Movement for Democratic Change vice-president Gibson Sibanda was arrested for allegedly inciting violence at an MDC rally in Bulawayo.
Police were also reportedly considering pressing charges against MDC secretary general Welshman Ncube who also spoke at the rally.
Ncube complained that Sibanda had been misquoted by The Herald and his remarks were twisted by the police.
He said Sibanda had really stated that “we must defend ourselves, that it is right to act in self-defence”, and that “it’s not unlawful to hit (war veterans leader) Chenjerai Hunzvi if he hits you first”.
Full cable:
Viewing cable 01HARARE655, ZIMBABWE GOVERNMENT EXTENDS CRACKDOWN ON
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
061626Z Feb 01
CONFIDENTIAL PTQ6762
PAGE 01 HARARE 00655 01 OF 02 061625Z
ACTION AF-00
INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AID-00 AMAD-00 ACQ-00 CIAE-00 INL-00
DINT-00 DODE-00 DOTE-00 SRPP-00 DS-00 EB-00 EUR-00
FAAE-00 FBIE-00 VC-00 H-01 TEDE-00 INR-00 IO-00
LAB-01 L-00 VCE-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 /010W
——————C1AD8F 061626Z /38
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8177
INFO NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE
SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
AMEMBASSY NAIROBI
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 000655
SIPDIS
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR JENDAYI FRAZER
LONDON FOR CHARLES GURNEY
PARIS FOR BISA WILLIAMS
NAIROBI FOR TERRY PFLAUMER
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/06/11
TAGS: PHUM PGOV PINS PINR ZI MDC
SUBJECT: ZIMBABWE GOVERNMENT EXTENDS CRACKDOWN ON
OPPOSITION
REF: HARARE 558
CLASSIFIED BY CHARGE D’AFFAIRES EARL M. IRVING FOR
REASONS: 1.5 (B) AND (D).
SUMMARY
——-
¶1. (C) SINCE FEBRUARY 1, THE GOVERNMENT OF ZIMBABWE
(GOZ) HAS INTENSIFIED AND EXPANDED THE SCOPE OF ITS
INTIMIDATION CAMPAIGN IN URBAN AREAS. IT HAS SENT ARMY
AND POLICE UNITS INTO TOWNSHIPS NEAR HARARE TO
INDISCRIMINATELY BEAT PEOPLE IN THEIR HOMES AND PUBLIC
PLACES. ON FEBRUARY 3, POLICE SQUASHED A SMALL, BUT
PEACEFUL DEMONSTRATION AGAINST MEDIA ATTACKS WITH
OVERWHELMING POLICE FORCE. ON FEBRUARY 4 AND 5 IT BEGAN
TARGETING PROMINENT MEMBERS OF THE OPPOSITION MDC FOR
BEATINGS AND ARREST. THE GOZ’S LEVEL OF INTIMIDATION IS
NOW HIGHER THAN AT ANY TIME SINCE LAST YEAR’S PRE-
ELECTION PERIOD. IF THE GOZ SUCCESSFULLY CLAMPS DOWN ON
THE OPPOSITION AS A POLITICAL FORCE, OPPOSITION SOURCES
FEAR EXTREMIST MEMBERS OF THE URBAN POPULACE MAY RESORT
TO ISOLATED ACTS OF VIOLENCE TO VENT THEIR ANGER. END
SUMMARY.
RENEWAL OF INDISCRIMINATE BEATINGS
———————————-
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 03 HARARE 00655 01 OF 02 061625Z
¶2. (C) ON THE NIGHT OF FEBRUARY 1, ARMY AND POLICE
UNITS DESCENDED ON CHITUNGWIZA, THE SPRAWLING TOWNSHIP
30 KM SOUTH OF HARARE, TO BEAT RESIDENTS, APPARENTLY AT
RANDOM. “THE DAILY NEWS” REPORTED THAT SOLDIERS STORMED
SEVERAL NIGHTCLUBS AND CLUBBED PARTY-GOERS WITH BATONS,
ACCUSING THEM OF BURNING COPIES OF THE GOVERNMENT-
INFLUENCED “THE HERALD.” IN ANOTHER INCIDENT, SOLDIERS
REPORTEDLY RAIDED A RESTAURANT, ORDERED ALL THE PATRONS
TO THE FLOOR, AND BEAT THEM WITH BATONS FOR 15 MINUTES.
AN EMBASSY SOURCE CONFIRMED THAT MILITARY, NOT POLICE,
VEHICLES WERE SEEN ALL OVER CHITUNGWIZA THE NIGHT OF
FEBRUARY 1. SOLDIERS RETURNED TO ONE NIGHTCLUB IN THE
HIGH-DENSITY AREA ON FEBRUARY 4 AND AGAIN BATTERED ITS
PATRONS, ACCORDING TO THE PRESS. THE ATTACKS FOLLOWED A
WEEK OF TENSION AND VIOLENCE INVOLVING VENDORS OF THE
AFOREMENTIONED RIVAL NEWSPAPERS, WHICH WAS PRECIPITATED
BY THE BOMBING OF “THE DAILY NEWS” PRINTING PLANT ON
JANUARY 28 (REFTEL).
PEACEFUL DEMONSTRATIONS BROKEN UP
———————————
¶3. (U) ON FEBRUARY 2, POLICE USED BATONS AND TEAR GAS
TO BREAK UP A DOWNTOWN HARARE DEMONSTRATION BY ABOUT 100
MDC YOUTHS, WHO WERE PROTESTING THE BREAKDOWN OF LAW AND
ORDER IN THE COUNTRY. POLICE CHASED AND BEAT UP THE
DEMONSTRATORS UNTIL THEY DISPERSED, ACCORDING TO PRESS
REPORTS.
¶4. (SBU) THE ZIMBABWE UNION OF JOURNALISTS (ZUJ) MET ON
THE EVENING OF FEBRUARY 2 TO ORGANIZE A DEMONSTRATION IN
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 04 HARARE 00655 01 OF 02 061625Z
DOWNTOWN HARARE THE NEXT DAY TO PROTEST THE BOMBING OF
“THE DAILY NEWS” AND OTHER GOVERNMENT ABUSE OF THE
INDEPENDENT MEDIA. ZANU-PF SUPPORTERS VISITED THE
MEETING IN AN ATTEMPT TO INTIMIDATE THE GATHERED
JOURNALISTS, BUT THEY WERE EVENTUALLY EXPELLED,
ACCORDING TO AN EMBASSY SOURCE. EARLY ON FEBRUARY 3,
BEFORE THE 100 OR SO JOURNALISTS COULD BEGIN THEIR
DEMONSTRATION IN FRONT OF THE AMBASSADOR HOTEL, ABOUT
250 RIOT POLICE HAD ALREADY GATHERED AND ORDERED THE
JOURNALISTS TO DISPERSE. THE ZUJ LEADERS CALLED OFF THE
PLANNED DEMONSTRATION, SAYING THEY HAD NO CHANCE AGAINST
THE POLICE AND WOULD “LIVE TO FIGHT ANOTHER DAY,”
ACCORDING TO PRESS REPORTS.
ARMY AND POLICE TARGET MDC LEADERS
———————————-
¶4. (C) “THE DAILY NEWS” REPORTED THAT IN THE EARLY
MORNING HOURS OF FEBRUARY 5, MEN IN ARMY UNIFORMS BROKE
INTO THE HOME OF JOB SIKHALA, THE MDC SECRETARY FOR
SECURITY AND MP FOR ST. MARY’S, AND BEAT HIM SEVERELY.
SIKHALA’S SISTER AND MAID WERE REPORTEDLY STRUCK WITH
CHAINS. SIKHALA MANAGED TO ESCAPE BY HIDING IN AN
OUTDOOR TOILET. THE SOLDIERS REPORTEDLY WANTED FROM
SIKHALA INFORMATION ABOUT THE MDC’S PRESIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL PTQ6763
PAGE 01 HARARE 00655 02 OF 02 061625Z
ACTION AF-00
INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AID-00 AMAD-00 ACQ-00 CIAE-00 INL-00
DINT-00 DODE-00 DOTE-00 SRPP-00 DS-00 EB-00 EUR-00
FAAE-00 FBIE-00 VC-00 H-01 TEDE-00 INR-00 IO-00
LAB-01 L-00 VCE-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 /010W
——————C1ADA1 061626Z /38
O 061626Z FEB 01
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8178
INFO NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE
SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
AMEMBASSY NAIROBI
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 02 HARARE 000655
SIPDIS
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR JENDAYI FRAZER
LONDON FOR CHARLES GURNEY
PARIS FOR BISA WILLIAMS
NAIROBI FOR TERRY PFLAUMER
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/06/11
TAGS: PHUM PGOV PINS PINR ZI MDC
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 02 HARARE 00655 02 OF 02 061625Z
SUBJECT: ZIMBABWE GOVERNMENT EXTENDS CRACKDOWN ON
OPPOSITION
ELECTION STRATEGY. IN A FEBRUARY 6 MEETING, THE HARARE
DATT ASKED ARMY AND AIR FORCE OFFICERS ABOUT THE
MILITARY’S SUPPOSED INVOLVEMENT IN SIKHALA’S BEATING.
ONE ARMY OFFICER SAID NO SOLDIERS WERE DEPLOYED TO ST.
MARY’S, BUT ADMITTED THAT THE NATIONAL REACTION FORCE,
WHICH COMPRISES SOLDIERS AND POLICEMEN, WAS INVOLVED.
THE OFFICER STRESSED THAT ALL MEMBERS OF THE NRF WEAR
THE SAME UNIFORM, IMPLYING THAT IT WAS POLICEMEN WHO
CONDUCTED THE RAID.
¶5. (C) ON FEBRUARY 5, POLICE ARRESTED THE MDC’S
NATIONAL YOUTH CHAIRMAN, NELSON CHAMISA, AND CHARGED HIM
WITH INCITING VIOLENCE AT RALLIES IN HARARE’S HIGH-
DENSITY SUBURBS OF GLEN NORAH AND KAMBUZUMA THE PREVIOUS
WEEK. CHAMISA WAS BOOKED AT WATERFALLS POLICE STATION,
BUT WAS LATER TRANSFERRED TO A LOCATION THAT THE POLICE
REFUSED TO DISCLOSE, MDC SECRETARY-GENERAL WELSHMAN
NCUBE TOLD US. NCUBE SAID THAT CHAMISA TOLD HIM THAT HE
WAS AFRAID WE WOULD BE TAKEN TO GOROMONZI PRISON AND
TORTURED. CHAMISA WAS LATER LOCATED AT HARARE CENTRAL
PRISON AND IS DUE TO APPEAR IN COURT FEBRUARY 7. WHILE
ADDRESSING SUPPORTERS IN HARARE ON FEBRUARY 4, CHAMISA
HAD CRITICIZED THE MILITARY AND POLICE FOR BEATING UP
INNOCENT PEOPLE IN HARARE’S HIGH-DENSITY SUBURBS THE
PREVIOUS WEEK.
¶6. (C) THE FEBRUARY 6 “THE HERALD” REPORTED THAT POLICE
ARRESTED MDC VICE-PRESIDENT GIBSON SIBANDA ON FEBRUARY 5
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 03 HARARE 00655 02 OF 02 061625Z
FOR INCITING VIOLENCE AT AN MDC RALLY AT BULAWAYO’S
WHITE CITY STADIUM THE PREVIOUS DAY. SIBANDA, WHO WAS
ACCOMPANIED BY LAWYER AND MDC MP DAVID COLTART, WAS
BRIEFLY QUESTIONED, CHARGED WITH INCITING VIOLENCE, THEN
RELEASED, WELSHMAN NCUBE TOLD US. THE POLICE ARE ALSO
CONSIDERING PRESSING CHARGES AGAINST NCUBE HIMSELF, WHO
ALSO SPOKE AT THE RALLY. NCUBE STATED THAT SIBANDA’S
REMARKS WERE MISQUOTED BY “THE HERALD” AND TWISTED
AROUND BY THE POLICE. SIBANDA HAD REALLY STATED THAT
“WE MUST DEFEND OURSELVES, THAT IT IS RIGHT TO ACT IN
SELF-DEFENCE,” AND THAT “IT’S NOT UNLAWFUL TO HIT (WAR
VETERANS LEADER) CHENJERAI HUNZVI IF HE HITS YOU FIRST,”
ACCORDING TO NCUBE.
COMMENT
——-
¶7. (C) THE LEVEL OF GOZ-SPONSORED INTIMIDATION IS NOW
HIGHER THAN AT ANY TIME SINCE LAST YEAR’S PRE-ELECTION
PERIOD. THE SCOPE AND INTENSITY OF THE INTIMIDATION
CAMPAIGN, AND THE INCREASING INVOLVEMENT OF MILITARY
UNITS, IS A FLASHING SIGN OF THE GOZ’S GROWING
DESPERATION–AND DETERMINATION–TO DEFEAT THE MDC. WE
ARE HEARING RUMORS THAT MUGABE MAY RESIGN AS EARLY AS
APRIL THIS YEAR AND CALL A SNAP ELECTION THAT WOULD
CATCH THE MDC OFF-GUARD. SUCH A MOVE IS PLAUSIBLE,
CONSIDERING THE INTENSITY OF THE CAMPAIGN AGAINST THE
MDC’S STRONGHOLDS AND THE MDC ITSELF. A CAMPAIGN OF
URBAN VIOLENCE WAS THE FINAL STAGE IN THE GOZ’S WAVE OF
INTIMIDATION IN THE RUN-UP TO LAST YEAR’S PARLIAMENTARY
ELECTIONS. IT IS DIFFICULT TO IMAGINE THE GOZ
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 04 HARARE 00655 02 OF 02 061625Z
MAINTAINING THIS LEVEL OF VIOLENCE IN THE URBAN AREAS
WITHOUT RISKING A GREATER BACKLASH FROM URBAN RESIDENTS,
WHO WILL BE KEY TO ANY PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION. HOWEVER,
IF THE GOZ SUCCESSFULLY CLAMPS DOWN ON THE OPPOSITION
AND DESTROYS IT AS A POLITICAL FORCE, WHICH APPEARS TO
BE ITS INTENTION, OUR CONTACTS IN THE OPPOSITION FEAR
THAT EXTREMIST MEMBERS OF THE OPPOSITION OR URBAN
POPULACE MAY RESORT TO ISOLATED, RANDOM ACTS OF VIOLENCE
TO VOICE THEIR ANGER. WE CANNOT RULE OUT THE KILLING OF
POLICE OR ARMY OFFICERS, OR EVEN ATTEMPTS ON THE LIVES
OF GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, IN THE NEAR- TO MEDIUM-TERM.
WE DO NOT, HOWEVER, ANTICIPATE THAT FOREIGNERS WILL BE
THE TARGETS OF THESE ACTS. END COMMENT.
IRVING
CONFIDENTIAL
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