Mugabe plotted to steal election

The United States said it had evidence that President Robert Mugabe and top government of Zimbabwe officials not only plotted to steal the 2008 presidential elections, but led a well-orchestrated and deeply disturbing military-style campaign of violence and intimidation against the opposition and its supporters.

It said this in its brief to try to get the United Nations to intervene militarily in Zimbabwe.

According to a cable released by Wikileaks, the US said the Mugabe regime even referred its violent campaign as CIBD or Coercion, Intimidation, Beating, and Displacement.

The military operation involved up to 200 senior army officers, who established nearly 2000 base camps around the country to conduct brutal violence against the opposition.

The small farming village of Chaona, which had voted for Morgan Tsvangirai in the March election, was the first to feel the brunt of this military assault.

Starting May 5, the village suffered a rampage that left seven people dead and many more seriously beaten and injured, including women and children.

Full cable:

Viewing cable 08STATE72696, ZIMBABWE: TALKING POINTS FOR JULY 8 BRIEFING

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VZCZCXYZ0008

OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHC #2696 1892216

ZNR UUUUU ZZH

O P 072221Z JUL 08

FM SECSTATE WASHDC

TO USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE 0000

INFO UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY

UNCLAS STATE 072696

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A

TAGS: UNSC PREL PHUM ZI XA ZU

SUBJECT: ZIMBABWE: TALKING POINTS FOR JULY 8 BRIEFING

¶1. Action Request: USUN is instructed to draw on the points

in para 2 below during the July 8 UNSC meeting in

which D/SYG Migiro and A/SYG Menkerios will provide briefings

on the situation in Zimbabwe. If the UNSC votes

on the draft resolution during this same meeting, USUN may

use these points in its Explanation of Vote. USUN may

also draw on these points in speaking to the press after the

meeting. End Action Request.

¶2. Begin points:

— I would like to thank Deputy Secretary General Migiro and

Assistant Secretary General Menkerios for their briefings.

The United States remains deeply concerned with the situation

in Zimbabwe.

— Even now, after the June 27 sham election, the Mugabe

regime’s violence, harassment, and intimidation against

opposition supporters in Zimbabwe continues. Just this past

weekend a group of armed militia raided two internally

displaced person camps near Ruwa leaving 8 hospitalized and

over a dozen others missing. On July 2, over 200 members of

the opposition sought refuge at the U.S. Embassy in Harare,

and internally displaced persons fleeing the violence have

sought shelter in other Embassies, churches, NGO facilities,

and the opposition headquarters.

— Today, I would like to make four points.

— (If resolution is voted and passes) First, we are very

pleased that the Council decided to send a clear message to

the Mugabe regime that its actions in defiance of the will of

the Zimbabwean people and the Universal Declaration of Human

Rights will not be accepted by the international community.

— (If resolution is voted and fails or is vetoed) First, we

are extremely disappointed that the Security Council failed

to adopt the draft resolution and send a clear message to the

Mugabe regime that its actions in defiance of the will of the

Zimbabwean people and the Universal Declaration of Human

Rights will not be accepted by the

international community. We are deeply concerned that the

Council’s failure to act will contribute to the suffering

of the Zimbabwean people and to further instability in

Zimbabwe and the region.

— (If there is no vote on Tuesday) First, Mr. Mugabe cannot

claim victory in the June 27th run-off election. Election

observers from the African Union, Southern African

Development Community, and Pan-African Parliament have all

reported that the June 27 elections were neither free nor

fair. The Mugabe regime used violence and intimidation to

force opposition candidate Morgan Tsvangirai — the winner of

the March 29 election — out of the run-off election. An

election conducted in those circumstances cannot be

considered legitimate.

— Since the sham election, new evidence has emerged that

confirms international suspicions that Mugabe and top

Government of Zimbabwe officials not only plotted to steal

the election, but led a well-orchestrated and deeply

disturbing military-style campaign of violence and

intimidation against the opposition and its supporters.

According to media reports, the Mugabe regime even referred

to this campaign as CIBD or Coercion, Intimidation, Beating,

and Displacement. This military operation involved up to 200

senior army officers, who established nearly 2,000 base camps

around the country to conduct brutal violence against the

opposition. The small farming village of Chaona, which had

voted for Morgan Tsvingarai in the March election, was the

first to feel the brunt of this military assault. Starting

May 5, the village suffered a rampage that left seven people

dead and many more seriously beaten and injured, including

women and children.

— This military style offensive continued through the

country targeting the members and supporters of the

opposition. Then on election day, as an additional measure

to ensure victory, the Mugabe regime forced voters to the

polls and threatened to track through ballot serial numbers

those who refused to vote or who cast their votes for

Tsvangirai despite his withdrawal from the run-off. No

election conducted in these circumstances can produce

legitimate results.

— Second, the United States introduced a draft resolution on

Zimbabwe because we believe that it is important for the

Security Council to send a clear message to the Mugabe regime

on the need to immediately end the violence and to begin a

serious dialogue with the opposition to achieve a solution

that reflects the will of the Zimbabwean people as expressed

in the March 29 elections. Such a dialogue is needed to end

the crisis that threatens Zimbabwe and the region.

— Third, the crisis in Zimbabwe continues to be a threat to

regional peace and security. As Deputy Secretary General

Migiro said at the AU Summit last week, “Zimbabwe is the

single greatest challenge to regional stability in

Southern Africa.” The people of Zimbabwe have few options to

address their dire situation. Their government has failed

them economically and politically. Since they were refused

the chance to democratically express their frustrations, I

fear many will decide to flee the country, further straining

the resources of Zimbabwe’s neighbors. Still, we urge

neighboring governments to provide asylum to Zimbabweans and

to work with UNHCR to ensure protection and assistance to

refugees. We also urge neighboring governments to cease

deportations of Zimbabweans during this period of conflict in

Zimbabwe.

— Finally, we want to express our deep regret that Robert

Mugabe, who was once welcomed as a liberator, has

led his country into this unnecessary crisis through his own

repressive political actions and misguided economic

policies. The Mugabe regime must allow the people of

Zimbabwe, through their legitimately elected

officials, to chart a democratic and prosperous course for

Zimbabwe.

End points.

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