The idea to have sanctions targeted at individuals including President Robert Mugabe rather than on Zimbabwe as a country might have come from Commercial Farmers Union director David Hasluck.
According to a diplomatic cable dispatched by United States embassy in Harare on 11 March 2001,when Hasluck was told by US officials that Washington was thinking of imposing sanctions on Zimbabwe because of increasing repression and human rights abuses, he said he was opposed to sanctions on Zimbabwe because they would destroy the economy which was “just limping along” and the poor would bear the brunt.
“Rather than sanctions, Hasluck recommended two separate courses of action. One course of action would be to isolate President Mugabe and top officials of the government by revoking their visas to travel to the US, coupled with freezing personal assets held overseas, “the cable says.
“These actions would directly indicate to Mugabe and the government leadership that the actions they were taking in Zimbabwe were making them international pariahs.
“The second course would be for the USG (United States government) and European nations to use their leverage with the governments of Nigeria, South Africa and the other SADC countries, to increase their ‘quiet’ diplomacy and pressure on Mugabe to get him to change course.”
The cable says Hasluck emphasized that it was important that such diplomacy and pressure be conducted discretely because Mugabe reacted very defensively to public pressure.
Full cable:
Viewing cable 01HARARE970, ZIMBABWE’S CFU DIRECTOR RECOMMENDS PERSONAL
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
110547Z Mar 01
CONFIDENTIAL PTO5657
PAGE 01 HARARE 00970 01 OF 03 110550Z
ACTION AF-00
INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AGRE-00 AID-00 ACQ-00 CIAE-00 USNW-00
DODE-00 DOTE-00 SRPP-00 DS-00 EB-00 FAAE-00 FBIE-00
VC-00 TEDE-00 INR-00 VCE-00 NSAE-00 SS-00 USIE-00
BBG-00 DSCC-00 DRL-02 NFAT-00 SAS-00 /002W
——————D0211C 110550Z /38
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 8389
INFO SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
AMEMBASSY NAIROBI
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 HARARE 000970
SIPDIS
LONDON FOR CGURNEY
PARIS FOR BWILLIAMS
NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER
PASS USAID FOR AFR/SD – DWELLER, AFR/SA – CPALMA,
NNEWMAN, AA/AFR – VDICKSON-HORTON
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/09/11
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM EAGR EAID PINR ZI
SUBJECT: ZIMBABWE’S CFU DIRECTOR RECOMMENDS PERSONAL
SANCTIONS AND REGIONAL DIPLOMACY TO GET MUGABE TO CHANGE
COURSE
CLASSIFIED BY ECONOMIC OFFICER SCOTT REMINGTON FOR
REASONS 1.5 (B/D).
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 02 HARARE 00970 01 OF 03 110550Z
REFS: A. HARARE 898, B. HARARE 743
——-
SUMMARY
——-
¶1. (C) ON FEBRUARY 8, ACTING PRINCIPAL DEPUTY ASSISTANT
SECRETARY (PDAS) MARK BELLAMY, CHARGE’ EARL IRVING, AND
SIPDIS
ECONOFF (NOTETAKER) MET WITH COMMERCIAL FARMERS UNION
(CFU) DIRECTOR DAVID HASLUCK TO DISCUSS THE CURRENT
PLIGHT OF COMMERCIAL FARMERS IN ZIMBABWE. HASLUCK
STATED THAT WHILE THE COMMERCIAL FARMING COMMUNITY IS
UNDER TREMENDOUS PSYCHOLOGICAL STRESS FROM THE FARM
INVASIONS AND VIOLENCE BY WAR VETS, THE MAJORITY OF
COMMERCIAL FARMERS ARE BEING ALLOWED TO FARM, AND SHOULD
HAVE GOOD CROP YIELDS AT THE END OF THE CURRENT GROWING
SEASON. A CONCERN MENTIONED BY HASLUCK WAS THAT IF
COMMERCIAL FARMERS DO NOT GET GUARANTEES FROM THE
GOVERNMENT OF ZIMBABWE (GOZ) THAT THEY WILL BE ABLE TO
HARVEST WINTER WHEAT (DUE FOR PLANTING IN THE APRIL/MAY
PERIOD), MANY FARMERS WILL NOT BE ABLE TO PLANT FOR THE
SEASON. THIS WILL LEAD TO THE GOZ HAVING TO IMPORT
LARGE QUANTITIES OF WHEAT BY THE END OF 2001. ACCORDING
TO HASLUCK, THE CFU WILL BE GOING INTO ITS SPECIAL
CONGRESS ON MARCH 21 AS A UNIFIED ORGANIZATION. HE
EXPECTS THAT AT THE END OF THE CONGRESS THE CFU WILL
ISSUE A STATEMENT OF PRINCIPLES REGARDING ITS POSITIONS
ON COMMERCIAL FARMING, LAND REFORM AND RESETTLEMENT.
HASLUCK STATED THAT THE CFU HAS CONSISTENTLY ATTEMPTED
TO ENGAGE THE GOZ ON A SERIOUS BASIS ON THE ISSUE OF
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 03 HARARE 00970 01 OF 03 110550Z
LAND REFORM SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE FARM INVASIONS IN
FEBRUARY 2000, BUT THAT THEY HAVE FOUND NO ONE IN THE
GOZ WHO HAS THE AUTHORITY TO NEGOTIATE AN AGREEMENT
WHICH WILL BE HONORED BY THE GOZ. HASLUCK WAS EMPHATIC
THAT HE DOES NOT FAVOR SANCTIONS ON ZIMBABWE AS A WAY OF
ENCOURAGING PRESIDENT MUGABE AND THE GOZ TO CHANGE
COURSE, BECAUSE THESE WILL DEAL A DEATHBLOW TO THE
ZIMBABWE ECONOMY AND EXTRACT A HEAVY TOLL FROM THE
ZIMBABWE PEOPLE. RATHER, HE BELIEVES THAT A COMBINATION
OF PERSONAL SANCTIONS PLACED ON PRESIDENT MUGABE AND
OTHER KEYS MEMBERS OF THE GOZ (CANCELING OF US VISAS,
FREEZING OF BANK ACCOUNTS, ETC.), COMBINED WITH
INCREASED “QUIET” REGIONAL DIPLOMACY BY THE HEADS OF
GOVERNMENTS OF NIGERIA, SOUTH AFRICA AND OTHER MEMBER
STATES OF THE SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
(SADC) COULD LEAD TO POSITIVE CHANGES IN THE COURSES OF
ACTION BEING FOLLOWED BY THE GOZ. END SUMMARY.
——————————-
COMMERCIAL FARMING STRUGGLES ON
——————————-
¶2. (C) PDAS BELLAMY ASKED HASLUCK HOW COMMERCIAL FARMERS
WERE HOLDING UP IN THE CURRENT CRISIS SITUATION.
HASLUCK REPLIED THAT WHILE THE COMMERCIAL FARMERS AND
THEIR FAMILIES ARE UNDER TREMENDOUS PSYCHOLOGICAL STRESS
AS A RESULT OF THE FARM INVASIONS AND VIOLENCE BY “WAR
VETS”, THE VAST MAJORITY OF FARMERS ARE BEING ALLOWED TO
PROCEED WITH FARMING. HE ADDED THAT IF THE HEAVY RAINS
ZIMBABWE HAS BEEN RECEIVING SINCE LAST FEBRUARY LET UP
IN TIME, THE COMMERCIAL FARMERS WILL HAVE GOOD TOBACCO,
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 04 HARARE 00970 01 OF 03 110550Z
SOYBEAN, AND COTTON HARVESTS. THE COMMERCIAL MAIZE
HARVEST WILL BE MUCH SMALLER HE ADDED, BUT THIS IS
BECAUSE FARMERS HAD PLANTED MUCH LESS HECTARAGE IN MAIZE
AS A RESULT OF THE FARM INVASIONS AND LOW MARKET PRICE
FOR MAIZE. IN GENERAL, THE CATTLE HERDS OF COMMERCIAL
FARMERS ARE QUITE HEALTHY, AND THE RECENT EUROPEAN UNION
(EU) DECISION TO CONTINUE TO ALLOW BEEF EXPORTS FROM
ZIMBABWE WILL BE A BOON FOR THE FARMERS. HASLUCK
REVEALED THAT THE COMMERCIAL FARMING COMMUNITY, WHICH
HAS TRADITIONALLY BEEN CLOSE-KNIT, HAS BEEN BROUGHT
CLOSER TOGETHER BY THE FARM INVASIONS. THOSE FARMERS
WHOSE FARMS HAVE BEEN COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN AS A RESULT
OF INVASIONS AND “WAR VET” VIOLENCE ARE BEING HELPED BY
OTHER FARMERS ALLOCATING A PORTION OF THEIR CROPS TO
THESE FARMERS.
¶3. (C) PDAS BELLAMY ASKED HASLUCK HOW THE FARM INVASIONS
WERE AFFECTING THE COMMERCIAL FARMERS FARM LABOR.
HASLUCK INDICATED THAT MOST FARMERS HAVE BEEN ABLE TO
KEEP THEIR FARM WORKERS ON PAYROLL, EVEN IF THEIR
FARMING HAS BEEN INTERFERED WITH. HE ADDED, THOUGH,
THAT THERE WAS A LIMIT TO HOW LONG FARMERS COULD
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL PTO5658
PAGE 01 HARARE 00970 02 OF 03 110550Z
ACTION AF-00
INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AGRE-00 AID-00 ACQ-00 CIAE-00 USNW-00
DODE-00 DOTE-00 SRPP-00 DS-00 EB-00 FAAE-00 FBIE-00
VC-00 TEDE-00 INR-00 VCE-00 NSAE-00 SS-00 USIE-00
BBG-00 DSCC-00 DRL-02 NFAT-00 SAS-00 /002W
——————D02121 110550Z /38
R 110547Z MAR 01
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 8390
INFO SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
AMEMBASSY NAIROBI
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 03 HARARE 000970
SIPDIS
LONDON FOR CGURNEY
PARIS FOR BWILLIAMS
NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER
PASS USAID FOR AFR/SD – DWELLER, AFR/SA – CPALMA,
NNEWMAN, AA/AFR – VDICKSON-HORTON
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/09/11
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM EAGR EAID PINR ZI
SUBJECT: ZIMBABWE’S CFU DIRECTOR RECOMMENDS PERSONAL
SANCTIONS AND REGIONAL DIPLOMACY TO GET MUGABE TO CHANGE
COURSE
CONTINUE TO PAY THEIR FARM WORKERS IF THEIR OPERATIONS
CONTINUE TO BE INTERFERED WITH BY INVADERS AND “WAR
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 02 HARARE 00970 02 OF 03 110550Z
VETS”. IF THE COMMERCIAL FARMS ARE SHUT DOWN, HUNDREDS
OF THOUSANDS OF FARM WORKERS AND THEIR FAMILIES WILL BE
AFFECTED.
——————————
A CONCERN OVER WINTER PLANTING
——————————
¶4. (C) HASLUCK WENT ON TO SAY THAT WHILE COMMERCIAL
FARMERS ARE LOOKING TO GENERALLY GOOD HARVESTS AT THE
END OF THIS SEASON, THE PICTURE FOR WINTER PLANTING IS
QUITE DIFFERENT. HE STATED THAT UNLESS FARMERS ARE ABLE
TO GET GUARANTEES FROM THE GOZ THAT THEY WILL BE ABLE TO
HARVEST THE WINTER CROPS THEY PLANT, THEY WILL NOT BE
ABLE TO GET THE FINANCING THEY NEED FROM BANKS TO PLANT,
AND THEY WILL NOT RISK WHAT PERSONAL CAPITAL THEY HAVE.
HE ADDED THAT IF MANY FARMERS DO NOT PLANT FOR THE
WINTER, THIS WILL SERIOUSLY AFFECT BOTH ZIMBABWE’S FOOD
SECURITY AND HARD CURRENCY SITUATION. THE WINTER WHEAT
CROP, WHICH IS ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY PLANTED BY COMMERCIAL
FARMERS, IS ESSENTIAL FOR THE NATION. IF FARMERS DO NOT
PLANT WINTER WHEAT, THE GOZ COULD BE FORCED TO IMPORT UP
TO 400,000 METRIC TONS OF WHEAT AT A TIME OF SCARCE HARD
CURRENCY. BARLEY AND HOPS ARE TWO OTHER WINTER CROPS
THAT COMMERCIAL FARMERS PLANT, AND THE MAJORITY OF THESE
CROPS ARE NORMALLY EXPORTED, EARNING HARD CURRENCY FOR
THE NATION. THESE CROPS ARE ALSO AT RISK IF THE FARMERS
DO NOT RECEIVE GUARANTEES FROM THE GOZ.
——————-
THE UNION IS UNITED
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 03 HARARE 00970 02 OF 03 110550Z
——————-
¶5. (C) HASLUCK TOLD PDAS BELLAMY THAT THE CFU IS HEADING
INTO ITS SPECIAL CONGRESS A UNITED ORGANIZATION. HE
STATED THAT NICK SWANEPOEL, A FORMER CFU PRESIDENT, HAD
EXCEEDED HIS AUTHORITY WHEN HE ATTEMPTED TO NEGOTIATE A
SECRET DEAL WITH THE GOZ ON THE LAND ISSUE (REF A).
SIPDIS
HASLUCK REVEALED THAT SWANEPOEL HAD BEEN AUTHORIZED TO
NEGOTIATE ON BEHALF OF THE CFU IN TRYING TO GAIN GOZ
SUPPORT FOR THE PRIVATE SECTOR INITIATIVE ON LAND REFORM
(REF B), BUT NOT TO CUT ANY OTHER SECRET DEALS. THE
TEMPORARY DISUNITY IN THE CFU WAS CAUSE WHEN SWANEPOEL
REVEALED TO THE CFU COUNCIL THAT HE HAD PROPOSED A
SECRET DEAL TO THE GOZ THAT INVOLVED, AMONG OTHER
SIPDIS
POINTS, REPLACING THE CURRENT CFU EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP,
AND REPLACING DIRECTOR HASLUCK WITH A BLACK ZIMBABWEAN.
AFTER DEBATING WHAT SWANEPOEL PROPOSED, THE CFU COUNCIL
VOTED UNANIMOUSLY TO REJECT THIS DEAL AND TO FULLY
SUPPORT THE CURRENT CFU LEADERSHIP. HASLUCK REVEALED
THAT HE EXPECTED THE UPCOMING SPECIAL CONGRESS TO DEBATE
AND THEN ISSUE A COMPREHENSIVE LIST OF PRINCIPLES
REGARDING THE CFU POSITION ON COMMERCIAL FARMING, LAND
REFORM AND RESETTLEMENT.
—————-
ENGAGING THE GOZ
—————-
¶6. (C) HASLUCK STATED EMPHATICALLY TO PDAS BELLAMY THAT
THE CFU HAS CONSISTENTLY TRIED TO ENGAGE THE GOZ ON THE
ISSUE OF LAND REFORM AND RESETTLEMENT SINCE THE
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 04 HARARE 00970 02 OF 03 110550Z
BEGINNING OF THE FARM INVASIONS IN FEBRUARY 2000. THE
PROBLEM THAT THE CFU HAS RUN INTO IN THIS EFFORT IS THAT
THEY HAVE FOUND NO ONE THAT CAN TALK AUTHORITATIVELY FOR
THE GOZ ON THIS ISSUE OR CUT A DEAL WITH THE CFU THAT
WILL LATER BE HONORED BY THE GOZ. HASLUCK SAID THAT
FINANCE MINISTER SIMBA MAKONI, INDUSTRY AND
INTERNATIONAL TRADE MINISTER NKOSANA MOYO AND MINISTER
OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT IGNATIUS CHOMBO WERE ALL GOZ
OFFICIALS THAT THE CFU BELIEVE THEY COULD WORK WITH, BUT
NONE OF THEM CAN BE CONSIDERED TO AUTHORITATIVELY SPEAK
FOR MUGABE OR THE GOZ. HASLUCK ADDED THAT ONE POINT THE
CFU HAS RAISED WITH THESE OFFICIALS, AND HAS RESONATED,
IS THAT IN THE CURRENT ECONOMIC CRISIS THAT GRIPS
ZIMBABWE, COMMERCIAL AGRICULTURE IS THE ONE SECTOR OF
THE ECONOMY THAT THE GOZ CAN COUNT ON TO PERFORM
STRONGLY AND BRING IN THE HARD CURRENCY THAT THE GOZ
DESPERATELY NEEDS. HOWEVER, THIS IS ONLY TRUE IF THE
GOZ LETS FARMERS FARM.
—————
NO TO SANCTIONS
—————
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL PTO5659
PAGE 01 HARARE 00970 03 OF 03 110550Z
ACTION AF-00
INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AGRE-00 AID-00 ACQ-00 CIAE-00 USNW-00
DODE-00 DOTE-00 SRPP-00 DS-00 EB-00 FAAE-00 FBIE-00
VC-00 TEDE-00 INR-00 VCE-00 NSAE-00 SS-00 USIE-00
BBG-00 DSCC-00 DRL-02 NFAT-00 SAS-00 /002W
——————D02125 110550Z /38
R 110547Z MAR 01
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 8391
INFO SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
AMEMBASSY NAIROBI
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 03 OF 03 HARARE 000970
SIPDIS
LONDON FOR CGURNEY
PARIS FOR BWILLIAMS
NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER
PASS USAID FOR AFR/SD – DWELLER, AFR/SA – CPALMA,
NNEWMAN, AA/AFR – VDICKSON-HORTON
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/09/11
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM EAGR EAID PINR ZI
SUBJECT: ZIMBABWE’S CFU DIRECTOR RECOMMENDS PERSONAL
SANCTIONS AND REGIONAL DIPLOMACY TO GET MUGABE TO CHANGE
COURSE
¶7. (C) WHEN PDAS BELLAMY TOLD HASLUCK THAT THE BUSH
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 02 HARARE 00970 03 OF 03 110550Z
ADMINISTRATION WAS EVALUATING US POLICY TOWARDS ZIMBABWE
IN LIGHT OF INCREASING GOZ REPRESSION AND HUMAN RIGHTS
ABUSES (AMONG THESE THE BOMBING OF “THE DAILY NEWS”
PRINTING PRESS, THE FORCED RESIGNATION OF SUPREME COURT
JUSTICE GUBBAY, THE EXPULSION OF TWO FOREIGN
JOURNALISTS), HASLUCK STATED CLEARLY THAT HE OPPOSED
SANCTIONS BEING PLACED ON ZIMBABWE TO FORCE THE GOZ TO
CHANGE ITS BEHAVIOR. HE SAID THAT SANCTIONS WOULD
DESTROY THE ZIMBABWE ECONOMY, WHICH IS JUST LIMPING
ALONG AS IS, AND THAT THE ZIMBABWE PEOPLE WOULD BEAR THE
BRUNT OF SANCTIONS. RATHER THAN SANCTIONS, HASLUCK
RECOMMENDED TWO SEPARATE COURSES OF ACTION. ONE COURSE
OF ACTION WOULD BE TO ISOLATE PRESIDENT MUGABE AND TOP
OFFICIALS OF THE GOZ BY REVOKING THEIR VISAS TO TRAVEL
TO THE US, COUPLED WITH FREEZING PERSONAL ASSETS HELD
OVERSEAS. THESE ACTIONS WOULD DIRECTLY INDICATE TO
MUGABE AND THE GOZ LEADERSHIP THAT THE ACTIONS THEY WERE
TAKING IN ZIMBABWE WERE MAKING THEM INTERNATIONAL
PARIAHS. THE SECOND COURSE WOULD BE FOR THE USG AND
EUROPEAN NATIONS TO USE THEIR LEVERAGE WITH THE
GOVERNMENTS OF NIGERIA, SOUTH AFRICA AND THE OTHER SADC
COUNTRIES, TO INCREASE THEIR “QUIET” DIPLOMACY AND
PRESSURE ON MUGABE TO GET HIM TO CHANGE COURSE. HASLUCK
EMPHASIZED THAT IT WAS IMPORTANT THAT SUCH DIPLOMACY AND
PRESSURE BE CONDUCTED DISCRETELY, SINCE MUGABE REACTS
VERY DEFENSIVELY TO PUBLIC PRESSURE.
——-
COMMENT
——-
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 03 HARARE 00970 03 OF 03 110550Z
¶8. (C) HASLUCK PUT A BRAVE FACE ON THE COMMERCIAL
FARMERS’ PLIGHT DURING HIS MEETING WITH PDAS BELLAMY.
HIS ASSERTION THAT MOST FARMERS ARE BEING ABLE TO FARM
THIS SEASON, THAT THEY SHOULD HAVE GOOD HARVESTS OF
CROPS SUCH AS TOBACCO, SOYBEANS AND COTTON, AND THAT
MOST FARMERS HAVE BEEN ABLE TO CARRY THEIR FARM WORKERS,
WAS POSITIVE NEWS IN A SITUATION THAT HAS HAD MOSTLY BAD
NEWS SINCE THE FARM INVASIONS BEGAN IN FEBRUARY 2000.
HOWEVER, OTHER MEMBER OF THE CFU EXECUTIVE, AND HASLUCK
HIMSELF, HAVE SAID ON A NUMBER OF OCCASIONS THAT THE
VAST MAJORITY OF COMMERCIAL FARMERS DO NOT HAVE THE
RESOURCES OR THE PSYCHOLOGICAL STAMINA TO CONTINUE
FARMING UNDER THESE ADVERSE CONDITIONS. THE PRESSURE
WILL BE ON THE GOZ SOON TO OFFER GUARANTEES TO THESE
FARMERS THAT THEY WILL BE ALLOWED TO PLANT AND HARVEST
WINTER CROPS. WE BELIEVE THAT THE GOZ WILL OFFER SUCH
GUARANTEES, AND HONOR THEM. WE ALSO BELIEVE THAT
HASLUCK’S SUGGESTIONS FOR SPECIFIC SANCTIONS DIRECTED
AGAINST MUGABE AND OTHER HIGH-LEVEL GOZ OFFICIALS,
COMBINED WITH MORE VIGOROUS QUIET DIPLOMACY AND PRESSURE
FROM ZIMBABWE’S AFRICAN NEIGHBORS, ARE WORTHY OF
CONSIDERATION. END COMMENT.
¶9. (U) PDAS BELLAMY APPROVED TRANSMISSION OF THIS
MESSAGE.
IRVING
CONFIDENTIAL
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