Movement for Democratic Change spokesman Nelson Chamisa told United States embassy officials that Morgan Tsvangirai’s US advisor Melinda Farris was a “big problem”.
He said Tsvangirai had been listening to her to the exclusion of many in the MDC leadership, including himself and Tendai Biti, with whom Farris had a strained relationship.
Chamisa believed Farris had encouraged Tsvangirai to remain outside Zimbabwe causing a leadership vacuum that could cost the party dearly.
Chamisa acknowledged Tsvangirai’s international diplomatic efforts in Africa and Europe, but was critical of his continued absence from Zimbabwe.
“ZANU-PF was taking advantage of the absence of MDC leadership by engaging in its current campaign of abductions and arrests,” Chamisa told embassy officials.
“One of the hallmarks of Tsvangirai’s leadership had been courage–he needed to be here now to demonstrate it, to work with the MDC to develop a negotiating strategy, and to coordinate with civic organizations now engaged in protest.”
Full cable:
Viewing cable 08HARARE1073, NELSON CHAMISA ON MDC’S NEXT STEPS
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Reference ID |
Created |
Released |
Classification |
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VZCZCXRO8566
OO RUEHDU RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHSB #1073/01 3391535
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 041535Z DEC 08
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3779
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE
RUEHAR/AMEMBASSY ACCRA 2474
RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA 2599
RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN 1092
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 1868
RUEHDK/AMEMBASSY DAKAR 2223
RUEHKM/AMEMBASSY KAMPALA 2648
RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 5076
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RUZEJAA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK
RHMFISS/EUCOM POLAD VAIHINGEN GE
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 1740
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 001073
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: 12/04/2018
SUBJECT: NELSON CHAMISA ON MDC’S NEXT STEPS
Classified By: CDA Katherine Dhananai for reason 1.4 (d)
——-
SUMMARY
——-
¶1. (C) MDC spokesperson Nelson Chamisa met with Emboffs and
Washington TDYers on December 4 to discuss MDC positions and
next steps. According to Chamisa, MDC-T president Morgan
Tsvangirai’s continued absence from Zimbabwe is creating a
leadership vacuum that limits the MDC’s effectiveness in
negotiations with ZANU-PF and in coordinating efforts with
civil society. Relatedly, Tsvangirai’s reliance on U.S.
advisor Melinda Farris has created a “big problem” for those
in the party who seek to advise him. Sanctions continue to
be an effective weapon against Mugabe and the regime, and
U.S. public pressure is welcome. As to ongoing negotiations,
the MDC will not agree to submit Amendment 19 to Parliament
until outstanding issues are resolved. END SUMMARY.
——————-
A Leadership Vacuum
——————-
¶2. (C) Chamisa had just finished speaking with Tsvangirai
before beginning our meeting. Tsvangirai indicated he would
not soon return to Zimbabwe. According to Chamisa,
Tsvangirai did not specifically discuss the reason; Chamisa
believed Tsvangirai was concerned about threats to his
security and the possibility the GOZ would restrict his
foreign travel once he was back in the country.
¶3. (C) Chamisa acknowledged Tsvangirai’s international
diplomatic efforts in Africa and Europe, but was critical of
his continued absence from Zimbabwe. (Chamisa noted that
other MDC leaders, including Tendai Biti, Lovemore Moyo, and
Elias Midzuri had also been traveling.) ZANU-PF was taking
advantage of the absence of MDC leadership by engaging in its
current campaign of abductions and arrests. One of the
hallmarks of Tsvangirai’s leadership had been courage–he
needed to be here now to demonstrate it, to work with the MDC
to develop a negotiating strategy, and to coordinate with
civic organizations now engaged in protest. As to
Tsvangirai’s security, Chamisa said many MDC leaders had
received threats, but it was necessary to ignore them and
lead.
¶4. (C) After the meeting, Chamisa told polecon chief that
MDC adviser Melinda Farris was a “big problem.” He thought
Tsvangirai had been listening to her to the exclusion of many
in the MDC leadership, including himself and Tendai Biti,
with whom Farris had a strained relationship. Chamisa
believed Farris had encouraged Tsvangirai to remain outside
of Zimbabwe.
—————————
Sanctions an Essential Tool
—————————
¶5. (C) We asked Chamisa about Tsvangirai’s statement at the
European Development Commission on November 17 that instead
of sanctions Zimbabwe needed more emergency assistance.
(NOTE: The government press subsequently portrayed this as a
new sensibility on the part of the MDC. END NOTE.) Chamisa
speculated that Tsvangirai was trying to demonstrate good
will to both European leaders and ZANU-PF in the context of
continuing negotiations. Nevertheless, Chamisa thought
Tsvangirai’s comment was misplaced. Sanctions, according to
Chamisa, had been effective. By way of example, he said
ZANU-PF negotiator Patrick Chinamasa had recently told him
that but for ZANU-PF’s desire to have sanctions lifted, it
HARARE 00001073 002 OF 002
would not have engaged in negotiations with the MDC and would
have “finished it off.” Chamisa supported a continuation of
U.S. sanctions policy.
¶6. (C) Chamisa urged the U.S. to continue to speak out about
the situation in Zimbabwe. The MDC had few friends in the
region, and it was important for the U.S. and others to
demonstrate support for democratic change in Zimbabwe.
————————
Amendment 19 Only a Step
————————
¶7. (C) Chamisa told us that Amendment 19 was only a step in
the negotiating process. The MDC would not finalize an
agreement and submit Amendment 19 to the Parliamentary
process until outstanding issues had been resolved. The most
important of these was an equitable distribution of all
ministries–not just agreement on Home Affairs. Other issues
included a division of governorships, naming of ambassadors
and permanent secretaries (while Amendment 19 addressed the
appointment process, there needed to be political agreement
on percentage distributions among the parties), and
discrepancies between the document agreed to on September 11
and the document signed on September 15.
¶8. (C) Chamisa said negotiators had agreed at the time of
agreement on the draft of Amendment 19 to meet within two
weeks to discuss the outstanding issues. Tendai Biti was
expected back in Zimbabwe this weekend, and negotiations
would probably resume soon thereafter.
¶9. (C) Chamisa said that ideally there would be new,
internationally supervised elections. As a practical matter,
this was unlikely to occur. SADC was not supportive, and
ZANU-PF would resist. Therefore the focus should be on an
agreement that would allow the MDC to share power in a
transition government, and on the subsequent drafting of a
new constitution under which the MDC would win an election
and govern on its own.
——-
COMMENT
——-
¶10. (C) At a critical stage in the negotiating process, with
security forces cracking down on attempted protests, and with
the abduction of Jestina Mukoko, the head of the Zimbabwe
Peace Project, Tsvangirai’s absence from Zimbabwe is
noteworthy. He is failing to seize an opportunity to provide
leadership both to his party and to the Zimbabwean people,
and ZANU-PF is taking advantage. END COMMENT.
DHANANI
(40 VIEWS)
