Mudenge rapped West for supporting MDC lawlessness

Foreign Affairs Minister Stan Mudenge rapped Western governments for supporting the Movement for Democratic Change’s lawlessness and hooliganism at the expense of the government’s efforts to uphold the rule of law.

He was commenting on the five-day stay-away organised by the MDC in June 2003.

“This is dangerous. If allowed to succeed it will lead to anarchy and chaos in this country,” he told diplomats.

“This exposes the hypocrisy and double standards of these external financiers and handlers of the MDC. . .But it becomes a crime when the government of Zimbabwe tries to enforce High Court rulings aimed at restraining forces hell-bent on removing a legitimately- elected government by violent means and in trying to make the country ungovernable. Tsvangirai is not above the law.”

Full cable:

Viewing cable 03HARARE1150, MEDIA REPORT GOZ ACCUSES WEST OF BACKING MDC;

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

UNCLAS HARARE 001150

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR AF/PDPA DALTON, MITCHELL AND SIMS AND AF/S RAYNOR

E.O. 12958: N/A

TAGS: PREL KPAO KMDR ZI

SUBJECT: MEDIA REPORT GOZ ACCUSES WEST OF BACKING MDC;

HARARE

Stung by a paralyzing five-day country-wide shut-down

arranged by Zimbabwe’s main opposition party – Movement for

Democratic Change (MDC) – to register their displeasure at

Mugabe’s mismanagement of the country, Foreign Affairs

Minister Stan Mudenge has spoken angrily to the Western

governments accusing them of supporting “MDC’s lawlessness

and hooliganism” at the expense of government efforts to

uphold the rule of law. Addressing diplomats in Harare on

June 4, Mudenge is quoted as saying: “This is dangerous.

If allowed to succeed it will lead to anarchy and chaos in

this country. . .This exposes the hypocrisy and double

standards of these external financiers and handlers of the

MDC. . .But it becomes a crime when the government of

Zimbabwe tries to enforce High Court rulings aimed at

restraining forces hell-bent on removing a legitimately-

elected government by violent means and in trying to make

the country ungovernable. . .Tsvangirai is not above the

law. . .No government deriving its mandate from the people

would allow lawlessness to prevail. . .Let no one suffer

from any illusion that the people of Zimbabwe as well as

the forces of law and order will ever tolerate the removal

of a legally elected government by force. That will not

happen. . .” Mudenge’s briefing to diplomats on the

current situation in the country received extensive media

play, especially in the government-controlled print and

electronic media.

SULLIVAN

(17 VIEWS)