Civic leader said Mnangagwa was extraordinarily wealthy

The head of the Counselling Services Unit, Frances Lovemore, told United States embassy officials that the biggest mistake of the West was that it did not know the depths of evil of the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front structures.

She said that the Joint Operations Command had abundant resources and influence as they allowed ZANU-PF youths to take grain and livestock from villagers during the violence that erupted in the run-up to the presidential elections run-off in 2008.

Emmerson Mnangagwa, who was reported to be in charge of the JOC, was extraordinarily wealthy, having brought home a huge war coffer from Zimbabwe’s excursions in the Democratic Republic of Congo in the late 1990s, she said.

The CSU was an organisation that looked after victims of violence in Zimbabwe. It received some funding from the United States government.

Dr Lovemore said the level of violence in the run up to the presidential elections run-off was reminiscent of the liberation struggle, where citizens were forced to attend ZANU-PF rallies and sing songs throughout the night.

Full cable:

Viewing cable 08HARARE489, ZIM VIOLENCE INCREASING AND MORE SEVERE

If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs

VZCZCXRO2911

OO RUEHDU RUEHMR RUEHRN

DE RUEHSB #0489/01 1580946

ZNY CCCCC ZZH

O 060946Z JUN 08

FM AMEMBASSY HARARE

TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2991

INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY

RUEHAR/AMEMBASSY ACCRA 2028

RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA 2149

RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN 0691

RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 1426

RUEHDK/AMEMBASSY DAKAR 1784

RUEHKM/AMEMBASSY KAMPALA 2205

RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 4636

RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC

RUZEJAA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK

RHMFISS/EUCOM POLAD VAIHINGEN GE

RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC

RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 1291

RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 000489

SIPDIS

AF/S FOR S. HILL

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: 06/06/2018

TAGS: PGOV PREL ASEC PHUM KDEM ZI

SUBJECT: ZIM VIOLENCE INCREASING AND MORE SEVERE

Classified By: Ambassador James McGee for reason 1.4(d).

——

SUMMARY

——-

¶1. (C) The Zimbabwean director of the Counseling Services

Unit (CSU) describes the increasingly severe and numerous

injuries inflicted on Zimbabwean citizens as the worst

violence Zimbabwe has seen since CSU’s opening in 1993.

Describing the increased use of weapons and severe beatings,

Dr. Frances Lovemore opined that the ZANU-PF infrastructures

that are propagating the violence are highly organized and

increasingly fearless as they target MDC leaders and members

without fear of punishment or imprisonment. CSU is an

excellent provider of medical care and is also very careful

in documenting injuries and deaths. While its employees have

not been targeted, Lovemore knows the Zimbabwean Central

Intelligence Organization (CIO) has an office across the

street and regularly photographs CSU’s office. END SUMMARY.

——————————————

Injuries Increasing in Number and Severity

——————————————

¶2. (C) On June 4, 2008, poloffs met with Dr. Lovemore at

CSU’s main office in downtown Harare. Dr. Lovemore reported

that CSU has treated 1,700 victims of violence since the

March 29 presidential election between the incumbent,

ZANU-PF’s Robert Mugabe, and the Movement for Democratic

Change’s (MDC) Morgan Tsvangirai. The volume of patients has

increased since election results were released on May 2. CSU

saw more than 100 people each day in May versus their 10 per

day average in April. The severity of injuries has increased

as well. CSU notes a marked increase in head injuries,

falange (beating on the soles of the feet), and long bone

fractures — all indicative of extreme use of force. In

addition, at least seven people have been shot by

military-style rifles in May (versus one in April).

¶3. (C) Currently, 200 CSU patients are in the hospital in

the Harare area, mainly with deep soft tissue wounds,

multiple fractures, head injuries, and lacerations. CSU has

seen axe injuries as well. In some victims their deep soft

tissue wounds have resulted in renal failure that may be

permanent. Many who have been injured require multiple

surgeries and expensive long-term care. CSU has opened

additional beds at a hospital in the suburb of Chitungwiza to

accommodate the increased number of patients.

———————–

54 Dead – and Counting

———————–

¶4. (C) CSU is meticulous in its procedures to confirm each

reported death and injury. Dr. Lovemore confirms 54 deaths

in the politically-motivated post-election violence. She

acknowledges the actual number is likely much higher. Health

care workers in rural areas are often watched and cannot

communicate what they are seeing to CSU or others in Harare.

Lovemore said that the ability of doctors, ambulances and

others to move patients is limited and unpredictable, and

largely dependent on the strength of the ZANU-PF structure in

a given community. The greatest challenge is bringing

victims to Harare for appropriate treatment. Consequently,

the injuries of victims staying in their rural communities

often go undocumented and untreated.

———————————-

The Evil of the ZANU-PF Structures

———————————-

HARARE 00000489 002 OF 002

¶5. (C) Dr. Lovemore spoke with passion and frustration as

she decried the political nature of the violence. She noted

that violence has moved closer to Harare. As the ZANU-PF

youths move each night, attacking different villages or

neighborhoods, the location of the victims and the “no-go”

areas shift. She also said that “soft” police officers are

moved daily to ensure roadblocks are “appropriately” staffed.

Poloff asked about rumors of ZANU-PF militia posing as MDC

rally leaders and use these “rallies” to gather names of MDC

supporters who are later targeted. Dr. Lovemore confirmed

she had heard “hundreds” of similar reports.

¶6. (C) Normally a composed, even-toned woman, Dr. Lovemore

raised her voice and declared that, “the biggest mistake of

the West is that (we) do not know the depths of evil of the

ZANU-PF structures.” She said the level of violence is

reminiscent of the liberation struggle, with citizens forced

to attend ZANU-PF rallies and sing songs throughout the

night. She further explained that the GOZ’s Joint Operation

Command (JOC) retains abundant resources and influence as

they allow ZANU-PF youths to take grain and livestock from

villagers. She cited Emmerson Mnangagwa (reported to be in

charge of the JOC), in particular, as being extraordinarily

wealthy, having brought home a huge war coffer from

Zimbabwe’s excursions in the Democratic Republic of Congo in

the late 1990s.

——-

COMMENT

——-

¶7. (C) Dr. Lovemore’s anger and frustration with the

political situation is growing as the number of injuries and

deaths rise. While CSU’s meticulousness in tracking

statistics inevitably means that some un-confirmed data is

left out, the dramatic increase in patients seen daily (from

10 per day in April to 100 per day in May) and the number of

those needing hospitalization is testament to the

increasingly brutal tactics of ZANU-PF as it endeavors to

cling to power. END COMMENT.

McGee

(92 VIEWS)