Former United States ambassador to Zimbabwe Christopher Dell said democratic forces in Zimbabwe should remain steadfast against government repression because time was on their side as the country’s economic collapse sapped the government’s ability to crack down on them.
He was commenting after police and ZANU-PF militia cracked down on demonstrators from the National Constitutional Assembly who were protesting against the crackdown on their colleagues from the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions a week earlier.
The demonstrators said that “the state had no shame in keeping in custody bleeding citizens” and that “the state seeks to silence all pro-democracy forces by naked brutality”.
Dell commented: “The violent response to the NCA march, like the ZCTU action before it, shows a weakening and fearful regime that is increasingly determined to suppress any open opposition, however lawful and peaceful.
“The challenge for Zimbabwe’s democratic forces is to remain steadfast against government repression and to realise that time is on their side as the country’s economic collapse further saps the regimes ability to crack down.”
Full cable:
Viewing cable 06HARARE1162, GOZ BRUTALLY REACTS TO NCA MARCHES
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Reference ID |
Created |
Classification |
Origin |
VZCZCXRO5976
RR RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHSB #1162 2641404
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 211404Z SEP 06
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0617
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
RUEHUJA/AMEMBASSY ABUJA 1316
RUEHAR/AMEMBASSY ACCRA 1166
RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA 1320
RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN 0077
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 0581
RUEHDK/AMEMBASSY DAKAR 0946
RUEHKM/AMEMBASSY KAMPALA 1374
RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 3748
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 1143
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 1791
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
RUFGNOA/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
RUFOADA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK
RUEKDIA/DIA WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 1537
C O N F I D E N T I A L HARARE 001162
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
AF/S FOR S.HILL
SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR C. COURVILLE
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/21/2015
SUBJECT: GOZ BRUTALLY REACTS TO NCA MARCHES
REF: REFTEL: HARARE 1143
Classified By: Ambassador Christopher Dell for reasons 1.5 b/d
¶1. (SBU) The National Constitutional Assembly (NCA) staged
marches in key cities across Zimbabwe on September 20
triggering a violent police and ZANU-PF youth militia
reaction in Mutare and, to a lesser extent, Harare. Smaller
numbers of NCA supporters also marched in Gweru and Masvingo,
where some were arrested and briefly detained. These
marches came exactly one week after the security forces
preempted nationwide marches by the Zimbabwe Congress of
Trade Unions (ZCTU) and severely beat several union leaders
(reftel). In a statement issued before the marches, the NCA
expressed solidarity with the ZCTU and said that “the state
had no shame in keeping in custody bleeding citizens” and
that “the state seeks to silence all pro-democracy forces by
naked brutality.
¶2. (SBU) The largest crackdown occurred in Mutare, where
Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights lawyer Trust Manda told
poloff that approximately 170 demonstrators were arrested and
released later that night after paying admission of guilt
fines. (N.B. An independent online newspaper estimates that
about 300 activists marched in Mutare.) NCA spokesperson
Madock Chivasa told us that many had been beaten and
assaulted while in custody. Amani Trust director Francis
Lovemore added between 13 and 20 activists were seriously
injured and were in medical treatment.
¶3. (SBU) In Harare, Chivasa said that five NCA members had
been arrested on September 20 by police, who subsequently
turned the activists over to ZANU-PF militia members for a
beating. NCA activists described the assaults in Harare as
the most brutal of that day and said some of the marchers had
been held at ZANU-PF headquarters. Chivasa said they were
released a few hours later.
¶4. (SBU) NCA Chairman Lovemore Madhuku suggested to us on
September 21 that the pressure group would be back on the
streets tomorrow or early next week.
——-
Comment
——-
¶5. (C) The violent response to the NCA march, like the ZCTU
action before it, shows a weakening and fearful regime that
is increasingly determined to suppress any open opposition,
however lawful and peaceful. The challenge for Zimbabwe’s
democratic forces is to remain steadfast against government
repression and to realize that time is on their side as the
country,s economic collapse further saps the regimes ability
to crack down.
DELL
(16 VIEWS)
