How dare a black government challenge the kin of the God-chosen?

The West imposed sanctions on Zimbabwe more than a decade ago because it was asking how dare a black government with a white community challenge the kin of the God-chosen Anglo-Saxons.

This was said by President Robert Mugabe who added that this was seen as practising terrorism and autocracy.

He accused the West of not raising a finger in the past as the “British racial autocracy” brutalised and traumatised black Zimbabweans.

He accused Britain, the United States and German mercenaries of fighting on the side of the Rhodesians during the liberation struggle, using NATO weapons against the population.

Mugabe said the United States had never considered imposing sanctions against the UDI Rhodesians. Instead, it had asked to be exempted from United Nations sanctions in order to buy chrome from the Ian Smith regime, refusing the option of buying from the Soviet Union.

Mugabe was speaking at the national Heroes Acre and was commenting on the move by the United States and the European Union to impose sanctions on Zimbabwe.

According to the United States embassy, Mugabe “asked rhetorically what crime Zimbabwe had committed to cause talk of sanctions, then answered by saying how dare a black government with a white community challenge the kin of the god-chosen Anglo-Saxons. This was seen as practising terrorism and autocracy”.

Full cable:

Viewing cable 01HARARE2397, MUGABE HEWS TO HARD LINE IN HEROES’ DAY

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

141105Z Aug 01

CONFIDENTIAL     PTQ4067

PAGE 01       HARARE 02397 01 OF 02 141201Z

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——————11F9F6 141201Z /07

FM AMEMBASSY HARARE

TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9457

INFO SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY

NSC WASHDC

AMEMBASSY NAIROBI

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 002397

SIPDIS

STATE FOR AF, AF/S, AF/RA, AND DRL

LONDON FOR GURNEY

PARIS FOR WILLIAMS-MANIGAULT

NSC FOR SENIOR DIRECTOR FRAZIER

NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/14/06

TAGS: PGOV PHUM UK US ZI

SUBJECT: MUGABE HEWS TO HARD LINE IN HEROES’ DAY

ADDRESS

CLASSIFIED BY CDA REWHITEHEAD DUE TO 1.5 (B) AND (D).

CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 02       HARARE 02397 01 OF 02 141201Z

——-

SUMMARY

——-

¶1. (C) PRESIDENT MUGABE’S NATIONAL HEROES’ DAY ADDRESS

TO A LARGE BUT LISTLESS CROWD AT HEROES’ ACRE WAS

DEFIANT IN TONE AND UNCHANGED IN SUBSTANCE. MUGABE

LAMBASTED THE BRITISH FOR THEIR HISTORICAL SINS AND TOOK

AIM AT THE U.S. OVER THE SENATE PASSAGE OF ZDERA. HE

TALLIED UP FIGURES FOR LAND ACQUIRED AND PEOPLED

RESETTLED IN THE FAST TRACK LAND PROGRAM AND WARNED

COMMERCIAL FARMERS NOT TO RESIST. MUGABE CALLED ON

COMMERCIAL FARMERS TO COOPERATE AND IMPLIED TROUBLE IF

THEY DID NOT. IN FOLLOWING CONVERSATIONS, UK HIGH

COMMISSIONER DONNELLY TERMED THE ADDRESS “AN OLIVE

BRANCH WITH THORNS.” OTHER WESTERN DIPLOMATS WITH MORE

SEASONING IN ZIMBABWE WONDERED IF THIS WERE NOT AN

OVERLY OPTIMISTIC READ.

————————–

THE ANGLO-SAXON CONSPIRACY

————————–

¶2. (SBU) A CROWD ESTIMATED BETWEEN 4,000 (OPPOSITION

PRESS) AND 10,000 (GOVERNMENT PRESS) WERE TREATED TO AN

HOUR AND TWENTY MINUTES OF PRESIDENTIAL RHETORIC ON

AUGUST 11. A HEARTY LOOKING MUGABE, WHO DELIVERED HIS

ADDRESS IN FIRM TONES, BEGAN WITH A CONDEMNATION OF

WESTERN HYPOCRISY. HE ACCUSED THE DEMOCRATIC WORLD OF

NOT RAISING A FINGER IN THE PAST AS THE “BRITISH RACIAL

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PAGE 03       HARARE 02397 01 OF 02 141201Z

AUTOCRACY” BRUTALIZED AND TRAUMATIZED BLACK ZIMBABWEANS.

HE ACCUSED THE COLONIALISTS OF PILLAGING THE COUNTRY’S

MINERAL WEALTH AND FORCING THE ZIMBABWEANS TO WORKS THE

LAND “TO FEED THEIR (BRITISH) CHILDREN.” HE ACCUSED UK,

US, AND GERMAN MERCENARIES OF FIGHTING ON THE SIDE OF

THE RHODESIANS DURING THE LIBERATION STRUGGLE, USING

NATO WEAPONS AGAINST THE POPULATION.

¶3. (SBU) MUGABE DELIVERED A DIATRIBE AGAINST THE

AMERICAN SENATE AND CONGRESS, WHO HE STATED HAD NEVER

CONSIDERED IMPOSING SANCTIONS AGAINST THE UDI

RHODESIANS. INSTEAD, THE U.S. HAD ASKED TO BE EXEMPTED

FROM UN SANCTIONS IN ORDER TO BUY CHROME FROM THE IAN

SMITH REGIME, REFUSING THE OPTION OF BUYING FROM THE

SOVIET UNION, WHICH WAS “A FREE STATE AT THAT TIME.” HE

CHARGED THE SAME SENATORS OF WORKING WITH THE OPPOSITION

TODAY ON THE “INFAMOUS ZDERA.” HE ASKED RHETORICALLY

WHAT CRIME ZIMBABWE HAD COMMITTED TO CAUSE TALK OF

SANCTIONS, THEN ANSWERED BY SAYING HOW DARE A BLACK

GOVERNMENT WITH A WHITE COMMUNITY CHALLENGE THE KIN OF

THE GOD-CHOSEN ANGLO-SAXONS. THIS WAS SEEN AS

PRACTICING TERRORISM AND AUTOCRACY.

—————————-

A WALLOW IN COLONIAL HISTORY

—————————-

¶4. (SBU) MUGABE NEXT TOOK DIRECT AIM AT THE BRITISH,

NOTING THAT VICE PRESIDENT MUZENDA HAD BEEN TORTURED

WITH NEEDLES WHILE IN INCARCERATION. SPEAKER OF

PARLIAMENT MNANGAGWA WAS HARD OF HEARING DUE TO BEATINGS

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PAGE 04       HARARE 02397 01 OF 02 141201Z

FROM PRISON AUTHORITIES. MUGABE THEN READ FROM THE

JOURNALS OF COLONIAL AUTHORITIES ABOUT THE 1897/1898

EXECUTION IN SALISBURY OF TWO MEN AND A WOMAN CONVICTED

OF MURDERING AN ASSISTANT DISTRICT COMMISSIONER. HE

CONTINUED BY CRITICIZING BRITISH REFUSAL TO RETURN THE

HEAD OF AN EXECUTION VICTIM STILL HELD IN (THE) BRITISH

MUSEUM. MUGABE DESCRIBED THE BURNING OF CROPS BY

BRITISH SOLDIERS IN 1896/7 AND HOW INVADERS HAD CAUSED

“ARTIFICIAL HUNGER.”

——————–

HOLDING FIRM ON LAND

——————–

¶5. (SBU) MUGABE SEGUED INTO THE LAND ISSUE, EMPHASIZING

THAT “WE WILL NEVER LOSE SIGHT OF THE GOAL OF

CONTROLLING THE LAND.” HE REPEATED THE STANDARD LINE ON

THE FAST TRACK PROGRAM, CALLING COMMERCIAL AGRICULTURE

UNFAIR, INEFFICIENT, AND NOT ENVIRONMENTALLY

SUSTAINABLE. HE DENOUNCED “RACIAL, IMPERIALIST

DOMINANCE” BUT NOTED THAT HE HAD HEARD THAT PARTS OF THE

COMMERCIAL FARMERS UNION (CFU) HAD CHANGED THEIR HEARTS

AND WANTED TO JOIN THE GOVERNMENT IN REFORM. THESE WERE

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CONFIDENTIAL     PTQ4071

PAGE 01       HARARE 02397 02 OF 02 141202Z

ACTION AF-00

INFO LOG-00   AID-00   CIAE-00 DODE-00 SRPP-00 EB-00   EUR-00

H-01     TEDE-00 INR-00   IO-00   L-00     NSAE-00 NSCE-00

OIC-02   PM-00   PRS-00   P-00     SP-00   SS-00   STR-00

TRSE-00 USIE-00 PMB-00   PRM-01   DRL-02   G-00     SSR-00

SAS-00     /006W

——————11FA08 141202Z /07

O 141105Z AUG 01

FM AMEMBASSY HARARE

TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9458

INFO SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY

NSC WASHDC

AMEMBASSY NAIROBI

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 02 HARARE 002397

SIPDIS

STATE FOR AF, AF/S, AF/RA, AND DRL

LONDON FOR GURNEY

PARIS FOR WILLIAMS-MANIGAULT

NSC FOR SENIOR DIRECTOR FRAZIER

NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/14/06

TAGS: PGOV PHUM UK US ZI

SUBJECT: MUGABE HEWS TO HARD LINE IN HEROES’ DAY

ADDRESS

WELCOME. IN THE PAST, HOWEVER, FARMERS HAD EMPLOYED

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PAGE 02       HARARE 02397 02 OF 02 141202Z

WILES AND SUBTERFUGE AND WORKED WITH THE “SO-CALLED”

OPPOSITION TO EXTEND BRITISH HEGEMONY BY PROCURING UK

MONEY FOR THE OPPOSITION.

¶6. (SBU) HE SPOKE DIRECTLY TO RECENT EVENTS IN

CHINHOYI, CHARGING THAT THE COMMERCIAL FARMERS HAD

ORGANIZED TO ATTACK LANDLESS SETTLERS. HE STATED: “WE

WARN THEM (FARMERS) TO DESIST.” MUGABE SAID THAT WHITE

FARMERS ARE WELCOME TO STAY BUT ONLY IF THEY OBEY THE

LAW. HE SAID THAT THE GOZ WILL NOT BUDGE ON LAND

REFORM, AND WILL PROCEED WITH THE REFORM PROGRAM WITH OR

WITHOUT CFU COOPERATION AND INTERNATIONAL SANCTIONS.

MUGABE THEN READ A LIST OF THE NUMBER OF FARMS GAZETTED,

ACREAGE TOTALS, AND PEOPLE RESETTLED.

———————————

QUOTING HIMSELF ON RECONCILIATION

———————————

¶7. (C) MUGABE STRESSED THAT WHAT ANGERS AND DISTURBS

THE CIO, POLICE, AND ZDF MOST IS THE FACT THAT THE

FARMERS NOW PROVOKING INCIDENTS ARE THE SAME ONES WHO

FOUGHT AGAINST THE CURRENT AUTHORITIES IN THE LIBERATION

STRUGGLE. HE OBSERVED THAT IF HE HAD DONE AS THE

MILITANTS HAD WANTED IN 1980, THE (FORMER RHODESIAN

FIGHTERS) WOULD HAVE BEEN “DECAPITATED” AND WOULD NOT

“BE WRIGGLING BACK TO LIFE AGAIN.” HE SAID THAT WE

(ZIMBABWEANS) WERE BETTER, MORE MORAL, AND HAD INSTEAD

EXTENDED THE HAND OF FRIENDSHIP AND RECONCILIATION.

MUGABE QUOTED HIMSELF FROM 1980 ON BEATING SWORDS INTO

PLOWSHARES BEFORE CONCLUDING WITH SOME PORK BARREL

CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 03       HARARE 02397 02 OF 02 141202Z

POLITICS — INCREASED SCHOOL (AND OTHER) ALLOWANCES FOR

THE WIDOWS AND CHILDREN OF HEROES — AND A FINAL

CONCLUDING SHOT AT ZDERA AND THE U.S.

——-

COMMENT

——-

¶8. (C) MUGABE WAS IN FINE FETTLE, AND HIS PERFORMANCE

— DEMAGOGIC THOUGH IT OFTEN WAS — PUTS TO REST FOR NOW

TALK THAT HE IS TOTTERING ON THE BRINK OF PHYSICAL

COLLAPSE. WESTERN DIPLOMATS WHO HAVE BEEN TREATED TO

PAST PERFORMANCES NOTED THAT THERE WAS AN UNUSUALLY

LARGE COMPONENT OF UNIFORMED MILITARY IN THE AUDIENCE

THIS YEAR. THE CROWD CHEERED ON CUE, BUT THERE WAS A

NOTABLE LACK OF ENTHUSIASM OVERALL.

¶9. (C) IN A FOLLOWING CONVERSATION, BRITISH HIGH

COMMISSIONER DONNELLY SPOKE ON THE CHINHOYI SITUATION AS

WELL AS HIS TAKE ON THE SPEECH. HE SAID THAT THE CFU

TEAM NEGOTIATING THE LAND ISSUE WITH THE GOZ HAD

REPORTED A “GOOD” MEETING WITH MUGABE ON AUGUST 19,

ALBEIT ONE THAT HAD BROUGHT NO BREAKTHROUGH. CONNELLY

CALLED THE SPEECH AN “OLIVE BRANCH WITH THORNS.”

SEVERAL OF HIS WESTERN COUNTERPARTS WHO HAVE BEEN IN

ZIMBABWE FOR LONGER PERIODS TOLD CHARGE THAT THEY HAD

PERCEIVED MORE THORN THAN OLIVE BRANCH AND FELT THAT

MUGABE’S POSITION REMAINS UNCHANGED.

¶10. (C) THE SENATE’S PASSAGE OF ZDERA HAS CLEARLY

CAUGHT MUGABE’S ATTENTION. DONNELLY OBSERVED THAT WHILE

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PAGE 04       HARARE 02397 02 OF 02 141202Z

THE UK’S SINS HAD BEEN MOSTLY HISTORICAL THIS TIME

AROUND, THE U.S. WAS NOW GRABBING TOP BILLING IN THE

AREA OF CURRENT EVENTS.

WHITEHEAD

CONFIDENTIAL

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