Pius Ncube reports to Powell instead of God – three cables

In a scathing attack of Archbishop Pius Ncube’s visit to Washington where he met Secretary of State Colin Powell, The Herald, likened the catholic cleric to Judas Iscariot accusing him of reporting to Americans instead of his master, God.

Full cable:

Viewing cable 03HARARE1028, MORE NEGATIVE COMMENTARY IN GOVERNMENT MEDIA

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

UNCLAS HARARE 001028

SIPDIS

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SUBJECT: MORE NEGATIVE COMMENTARY IN GOVERNMENT MEDIA

TO POWELL-NCUBE MEETING

¶1. Under the headline “Archbishop Ncube shameless” the

government-controlled daily “Herald’s” May 24 editorial

criticized Archbishop Pius Ncube for meeting with

Secretary Powell. Excerpts follow:

SIPDIS

¶2. “Like the proverbial Judas Iscariot, Roman Catholic

Archbishop Pius Ncube was in Washington on Tuesday to

sacrifice his country to the altar of the mighty U.S.

and to be thanked by the Americans for being in tune

with their grand plans on Zimbabwe. . . Instead of

reporting to God, who is his Master, he now reports to

the American Government. He shamelessly scurries to

the imperial master for advice and guidance on how to

deal with the Zimbabwean government. Archbishop Ncube

knows that Colin Powell wields enough power to order

the overthrow of a government as the Americans have

already done in Afghanistan and Iraq. . . Instead of

seeking God’s intervention for whatever he believes

needs to be solved in Zimbabwe, Archbishop Ncube has

gone to the U.S. for them to do to Zimbabwe what Pilate

and Herod did to Jesus Christ. The Archbishop knows

very well that the American Government has no higher

moral ground than anyone else on human rights or the

rule of law as its track record in Iraq, Afghanistan or

the U.S. is atrocious. . . It would have been

understandable if the Archbishop was called to the

Vatican to be thanked by the Pope for standing up to

what he believes to be right. He has lost the dignity

and sanctity of the cloth he wears. . .”

SULLIVAN

Viewing cable 03HARARE1029, GOVERNMENT PAPER COVERS POWELL-NCUBE MEETING

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

UNCLAS HARARE 001029

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SUBJECT: GOVERNMENT PAPER COVERS POWELL-NCUBE MEETING

¶1.   The meeting between U.S. Secretary of State Colin

Powell and Bulawayo Archbishop Pius Ncube provided the

lead story in the May 22 edition of the government-

controlled daily “Chronicle.” The article distorted

the purpose and substance of the may 20 meeting

Washington, DC. The article accused the United States

for exploiting the meeting with Ncube to advance its

desire to “overthrow” the government of Robert Mugabe.

change of government in Zimbabwe.” Excerpts of Under

the headline “U.S. praises Pius Ncube: Archbishop

thanked for anti-govt stance,” the article says in

part:

¶2.   “The United States Government has lauded the head

of the Roman Catholic Church in Matabeleland,

Archbishop Pius Ncube, for assisting it in its bid to

effect a change of Government in Zimbabwe. U.S.

Secretary of States Mr. Colin Powell met Archbishop

Ncube, a controversial cleric who dabbles in politics,

in Washington on Tuesday and `thanked’ him for his

anti-Government stance. . . Diplomatic sources said

Archbishop Ncube was being rewarded for helping the

U.S. and Britain in their quest to topple President

Mugabe. . . .”

SULLIVAN

This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.  280506Z May 03

UNCLAS HARARE 001031    SIPDIS    DEPT FOR AF/PDPA FOR DALTON, MITCHELL AND SIMS  NSC FOR JENDAYI FRAZER  LONDON FOR GURNEY  PARIS FOR NEARY  NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER    E.O. 12958: N/A  TAGS: PREL KPAO KMDR ZI SUBJECT: GOVERNMENT MEDIA CRITICIZE ARCHBISHOP NCUBE FO  MEETING WITH SECRETARY POWELL        ¶1.   Under headline "Pius Ncube must make his        intentions clear" the government-controlled daily        "Chronicle's" May 22 editorial was critical of Bulawayo        Archbishop Pius Ncube for having met with Secretary of        State Colin Powell during a recent visit to Washington.        Excerpts follow.      ¶2.   ". . .Instead of us being told that the Archbishop        was welcomed by and held talks with fellow Catholics in        the U.S., we are told that he met General Colin Powell,        the U.S. Secretary of State and a host of secret        agents.   General Powell is a military man who got his        ego inflated to unimaginable proportions following his        escapades in Iraq. . .  Since Gen. Powell insinuated        that they (Powell and Ncube) seemed to agree on the        main issues, seeing that his (Ncube's) stance was        `principled,' this would seem to point to a consensus        over the removal of the government of Zimbabwe that was        elected in 2002.  Some American Kainsteiner has made it        no secret that the U.S. seeks to remove the        democratically elected government of Zimbabwe.  It        becomes cause for concern if men of the cloth start        giving political speeches from the pulpit. . . ."    SULLIVAN

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