The Daily News which had become the nation’s biggest daily before it was banned in 2003 reported on 9 July 2003 that 3 000 Movement for Democratic Change supporters had marched through the streets of downtown Harare carrying placards criticizing South African President Thabo Mbeki and attempted to gather at Africa Unity Square.
But according to a cable released by Wikileaks, embassy officials established that the number of demonstrators was between 15 and 20.
“The blatant discrepancy between the number of demonstrators who actually showed up, and the number reported in the Daily News does nothing for the credibility of that paper in reporting on charged political events,” the cable said.
Full cable:
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Viewing cable 03HARARE1398, RIOT POLICE BREAK UP SMALL DEMONSTRATION, HARARE
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
C O N F I D E N T I A L HARARE 001398
SIPDIS
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR J. FRAZER
LONDON FOR C. GURNEY
PARIS FOR C. NEARY
NAIROBI FOR T. PFLAUMER
DS/OP/AF
DAKAR AND PRETORIA FOR A/S KANSTEINER
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/31/2013
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM PINR ASEC ZI
SUBJECT: RIOT POLICE BREAK UP SMALL DEMONSTRATION, HARARE
MAYOR RELEASED
REF: A. HARARE 1381
¶B. HARARE 863
Classified By: Political Officer Audu Besmer for reasons 1.5 b/d
Summary:
——–
¶1. (C) On July 8 police stopped about 15 to 20 MDC members
who attempted to march from Africa Unity Square in downtown
Harare to the US Embassy to deliver a petition. While the
Daily News reported the number of demonstrators to be about
3000, reports from witnesses put the number at 15 – 20.
¶2. (U) On July 8, Harare Executive Mayor Elias Mudzuri was
re-arrested, held in a Harare Central Police Station cell for
seven hours and released without charge. End Summary.
Non-Demonstration
—————–
¶3. (C) On July 8 about 15 to 20 MDC members attempted to
march from Africa Unity Square in downtown Harare to the US
Embassy to deliver a petition criticizing South African
President Thabo Mbeki for lack of progress in resolving the
Zimbabwe crisis, and calling on the USG to pressure the GOZ
to agree to dialogue with the MDC. Riot police broke up the
march before it started by beating and arresting several
would-be marchers. According to march organizer Dennis
Murerwa, special assistant to MDC National Chairman Isaac
Matongo, the march was an MDC-organized mass action event
primarily done for publicity, rather than to deliver the
petition to the US Embassy. Murerwa said the MDC leadership
sanctioned plans for ongoing mass actions, however may not
have been aware of specific plans for this march. The
Embassy was not contacted, and has not yet received the
petition, but Murerwa promised to deliver it to Poloff on
July 9.
¶4. (SBU) A Daily News article on July 9 reported that about
3000 demonstrators marched through the streets of downtown
Harare carrying placards criticizing Mbeki and attempted to
gather at Africa Unity Square. RSO and RSOfsn spoke with a
street vendor in Africa Unity Square on July 8 who reported
that only about 15 – 20 demonstrators were involved. A
different source also reported to the Ambassador that the
number gathered was more like 15 – 20.
Harare Mayor Released
———————
¶5. (U) On July 8, Harare Executive Mayor Elias Mudzuri was
re-arrested, held in a Harare Central Police Station cell for
seven hours and released without charge. According to a
report in the Daily News, and Mudzuri’s lawyer Beatrice
Mtetwa, Mudzuri intends to go to his office on July 9 for the
third consecutive day to face arrest. Minister of Local
Government, Ignatius Chombo suspended the mayor in April 2003
for alleged misconduct. Mudzuri, the MDC, and the Combined
Harare Residents Association claimed the suspension was
illegal, and the matter is pending in court (Refs A and B).
Comment:
——–
¶6. (C) The blatant discrepancy between the number of
demonstrators who actually showed up, and the number reported
in the Daily News does nothing for the credibility of that
paper in reporting on charged political events. End Comment.
SULLIVAN
(36 VIEWS)
