Movement for Democratic Change were questionable.
He said Frances Lovemore of Counselling Services Unit, who closely tracked violence in Zimbabwe and treated many of the victims, told the embassy that she questioned the veracity of the Epworth reports, for example.
She said she attempted to discuss the issue with MDC spokesman Nelson Chamisa, but he refused.
McGhee commented: “The MDC is justified in drawing attention to any and all violence perpetrated by the regime. But in exaggerating, it places its credibility in jeopardy.”
Full cable:
Viewing cable 08HARARE1008, SOME MDC ALLEGATIONS OF INCREASED VIOLENCE
If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs
|
Reference ID |
Created |
Released |
Classification |
Origin |
VZCZCXRO5592
OO RUEHDU RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHSB #1008 3121144
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 071144Z NOV 08
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3669
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE
RUEHAR/AMEMBASSY ACCRA 2417
RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA 2537
RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN 1037
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 1813
RUEHDK/AMEMBASSY DAKAR 2168
RUEHKM/AMEMBASSY KAMPALA 2593
RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 5021
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RUZEJAA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK
RHMFISS/EUCOM POLAD VAIHINGEN GE
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 1686
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC
C O N F I D E N T I A L HARARE 001008
SIPDIS
AF/S FOR B. WALCH
DRL FOR N. WILETT
ADDIS ABABA FOR USAU
ADDIS ABABA FOR ACSS
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR E. LOKEN AND L. DOBBINS
STATE PASS TO NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR B. PITTMAN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/08/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL ASEC PHUM KDEM ZI
SUBJECT: SOME MDC ALLEGATIONS OF INCREASED VIOLENCE
UNVERIFIED
REF: A. HARARE 1002
¶B. HARARE 966
Classified By: Ambassador James McGee for reason 1.4(d).
—————————————–
ZANU-PF Thugs, Police Still Targeting MDC
—————————————–
¶1. (SBU) In recent days, MDC has publicly claimed that
ZANU-PF has renewed its campaign of violence against the MDC
and its members. In a November 6 press release, the MDC
claimed that in Epworth, a high density suburb outside of
Harare where ZANU-PF set up pre-election torture and
reeducation camps, ZANU-PF set up new camps and brutally
attacked 25 people on October 27. The MDC also pointed to
the arrest on October 30 of MDC activists in Banket,
Mashonaland West province, and the arrest and detention of
WOZA leaders Jenni Williams and Magodonga Mahlangu (Ref B).
As a consequence, the MDC charged that ZANU-PF had put an end
to dialogue and (referring to the SADC mediation) should
“openly bury the corpse of these talks.”
—————————–
Some Allegations Questionable
—————————–
¶2. (C) There is no question that on October 27 police cracked
down on protests outside of the Rainbow Towers Hotel in
Harare where the SADC Troika was meeting. We have received
confirmation of the Banket arrests. And the WOZA leaders
were detained for an extended time before a High Court judge
overruled a magistrate and ordered their release this week.
But we have not been able to confirm violence or the
re-establishment of camps in Epworth. Frances Lovemore of
Counseling Services Units (CSU), who closely tracks violence
in Zimbabwe and treats many of the victims, told us she
questioned the veracity of the Epworth reports. She said she
attempted to discuss the issue with MDC spokesman Nelson
Chamisa, but he refused.
——————————————
COMMENT: MDC Posturing for the SADC Summit
——————————————
¶3. (C) As the SADC summit rapidly approaches and ZANU-PF is
alleging that the MDC has operated paramilitary camps outside
of Zimbabwe (Ref A), the MDC appears to be posturing in an
effort to counter ZANU-PF allegations. While violence and
government brutality have unfortunately become the norm in
present day Zimbabwe, we see no evidence of a campaign of
violence that approaches what we saw in the inter-election
period between March and June. The MDC is justified in
drawing attention to any and all violence perpetrated by the
regime. But in exaggerating, it places its credibility in
jeopardy. END COMMENT.
MCGEE
(49 VIEWS)
One Comment