Greed is colour blind

The war against white farmers in the run-up to the 200 elections was not racist. It was about greed. The farmers were being targetted because they possessed wealth, the United States embassy said in a cable dispatched on 11 May 2000.

“Most Zimbabweans harbour some degree of distrust, prejudice against or even fear of whites, stemming from Zimbabwe’s apartheid-like past, but Mugabe’s current campaign against the minority living in the countryside must not be seen only in terms of racism,” the cable said.

“Whites living in the city go about their business unhindered. Rather, commercial farmers are being targetted because they possess wealth and the country is in dire economic straits, and many have become involved in or support opposition politics, including the three who have been killed since April.

“After twenty years of enduring poor governance and misguided economic programs, the losers of the revolution, mainly the war veterans, see that now is their chance to get theirs. Proof that it is not strictly an anti-white campaign is a letter from the affirmative action group, an ostensible pressure group dedicated to the advancement of Zimbabwe’s black businessmen, now circulating among the Indian community.

“The letter threatens occupation of Indian-owned businesses and properties if they do not turn them over to indigenous businessmen. Greed is colour-blind.”

Full cable:

Viewing cable 00HARARE2515, RED GUARDS” AND SQUATTERS: MUGABE’S

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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

111436Z May 00

CONFIDENTIAL     PTQ6354

PAGE 01       HARARE 02515 01 OF 04 111432Z

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——————55BB85 111433Z /38

FM AMEMBASSY HARARE

TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6003

INFO NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE

SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 04 HARARE 002515

SIPDIS

NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR GAYLE SMITH

PASS USTR FOR ROSA WHITAKER

PASS USAID FOR A/AID RMCALL AND AFR/SA WJEFFERS

LONDON FOR PFLAUMER

PARIS FOR BISA WILLIAMS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/11/2010

CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 02       HARARE 02515 01 OF 04 111432Z

TAGS: PGOV PHUM KDEM PREL PINR ZI

SUBJECT: “RED GUARDS” AND SQUATTERS: MUGABE’S

CAMPAIGN SHOCK TROOPS

REF: HARARE 2461

CLASSIFIED BY DEPUTY CHIEF OF MISSION EARL M. IRVING FOR

REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D).

——-

SUMMARY

——-

¶1. (C) THE MEANING OF DEMOCRACY IS BEING VITIATED IN

ZIMBABWE. IN ORDER TO WIN THE PARLIAMENTARY ELECTION,

THE DATE OF WHICH IS STILL NOT FIXED, PRESIDENT MUGABE

HAS UNLEASHED A CAMPAIGN OF TERROR IN THE COUNTRYSIDE,

COMPARABLE IN PURPOSE TO CHINA’S CULTURAL REVOLUTION.

HIS TRUSTED AGENTS ARE THE “WAR VETERANS,” MISFITS WHO

MISSED THE BOAT ON THE BENEFITS OF ZANU-PF’S ASCENT TO

POWER IN 1980, WHO WE PREDICT WILL REMAIN ON THE FARMS

UNTIL AFTER THE ELECTION AT THE VERY LEAST TO SETTLE

SCORES WITH OPPOSITION SUPPORTERS. MUGABE HAS FORCED

WHITE COMMERCIAL FARMERS (WHOSE WEALTH, AND NOT RACIAL

PREJUDICE, HAS BROUGHT THEM INTO THE RULING PARTY’S

SIGHTS — A TRIUMPH OF GREED) TO NEGOTIATE WITH THE WAR

VETS, THUS GRANTING THE VETS SOME DEGREE OF LEGITIMACY.

THIS STEP ENSURES THAT THEY WILL RETAIN A SEAT AT ALL

FUTURE DISCUSSIONS ON LAND REFORM. IN THE RURAL AREAS

WAR VETERANS AND YOUNG ZANU-PF THUGS ARE CONDUCTING MAO-

STYLE POLITICAL “RE-EDUCATION” CAMPS TO FORCE FARMERS

CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 03       HARARE 02515 01 OF 04 111432Z

AND THEIR WORKERS TO RECANT AND VOTE FOR THE RULING

PARTY. IN THE CITIES WE EXPECT ZANU-PF TO INUNDATE THE

POLLING PLACES WITH PERI-URBAN SQUATTERS EAGER FOR A

PETTY PAYOFF, DILUTING CHANCES OF AN OPPOSITION WIN IN

THESE CONSTITUENCIES. THE OPPOSITION MOVEMENT FOR

DEMOCRATIC CHANGE (MDC) HAS BEEN UNABLE TO COUNTERACT

EFFECTIVELY THE RULING PARTY’S VIOLENCE AND TACTICS,

BEING NEARLY FORCED TO GO AND ACT UNDERGROUND. THE

SHEER BRUTALITY OF THE CAMPAIGN, EXPECTED TO INTENSIFY

AS ELECTION DAY APPROACHES, COUPLED WITH THE

GOVERNMENT’S CONTINUED INATTENTION TO THE ECONOMY, WILL

HAVE NEGATIVE IMPLICATIONS FOR THE REGION THAT SHOULD BE

DISCUSSED DURING SOUTH AFRICAN PRESIDENT MBEKI’S STATE

VISIT TO WASHINGTON. END SUMMARY.

—————————-

RECANT AND CONVERT…OR ELSE

—————————-

¶2. (C) ALTHOUGH ZIMBABWE IS SCHEDULED TO HOLD A

PARLIAMENTARY ELECTION WITHIN THE NEXT TWO MONTHS OR SO

(WE HAVE HEARD JUNE 17 AND JULY 11 AS POSSIBLE DATES),

WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THE RUN-UP TO THEM HARDLY FALLS

UNDER THE RUBRIC OF DEMOCRACY, EVEN MAKING ALLOWANCES

FOR A YOUNG STATE IN THE DEVELOPING WORLD. FREEDOM OF

EXPRESSION AND ASSEMBLY ARE VIRTUALLY NON-EXISTENT. THE

POLICE COMMISSIONER HAS SAID HE WILL APPLY THE LAW AND

ORDER MAINTENANCE ACT TO PREVENT OPPOSITION PARTIES FROM

BUSING SUPPORTERS TO RALLIES. A BOMB EXPLODED IN FRONT

OF THE OFFICES OF AN INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER THAT SUPPORTS

THE OPPOSITION MDC. THE GOVERNMENT-INFLUENCED “THE

CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 04       HARARE 02515 01 OF 04 111432Z

HERALD” NEWSPAPER HAS BECOME A CESSPIT OF FACT-TWISTING

AND SCURRILOUS “JOURNALISM,” NO LONGER MAKING ANY

PRETENSE OF PROFESSIONALISM OR NONPARTISAN COVERAGE OF

THE NEWS. IN THE COUNTRYSIDE “WAR VETERANS” OCCUPY

FARMS, BEAT, KILL AND DESTROY THE PROPERTY OF ANYONE

SUSPECTED OF EVEN THE REMOTEST SYMPATHY OR CONNECTION TO

THE OPPOSITION. ZANU-PF PARTY WORKERS, WIELDING WEAPONS

IN FRONT OF TOUGH CROWDS, ORDER COMMERCIAL FARMERS TO

TRANSPORT THEIR OWN FARM WORKERS TO RALLIES FOR

POLITICAL RE-EDUCATION. FARMS ARE NOT THE EXCLUSIVE

VENUE FOR BARBARITY. ON MAY 10 FOUR MDC MEMBERS

“DISAPPEARED” IN THE MATABELELAND TOWN OF LUPANE AND ARE

RUMORED TO BE HELD IN MATOPOS.

¶3. (C) IN ORDER TO SEE HIS PARTY RETAIN CONTROL OF

PARLIAMENT, MUGABE HAS TAKEN A PAGE FROM HIS IDOL, MAO

TSE-TUNG, AND LAUNCHED HIS CULTURAL REVOLUTION IN THE

SIPDIS

COUNTRYSIDE, TO BORROW THE ANALOGY OF A LOCAL

JOURNALIST. MEMBERS OF THE NATIONAL LIBERATION WAR

VETERANS ASSOCIATION (NLWVA) ARE OCCUPYING WHITE-OWNED

COMMERCIAL FARMS AND CONDUCTING A REIGN OF TERROR,

TARGETING “INTELLECTUALS,” SUCH AS SCHOOLTEACHERS, FOR

PARTICULARLY HARSH TREATMENT AND PUNISHMENT. WE PREDICT

THEY WILL STAY ON THE FARMS UNTIL AFTER ELECTION DAY.

ONCE THE POLL RESULTS ARE IN THEY LIKELY WILL SINGLE OUT

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL     PTQ6355

PAGE 01       HARARE 02515 02 OF 04 111433Z

ACTION AF-00

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——————55BB92 111433Z /38

O 111436Z MAY 00

FM AMEMBASSY HARARE

TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6004

INFO NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE

SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 04 HARARE 002515

SIPDIS

NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR GAYLE SMITH

PASS USTR FOR ROSA WHITAKER

PASS USAID FOR A/AID RMCALL AND AFR/SA WJEFFERS

LONDON FOR PFLAUMER

PARIS FOR BISA WILLIAMS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/11/2010

CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 02       HARARE 02515 02 OF 04 111433Z

TAGS: PGOV PHUM KDEM PREL PINR ZI

SUBJECT: “RED GUARDS” AND SQUATTERS: MUGABE’S

CAMPAIGN SHOCK TROOPS

THOSE THEY THINK VOTED FOR THE MDC FOR RETRIBUTION,

BURNING THEIR DWELLINGS OR EVEN MURDERING THEM.

——————————–

A BLUNT INSTRUMENT OF PERSUASION

——————————–

¶4. (C) THE WAR VETERANS, SUPPORTED BY THE POLICE, SOME

PLAINCLOTHES MILITARY AND CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE

ORGANIZATION OFFICERS, ARE NOW MUGABE’S PROTEAN GUARD,

THE PEOPLE HE RELIES UPON, WITH OR WITHOUT THE ADDED

BENEFIT OF TRUST OF ITS LEADER, CHENJERAI “HITLER”

HUNZVI. THE PARTY AND EVEN THE SECURITY FORCES HAVE

BECOME LESS RELIABLE, WITH MEMBERS OF BOTH OPPOSED TO

MUGABE’S USE OF VIOLENCE AND INTIMIDATION AS BASIC

CAMPAIGN TOOLS. THE STILL-DETERIORATING ECONOMY ALSO

LENDS THEM NO SUCCOR. BUT THE LUMPEN, KNOW-NOTHING “WAR

VETS,” MANY BLATANTLY TOO YOUNG TO HAVE PARTICIPATED IN

THE CHIMURENGA (WAR OF NATIONAL LIBERATION), ARE LOYAL

IN A CANINE WAY AND ARE, IN OUR JUDGMENT, UNDER MUGABE’S

FIRM DIRECTION THOUGH THE CONTROL FACTOR IS LESS

CERTAIN.

¶5. (C) AT THE BEGINNING OF THE FARM OCCUPATION EXERCISE

THE NLWVA SUFFERED FROM A PROBLEM: LACK OF LEGITIMACY.

THOUGH EVERYONE UNDERSTOOD THAT THEIR LAWLESS BEHAVIOR

WAS SANCTIONED BY THE PRESIDENT’S OFFICE, THERE WAS NO

CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 03       HARARE 02515 02 OF 04 111433Z

PUBLIC DISCLOSURE OF THE NEW SYMBIOSIS. IN ORDER TO

OVERCOME THE LEGITIMACY HURDLE AND TO BE SEEN AS A

REASONABLE AND ENLIGHTENED LEADER, MUGABE AUTHORIZED THE

WAR VETERANS TO NEGOTIATE DIRECTLY WITH THE COMMERCIAL

FARMERS, AIDED BY THE MEDIATION EFFORTS OF FATHER

FIDELIS MUKONORI, S.J., A MEMBER OF THE CLERGY TRUSTED

BY MUGABE. THE FARMERS, DESPERATE FOR RELIEF FROM THE

OCCUPATIONS AND WISHING TO REAP THEIR HARVEST, SAT DOWN,

TALKED AND CONCEDED. IT’S HARD NOT TO DO SO WITH A GUN

AT YOUR HEAD. THE WAR VETS, MEANWHILE, HAVE NOT

FULFILLED THE TERMS OF THE AGREEMENT, PEACE FOR LAND,

BUT NOW WILL HAVE A SEAT AT THE TABLE IN ANY FUTURE

DISCUSSIONS ON LAND REFORMS. THEY HAVE PROVEN, AT A

MINIMUM, TO BE PERFIDIOUS INTERLOCUTORS.

———————————–

THE URBAN CENTERS ARE NOT FORGOTTEN

———————————–

¶6. (C) THE RULING PARTY APPEARS TO HAVE ABANDONED

COMPLETELY ITS ANTI-CORRUPTION STRATEGY, ONCE THOUGHT TO

BE A STEP TO COURT THE URBAN VOTE AND EVEN INTERNATIONAL

GOOD WILL. THE ATTORNEY GENERAL IS NEITHER TARGETING

ANY OTHER SENIOR GOVERNMENT FIGURE FOR ARREST NOR EVEN

GOING THROUGH THE MOTIONS OF PUSHING FORWARD THE CASES

OF THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN ARRESTED. INDEED, THE ZANU-PF

POLITBURO, WITH THE COMPLICITY OF THE COURTS WHICH

SUSPENDED ALL THEIR BAIL RESTRICTIONS, HAS ALLOWED

FORMER MINISTER OF LANDS AND AGRICULTURE KUMBIRAI KANGAI

TO RUN FOR AND WIN THE ZANU-PF PRIMARY ELECTION IN

BUHERA SOUTH, A CRYSTAL-CLEAR SIGN THAT ALL IS FORGIVEN.

CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 04       HARARE 02515 02 OF 04 111433Z

WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE FORMER COMMANDER OF THE ARMY

SOLOMON MUJURU APPROACHED PRESIDENT MUGABE AND ASKED HIM

TO STOP PURGING PARTY ELEMENTS.

¶7. (C) FOR THE CITIES WIDESPREAD TERROR IS BAD

BUSINESS, BUT THE RULING PARTY HAS NOT CONCEDED THESE

CONSTITUENCIES ENTIRELY TO THE MDC. INSTEAD, IT APPEARS

THAT ITS TACTIC WILL BE TO FLOOD THE POLLING PLACES ON

ELECTION DAY WITH PERI-URBAN SQUATTERS, OF WHICH THERE

ARE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS, AND MEMBERS OF THE MILITARY

(WHO, ALONG WITH DIPLOMATS, MAY CAST BALLOTS BY MAIL) TO

VOTE FOR ZANU-PF. MAKING THIS POSSIBLE IS THE FACT

THAT, AS THE OFFICE OF THE REGISTRAR GENERAL INFORMED US

MAY 10, ELECTION REGISTRATION CONTINUES, IN SPITE OF THE

OSTENSIBLY OFFICIAL CLOSING DATE OF MARCH 31.

TECHNICALLY THOSE WHO REGISTERED AFTER THE CLOSING DATE,

WHEN THE ROLLS WERE TURNED OVER TO THE DELIMITATION

COMMISSION, COULD VOTE BY BEING PLACED ON A

SUPPLEMENTARY REGISTER.

¶8. (C) WE EXPECT THE INTIMIDATION CAMPAIGN IN THE RUN-

UP TO THE ELECTION ONLY TO INTENSIFY. VIOLENCE

FOLLOWING THE ELECTION REMAINS MORE THAN JUST A REAL

POSSIBILITY. IN THE INCREASINGLY UNLIKELY EVENT THAT

ZANU-PF DOES NOT TAKE AN OUTRIGHT MAJORITY, WE THINK THE

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL     PTO5398

PAGE 01       HARARE 02515 03 OF 04 111433Z

ACTION AF-00

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STR-00   TRSE-00 USIE-00 PMB-00   DSCC-00 PRM-01   DRL-02

G-00     NFAT-00 SAS-00     /013W

——————55BB9D 111433Z /38

O 111436Z MAY 00

FM AMEMBASSY HARARE

TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6005

INFO NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE

SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 03 OF 04 HARARE 002515

SIPDIS

NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR GAYLE SMITH

PASS USTR FOR ROSA WHITAKER

PASS USAID FOR A/AID RMCALL AND AFR/SA WJEFFERS

LONDON FOR PFLAUMER

PARIS FOR BISA WILLIAMS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/11/2010

CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 02       HARARE 02515 03 OF 04 111433Z

TAGS: PGOV PHUM KDEM PREL PINR ZI

SUBJECT: “RED GUARDS” AND SQUATTERS: MUGABE’S

CAMPAIGN SHOCK TROOPS

RULING PARTY WILL NOT ACCEPT THE RESULT. IT WILL ACCUSE

THE OPPOSITION OF RIGGING THE ELECTION, OF WAGING A

CAMPAIGN OF INTIMIDATION, SUPPORTED BY THE OFFSHORE

WHITE-RULED CABAL, AND MAY POSSIBLY ORDER THE JAILING OR

ASSASSINATION OF MORGAN TSVANGIRAI — IN SHORT,

EVERYTHING IT HAS DONE AND IS DOING ITSELF. IT WOULD BE

AT THIS POINT, OR AT LEAST SHORTLY THEREAFTER SO THE

THUGS COULD GO WILDING AGAINST PERCEIVED MDC SUPPORTERS,

THAT WE CAN SEE THE ARMY INTERVENING TO HALT THE CHAOS

WITH THE ATTENDANT IMPOSITION OF A STATE OF EMERGENCY.

WE RECEIVE FREQUENT REPORTS THAT THE MILITARY IS PART OF

THE VIOLENCE CAMPAIGN IN THE FORM OF THE NOTORIOUS

“FIFTH BRIGADE,” WHICH COMMITTED ATROCITIES IN

MATABELELAND AND MIDLANDS IN THE 1980S. THE MERE

APPEARANCE OF ITS OFFICERS IN RED BERETS INCITES FEAR IN

THE NDEBELE.

——————————————-

MDC HAVING HARD TIME COUNTERACTING VIOLENCE

——————————————-

¶9. (C) BY KEEPING TO THE MORAL HIGH GROUND, THE MDC

APPEARS TO HAVE YIELDED STRATEGIC DOMINANCE TO ZANU-PF.

THE MDC HAS BEEN HARD-PRESSED TO COUNTERACT THE WAVE OF

VIOLENCE AND DEMONIZATION IN THE MEDIA, WHICH ARE ALMOST

DRIVING IT TO CONDUCT ITS CAMPAIGN UNDERGROUND. SO FAR

MDC LEADER TSVANGIRAI HAS ONLY BEEN ABLE TO SAY THAT HIS

CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 03       HARARE 02515 03 OF 04 111433Z

FORMER ROOST, THE ZIMBABWE COUNCIL OF TRADE UNIONS, MAY

CALL FOR A GENERAL, NATIONWIDE STRIKE. RESPONDING TO

UNEASE IN THE RANKS, THE MDC LEADERSHIP HAS FLOATED THE

POSSIBILITY OF A GENERAL BOYCOTT OF THE ELECTIONS AS ONE

OF SEVERAL POSSIBLE OPTIONS. MORGAN TSVANGIRAI IS SAID

PERSONALLY TO OPPOSE IT BECAUSE A SIMILAR OPPOSITION

STRATEGY BACKFIRED IN 1995. MOREOVER, BY DROPPING OUT

OF THE RACE NOW THE MDC LEADERSHIP WOULD SIGNAL THAT

SUPPORTERS WHO PERISHED IN THE POLITICAL VIOLENCE HAVE

DONE SO IN VAIN. NEVERTHELESS, SUCH A MOVE WOULD PUT

THE LIE TO ANY SEMBLANCE OF LEGITIMACY OR CLAIM OF

PLURALISM, WHEN AND IF THE ELECTIONS ARE HELD.

——————-

THE REGIONAL IMPACT

——————-

¶10. (C) THE IMPACT THAT SUCH DIRE ACTIONS WILL HAVE ON

THE REGION ARE SERIOUS. AT THAT STAGE ZIMBABWE’S

ECONOMY WILL BE IN THE FIRST STAGES OF AN EFFECTIVE

MELTDOWN, WITH CONSEQUENT REGIONAL NEGATIVE EFFECTS.

VIRTUALLY ALL THE SADC MEMBER COUNTRIES WILL SEE THE

STRENGTH OF THEIR COMMERCIAL CREDIT RATINGS UNDER

THREAT. THE RAND WILL FACE AN EVEN MORE SERIOUS LOSS OF

CONFIDENCE THAN THAT BEHIND ITS RECENT, NEARLY 20

PERCENT DROP VIS-A-VIS THE U.S. DOLLAR. HOW DEEP THE

HOLE GETS IN ZIMBABWE IS AT THIS TIME ANYONE’S GUESS.

¶11. (C) NOW IS THE TIME TO CONTINUE OUR BEST EFFORTS TO

ALTER THIS PROJECTED COURSE WHICH IS GATHERING MOMENTUM.

U/S TALBOTT’S PUBLIC AND PRIVATE STATEMENTS DURING HIS

CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 04       HARARE 02515 03 OF 04 111433Z

VISIT TO THE REGION WERE VALUABLE. THE STATE VISIT TO

WASHINGTON OF SOUTH AFRICAN PRESIDENT THABO MBEKI LATER

THIS MONTH PRESENTS A RIPE OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW THE

BIDDING ON ZIMBABWE AND ELICIT GOOD AND MORE PRODUCTIVE

ACTION FROM THE REGION’S ECONOMIC COLOSSUS.

————————-

MORE GREED THAN PREJUDICE

————————-

¶12. (C) FINALLY, A WORD ABOUT RACE RELATIONS. MOST

ZIMBABWEANS HARBOR SOME DEGREE OF DISTRUST, PREJUDICE

AGAINST OR EVEN FEAR OF WHITES, STEMMING FROM ZIMBABWE’S

APARTHEID-LIKE PAST, BUT MUGABE’S CURRENT CAMPAIGN

AGAINST THE MINORITY LIVING IN THE COUNTRYSIDE MUST NOT

BE SEEN ONLY IN TERMS OF RACISM. WHITES LIVING IN THE

CITY GO ABOUT THEIR BUSINESS UNHINDERED. RATHER,

COMMERCIAL FARMERS ARE BEING TARGETED BECAUSE THEY

POSSESS WEALTH AND THE COUNTRY IS IN DIRE ECONOMIC

STRAITS, AND MANY HAVE BECOME INVOLVED IN OR SUPPORT

OPPOSITION POLITICS, INCLUDING THE THREE WHO HAVE BEEN

KILLED SINCE APRIL. AFTER TWENTY YEARS OF ENDURING POOR

GOVERNANCE AND MISGUIDED ECONOMIC PROGRAMS, THE LOSERS

OF THE REVOLUTION, MAINLY THE WAR VETERANS, SEE THAT NOW

IS THEIR CHANCE TO GET THEIRS. PROOF THAT IT IS NOT

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL     PTQ6359

PAGE 01       HARARE 02515 04 OF 04 111433Z

ACTION AF-00

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DODE-00 DOTE-00 SRPP-00 DS-00   EB-00   EUR-01   FAAE-00

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L-00     AC-01   NSAE-00 OIC-02   OMB-01   OPIC-01 PA-00

PM-00   PRS-00   ACE-00   P-00     SP-00   IRM-00   SSO-00

STR-00   TRSE-00 USIE-00 PMB-00   DSCC-00 PRM-01   DRL-02

G-00     NFAT-00 SAS-00     /013W

——————55BBA1 111433Z /38

O 111436Z MAY 00

FM AMEMBASSY HARARE

TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6006

INFO NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE

SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 04 OF 04 HARARE 002515

SIPDIS

NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR GAYLE SMITH

PASS USTR FOR ROSA WHITAKER

PASS USAID FOR A/AID RMCALL AND AFR/SA WJEFFERS

LONDON FOR PFLAUMER

PARIS FOR BISA WILLIAMS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/11/2010

CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 02       HARARE 02515 04 OF 04 111433Z

TAGS: PGOV PHUM KDEM PREL PINR ZI

SUBJECT: “RED GUARDS” AND SQUATTERS: MUGABE’S

CAMPAIGN SHOCK TROOPS

STRICTLY AN ANTI-WHITE CAMPAIGN IS A LETTER FROM THE

AFFIRMATIVE ACTION GROUP, AN OSTENSIBLE PRESSURE GROUP

DEDICATED TO THE ADVANCEMENT OF ZIMBABWE’S BLACK

BUSINESSMEN, NOW CIRCULATING AMONG THE INDIAN COMMUNITY.

THE LETTER THREATENS OCCUPATION OF INDIAN-OWNED

BUSINESSES AND PROPERTIES IF THEY DO NOT TURN THEM OVER

TO INDIGENOUS BUSINESSMEN. GREED IS COLOR-BLIND.

IRVING

CONFIDENTIAL

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