United States ambassador to Zimbabwe James McGee refused to buy Movement for Democratic Change spin that a march in the capital had attracted more than 30 000 people, saying instead it had only attracted hundreds.
He had been given the figure by MDC spokesman Nelson Chamisa and party president Morgan Tsvangirai had confirmed Chamisa’s figure.
“Embassy officers who observed the march estimated there were only several hundred participants marching and about 1 000 at the rally itself,” the ambassador said.
Full cable:
Viewing cable 08HARARE67, POLICE SHUTDOWN MARCH, BUT MDC MANAGES TO RALLY
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Reference ID |
Created |
Released |
Classification |
Origin |
VZCZCXRO9166
PP RUEHDU RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHSB #0067/01 0231616
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 231616Z JAN 08
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2418
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
RUEHUJA/AMEMBASSY ABUJA 1825
RUEHAR/AMEMBASSY ACCRA 1736
RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA 1862
RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN 0456
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 1139
RUEHDK/AMEMBASSY DAKAR 1496
RUEHKM/AMEMBASSY KAMPALA 1918
RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 4346
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 0989
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC//DHO-7//
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
RUFOADA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK//DOOC/ECMO/CC/DAO/DOB/DOI//
RUEPGBA/CDR USEUCOM INTEL VAIHINGEN GE//ECJ23-CH/ECJ5M//
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 000067
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR B. PITTMAN
USAID FOR L.DOBBINS AND E. LOKEN
ADDIS ABABA FOR USAU
ADDIS ABABA FOR ACSS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/23/2018
SUBJECT: POLICE SHUTDOWN MARCH, BUT MDC MANAGES TO RALLY
REF: HARARE 00042
Classified By: CLASSIFIED BY AMB. JAMES D. MCGEE FOR REASONS 1.4 (D)
¶1. (C) SUMMARY: On January 23, a magistrate’s court upheld
the police ban on a planned Movement for Democratic Change
(MDC) protest march, but gave permission for the MDC to hold
a rally. Police responded with violence to efforts by MDC
supporters to march to the rally location, in defiance of the
court order. Emboffs estimate that about a thousand
protesters ultimately assembled near the announced rally
point; MDC leaders later claimed 30,000 participants. The
events of January 23, which began with the detention of MDC
leader Morgan Tsvangirai, support MDC charges that the GOZ
has no intention of leveling the playing field before
elections. END SUMMARY.
¶2. (C) On January 23, at about 4:00 am, police dragged MDC
president Morgan Tsvangirai from his home and interrogated
him at police headquarters regarding a planned MDC
demonstration. Tsvangirai was released several hours later.
After his release he informed the Ambassador that he had not
been harmed.
¶3. (U) On January 18 the police had given written permission
for a January 23 MDC march, but on January 21 the authorities
rescinded the permit citing unspecified “intelligence.” The
MDC challenged the decision in court and a hearing was set
for the morning of January 23. Only an hour before the
planned start time of the march, a magistrate gave permission
for the rally, but upheld the denial to march citing public
security concerns.
¶4. (U) At 1:00 PM a group of about 200 opposition supporters
set out from MDC headquarters marching west against traffic
along Nelson Mandela Avenue heading toward the Magistrates
Court. Scores of supporters joined the group which quickly
swelled to more than 350 marchers, who were dancing in the
streets, blowing whistles, and waving posters. Several truck
loads of riot police descended on the marchers and used tear
gas and batons to disperse them.
¶5. (U) Small groups of about 25 MDC supporters then engaged
police in running clashes over a six block area for
approximately 30 minutes. Police went after the groups with
batons, tear gas, and dogs. In one encounter, police were
seen beating at least five marchers on the ground before
forcing them into an unmarked truck. Some marchers were seen
throwing rocks at police.
¶6. (U) An estimated 1,000 MDC supporters later gathered in a
large open field near the announced rally point, where they
sang songs, danced, and listened to speeches. A large
contingent of riot police, with two water cannon trucks,
observed the event from a distance. The group peacefully
dispersed after approximately one hour.
¶7. (U) The government tried to dissuade MDC supporters from
turning out today by threatening a strong show of police
force and sowing confusion. A January 22 headline in the
state-run Herald newspaper read “MDC March Called-off,” and
government radio reported the march was prohibited and would
not take place. On the morning of the march, police erected
roadblocks along all major arteries coming into the city
center.
——-
Comment
——-
¶8. (C) The opposition had hoped to attract a crowd like the
10,000 plus that turned out for a rally in one of Harare’s
HARARE 00000067 002 OF 002
high-density suburbs over the weekend (reftel);
government-sown confusion and threat of force kept the
numbers down. In an effort to spin what turned out to be a
disappointing turnout, MDC spokesperson Nelson Chamisa told
us that upwards of 30,000 people had marched and gathered,
and Tsvangirai confirmed this figure to the Ambassador.
Embassy officers who observed the march estimated there were
only several hundred participants marching and about 1,000 at
the rally itself. Police rescission of permission to march,
not to mention the use of force to disperse marchers,
represents a GOZ derogation from the spirit of the SADC talks
that are intended to open up democratic space and provide a
level electoral playing field for the opposition.
MCGEE
(27 VIEWS)
