Pro-government papers hailed the World Summit for Sustainable Development in South Africa as the unique platform for President Robert Mugabe to set the record straight on the land issue.
The Herald it was impossible to achieve sustainable development as long as land ownership was skewed in favour of a minority race.
The Sunday Mirror accused Britain of trying to politicise the summit which it said was supposed to focus on food production as there was already talk that British Prime Minister Tony Blair should boycott Mugabe’s speech at the summit.
Full cable:
Viewing cable 02HARARE1949, MEDIA REPORT WSSD; HARARE
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UNCLAS HARARE 001949
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR AF/PD, AF/S, AF/RA
NSC FOR JENDAYI FRAZER
LONDON FOR GURNEY
PARIS FOR NEARY
NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER
E.O. 12958: N/A
SUBJECT: MEDIA REPORT WSSD; HARARE
¶1. The World Summit for Sustainable Development
(WSSD) in South Africa has become the subject matter
for editorials in two mainstream newspapers – the
government-controlled daily “The Herald” and the
independent weekly “The Sunday Mirror.” Editorial
excerpts follow:
¶2. Under headline “Land vital for sustainable
development” the government-controlled daily “The
Herald” (08/26) comments:
“The WSSD which begins in South Africa today
presents yet another platform for Zimbabwe to
set the record straight on the land issue. . .
For Zimbabwe the land is at the core of its
development. But the country’s just struggle
for land has been viciously attacked by some
powerful Western nations, notably Britain and
the United States, who want the land-
redistributing program stopped. As the program
is now being wound up the American Government
wants the government removed for correcting a
historical injustice. In South Africa this week
the demonization of the government will be
intensified with the West seeking the isolation
of Zimbabwe. But Zimbabwe’s sovereignty will be
strenuously defended, as it will be represented
at the highest level. . . To us sustainable
development is impossible to achieve for as long
as land ownership is skewed in favor of a
minority race. . . Zimbabwe will, therefore,
today join the rest of the world in searching
for ways to push forward an agenda to foster
sustainable development. . .”
¶3. Under headline “Earth Summit not Blair Summit” the
pro-government weekly “The Sunday Mirror” (08/25)
comments:
“The debate in the British government on whether
Tony Blair should boycott President Robert
Mugabe’s speech at the Johannesburg WSSD is an
attempt by the Blair government to hijack a
United Nations function and pursue the long
drawn and well known British vendetta against
Zimbabwe. The Earth Summit. . .is supposed to
focus on food production, and it is unfortunate
that Britain is trying to politicize the summit.
It is therefore sad to note that, at a time when
all UN agencies that deal with food security are
agreed that the way forward is to encourage
rural communities to be self sufficient in food,
Tony Blair and his government are mourning that
Mugabe is `driving efficient farmers off highly
productive land.’ Whether Blair likes it or
not, Zimbabwe has taken the first step towards
rural development by giving the peasants land so
that they can produce enough food to feed
themselves. In any case, the WSSD has no
politics on its agenda and as the British would
like to intimate. . .”
SULLIVAN
(16 VIEWS)
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