The United States embassy in Harare was groping everywhere for information on individuals that it wanted to be targeted for sanctions because it could not obtain that information officially from the registrar’s office.
According to a diplomatic cable dispatched on 21 September 2007, the embassy could not approach the registrar’s office because it would have been required to give detailed justification which it could not provide because of the purpose it wanted the information for.
It was therefore obtaining family information from American citizens and a contact in the education community. It had tried to obtain dates of birth from the head of private schools and professors at the University of Zimbabwe but they could not provide the information.
The embassy wanted information on the children of Police Commissioner Augustine Chihuri, Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa, Local Government Minister Ignatius Chombo, and President Robert Mugabe and wife of Youth Minister Saviour Kasukuwere.
It also wanted information on a number of police officers and members of the central intelligence organisation.
The police officers were Musavengana Mabunda, Isaac Tayengwa and Ngwerume Zharara while the CIO officers were Ishmael Mada and Livingston Menard Muzariri
Full cable:
Viewing cable 07HARARE868, SANCTIONS: SDN IDENTIFICATION INFORMATION
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|
Reference ID |
Created |
Released |
Classification |
Origin |
VZCZCXRO4104
RR RUEHDU RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHSB #0868/01 2641025
ZNY SSSSS ZZH
R 211025Z SEP 07
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1918
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
RUEHUJA/AMEMBASSY ABUJA 1709
RUEHAR/AMEMBASSY ACCRA 1583
RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA 1713
RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN 0350
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 0979
RUEHDK/AMEMBASSY DAKAR 1342
RUEHKM/AMEMBASSY KAMPALA 1770
RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 4188
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 1541
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 2203
RHMFISS/EUCOM POLAD VAIHINGEN GE
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 0834
RHMFISS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
RUFOADA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 1930
S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 04 HARARE 000868
SIPDIS
SECRET NOFORN
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
AF/S FOR S.HILL
ADDIS ABABA FOR USAU
ADDIS ABABA FOR ACSS
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR E.LOKEN AND L.DOBBINS
STATE PASS TO NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR B.PITTMAN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/09/2012
SUBJECT: SANCTIONS: SDN IDENTIFICATION INFORMATION
Classified By: Pol/Econ Chief Glenn Warren under 1.4 b/d
¶1. (C) Post’s effort to obtain requested biographical
information on SDNs and their families, as well as
justifications for specified individuals for their inclusion
on the OFAC sanctions list, is a work in progress. Because
of hostile relations between the U.S. and Zimbabwe we do not
have access to official records, including those of the
central government’s Registrar’s Office. This office
presumbably has the desired information, but will not provide
it absent a detailed justification which we are unable to
provide given our purpose in making these inquiries. Below
is the information we have developed to date. We are
continuing efforts to collect information on the remaining
names.
¶2. (C) We obtained information on family relationships from
FSNs and a contact in the education community. We are
continuing to make inquiries about these and other
relationships. For dates of birth still being sought, we
contacted the head of private schools in Zimbabwe and
professors at the University of Zimbabwe. They were unable
to obtain the information from their institutions. We have
requested biographical information from the United Kingdom
and Australian Embassies in Harare and have indicated to them
that we are coordinating with Washington and would like it as
soon as possible. We are also checking newspaper files and
internet sources.
¶3. (S/F) Targeted individuals
Chihuri, Ocious Pelonsic: Daughter of Augustine Chihuri
Confirmation of family relationship: Internet
DOB:
Chihuri, Ruawage: Son of Augustine Chihuri
Confirmation of family relationship: Australian Ambassador
DOB:
Chinamasa, Chengatai: Son of Patrick Chinamasa
Confirmation of family relationship: FSN
DOB: February 1, 1984 (obtained from his website)
Chinamasa, Kangai: Daughter of Patrick Chinamasa
Confirmation of family relationship: FSN
DOB:
Chinamasa, Tinotenda: Son of Patrick Chinamasa
Confirmation of family relationship: FSN
DOB:
Chombo, Rudo: Daughter of Ignatius Chombo
Confirmation of family relationship: Embassy education
contact, Internet
DOB:
Chombo, Thelma: Daughter of Ignatious Chombo
Confirmation of family relationship: Embassy education
contact, Internet
DOB:
Kaskuwere, Barbara: Wife of Saviour Kaskuwere
Confirmation of family relationship: FSN
DOB:
Mabunda, Musavengana: Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP)
HARARE 00000868 002 OF 004
Assistant Commissioner
Justification: The Law and Order Unit of the ZRP is infamous
for targeting the opposition and organizing arrests,
abductions, torture, and other mistreatment of MDC and civil
society members. As the Assistant Commissioner of the Law
and Order Unit, Mabunda has had primary responsibility for
the work of the Unit. On March 11 a number of MDC leaders
were arrested and severely beaten in police custody. The
released prisoners were immediately taken to the hospital for
treatment of serious injuries they sustained at the hands of
the police. The international media photographically
recorded the extent of these injuries. These leaders were
released several days later and no cases have been prosecuted
against them. Given his position, Mabunda was certainly
aware of post-March 11 beatings and very likely directed
them. In April, May, and June, over 30 opposition activists
were arrested, detained, and mistreated. The Law and Order
Unit is believed to have been involved in the targeting of
these individuals. All were eventually released, some having
spent several months in custody. Another incident of
brutality occured on July 25, when police beat hundreds of
democratic activists peacefully demonstrating in favor of a
new constitution. Many civil society leaders were severely
beaten, suffering broken bones and other injuries. Again,
the Law and Order Unit is believed to have been involved.
DOB:
Mada, Ishmael: Central Intelligence Organization (CIO),
internal branch
Justification: Mada heads a CIO internal branch team charged
with targeting the MDC for arrest, abduction, and torture.
On March 11 a number of MDC leaders were arrested and
severely beaten in police custody. The CIO worked with the
Law and Order Unit of the ZRP in targeting the democratic
opposition for arrest and are believed to have participated
in the beatings. The released prisoners went immediately to
the hospital for treatment of serious injuries they sustained
at the hands of the police. These leaders were released
several days later and no cases have been prosecuted against
them. The international media photographically recorded the
extent of these injuries. Given his position, Mada was
certainly aware of the post-March 11 beatings and very likely
directed them. Another similar incident of brutality occured
on July 25, when police beat hundreds of democratic activists
peacefully demonstrating in favor of a new constitution.
Many civil society leaders were severely beaten, suffering
broken bones and other injuries. The CIO is believed to have
been involved in this incident as well.
DOB: September 23, 1958 (from GRPO files)
Mugabe, Bellarmine Chattunga: Son of Robert Mugabe
Confirmation of family relationship: Embassy education contact
DOB:
Mugabe, Bona Nyepudzai Ouma: Daughter of Robert Mugabe
Confirmation of family relationship: Embassy education contact
DOB:
Mugabe, Robert Tinotenda: Son of Robert Mugabe Confirmation
of family relationship: Embassy education contact
DOB:
Muvuti, Samuel Tendi: Head of Grain Marketing Board
Justification: As the head of the Grain Marketing Board,
Muvuti has been responsible for directing the allocation of
HARARE 00000868 003 OF 004
food to affect voting behavior. Much of rural Zimbabwe has
suffered food shortages over the past seven years. During
elections in 2002 and 2005, the GMB provided food to villages
with the threat of withholding it if the village did not vote
for Mugabe and other ZANU-PF candidates. Likewise, the GMB
refused to send food to areas known to support the
opposition. The use of food has been an effective tool of
the Mugabe regime in obtaining votes illegally.
DOB:
Muzariri, Livingston Menard: CIO Deputy Director
Justification: As CIO Deputy Director, he has full knowledge
of all CIO activities, including abductions, arrests, and
torture of the opposition. The CIO is believed to be
involved with, and many cases to have directed, the ZRP in
these activities. On March 11 a number of MDC leaders were
arrested and severely beaten in police custody. The CIO
worked with the ZRP in targeting the democratic opposition
for arrest and are believed to have participated in the
beatings. The released prisoners went immediately to the
hospital for treatment of serious injuries they sustained at
the hands of the police. These leaders were released several
days later and no cases have been prosecuted against them.
The international media photographically recorded the extent
of these injuries. Given his position, Muzariri was
certainly aware of the beatings and very likely directed
them. Another similar incident of brutality occured on July
25, when police beat hundreds of democratic activists
peacefully demonstrating in favor of a new constitution.
Many civil society leaders were severely beaten, suffering
broken bones and other injuries. The CIO is believed to have
been involved in this incident as well.
DOB: August 8, 1955 (from GRPO files)
Tayengwa, Isaac: ZRP Chief Superintendent for Harare Central
District
Justification: Tayengwa is a police official identified as
organizing and playing a central role in intimidation of the
MDC. He was responsible for a ban on protests issued on
February 23 that prevented the MDC and civil society from
organizing. This decree was part of a concerted GOZ effort
to suppress political activity directed against the
government. The GOZ selectively used the Public Order and
Security Act against democratic elements of Zimbabwe to
eliminate its opposition. While the GOZ claimed that the
opposition committed anti-government violence in justifying
such decrees, these allegations were fabricated by the
government and were proven to be completely false when the
court later dismissed the cases brought against the
opposition activists who had been accused of committing the
alleged acts of violence. The government has frequently
fabricated incidents of violence attributed to the
opposition, and publicized these allegations in
government-controlled media.
Zharara, Ngwerume: ZRP Chief Superintendent for Harare
Suburban District
Justification: He was responsible for a ban on protests
issued on February 21 that prevented the MDC and civil
society from organizing a political rally. This decree was
part of a concerted GOZ effort to suppress political activity
directed against the government. The GOZ selectively used
the Public Order and Security Act against democratic elements
of Zimbabwe to eliminate its opposition. While the GOZ
claimed that the opposition committed anti-government
violence in justifying such decrees, these allegations were
HARARE 00000868 004 OF 004
fabricated by the government and were proven to be completely
false when the court later dismissed the cases brought
against the opposition activists who had been accused of
committing the alleged acts of violence. The government has
frequently fabricated incidents of violence attributed to the
opposition, and publicized these allegations in
government-controlled media.
DOB:
RAYNOR
(185 VIEWS)
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