Zimbabwe was a sovereign state that did not need foster parents to tell it what to do at every turn, the Bulawayo daily, the Chronicle, said in an editorial soon after the passing of the Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Act.
The act imposed sanctions on President Robert Mugabe and his lieutenants who were accused of stifling democracy and economic recovery in Zimbabwe.
It also barred international financial institutions from granting loans to Zimbabwe unless this was approved by the United States president.
The Chronicle said the United States did not qualify to lecture Zimbabwe on democracy because the incumbent President George Bush was in power following an intervention by the courts.
“Is this what you call democracy?” the paper queried. “Failures like the Americans do not qualify to lecture Zimbabwe on democracy.”
Full cable:
Viewing cable 01HARARE3666, MEDIA REPORT ZDERA; 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.
110700Z Dec 01
UNCLASSIFIED PTO0086
PAGE 01 HARARE 03666 110756Z
ACTION INR-00
INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AF-00 A-00 ACQ-00 CIAE-00 DODE-00
DS-00 EUR-00 UTED-00 VC-00 TEDE-00 LAB-01 VCE-00
NSAE-00 TEST-00 USIE-00 IIP-00 DSCC-00 DRL-02 NFAT-00
SAS-00 /003W
——————49AD5A 110756Z /38
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0493
INFO NSC WASHDC
AMEMBASSY PRETORIA
AMEMBASSY LUSAKA
AMEMBASSY WINDHOEK
AMEMBASSY GABORONE
AMEMBASSY LILONGWE
AMEMBASSY LONDON
UNCLAS HARARE 003666
SIPDIS
AF/PD FOR COX, ROBERTSON, AF/S FOR KRAFT, AF/RA FOR
SWANN, INR/R/MR, NSC FOR JENDAYI FRAZER
E.O. 12958: N/A
SUBJECT: MEDIA REPORT ZDERA; HARARE
¶1. THE GOVERNMENT-CONTROLLED DAILY “CHRONICLE”
DEDICATED ITS DECEMBER 8 EDITORIAL TO CONDEMN THE
ZIMBABWE DEMOCRACY AND ECONOMIC RECOVERY ACT (ZDERA) OF
¶2001. UNDER HEADLINE “DEMOCRACY BILL, A BULLYING
TACTIC,” THE PAPER COMMENTS:
¶2. “. . .IT IS STRANGE THAT THERE SHOULD BE
ZIMBABWEANS CELEBRATING AMERICA’S PASSING OF A SO-
CALLED DEMOCRACY BILL THAT IN FACT SEEKS TO CURTAIL
DEMOCRACY. IT IS AN OPEN SECRET THAT THE WORLD’S
FORMER COLONIAL POWERS ALREADY HAVE A CANDIDATE IN MIND
AND THEY ARE ONLY WAITING FOR THE CONFIRMATION OF
RESULTS AT THE PRESIDENTIAL PLEBISCITE. WE ARE TOLD
THAT THE PURPOSE OF THE SO-CALLED ZDERA IS TO PRESSURE
PRESIDENT MUGABE INTO HOLDING FREE AND FAIR ELECTIONS
AND ESTABLISH LAND OWNERSHIP PROTECTION. THERE IS AN
INSINUATION HERE THAT IT IS A FOREGONE CONCLUSION THAT
THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS WILL NOT BE FREE AND FAIR.
WE SYMPATHIZE WITH THE IGNORANCE AND NAIVETY (SIC) OF
THE AMERICANS. IF THEY EVER BOTHERED TO READ
ZIMBABWE’S HISTORY, THEY WOULD KNOW THAT THIS COUNTRY
HAS HELD SEVERAL ELECTIONS THAT WERE FREE AND FAIR.
ANYWAY, WHO ARE THE AMERICANS TO TEACH US ABOUT
CONDUCTING FREE AND FAIR ELECTIONS WHEN THEY THEMSELVES
FAILED DISMALLY TO CONDUCT PROPER PRESIDENTIAL
ELECTIONS EARLY THIS YEAR. FOR ALL WE KNOW THE
INCUMBENT PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH IS IN POWER
FOLLOWING THE INTERVENTION OF THE COURTS IN THAT
COUNTRY. IS THIS WHAT YOU CALL DEMOCRACY? FAILURES
LIKE THE AMERICANS DO NOT QUALIFY TO LECTURE ZIMBABWE
ON DEMOCRACY. . . THE AMERICAN EVIL BILL IS AN ATTEMPT
TO RUN ZIMBABWE BY REMOTE CONTROL, AND WE SAY NO TO
THIS. WE ARE A SOVEREIGN STATE WHICH DOES NOT NEED
UNCLASSIFIED
PAGE 03 HARARE 03666 110756Z
‘FOSTER PARENTS’ TO TELL US WHAT TO DO AT EVERY TURN. .
. .”
SULLIVAN
UNCLASSIFIED
(103 VIEWS)
