Iden Wetherell, who had then become group projects editor of the Standard, said nothing would change until the government put an end to the poisonous atmosphere of violence and fear that it perpetuated.
He said this six years ago and was commenting on the government’s continued repression of labour and pro-democracy groups.
Security agents had just intimidated workers and arrested labour leaders and organisers to quash a general strike organised by the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions.
Police had also arrested 55 mourners and assaulted at least two of them at funeral services for Memory Jenaguru, a woman made homeless during the 2005 government-sponsored Operation Murambatsvina.
Police released all those arrested the same day after forcing them to pay admission of guilt fines for “participating in a demonstration without prior warning to police”.
Full cable:
Viewing cable 07HARARE870, PRO-DEMOCRCAY GROUPS STILL UNDER ATTACK
If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs
|
Reference ID |
Created |
Classification |
Origin |
VZCZCXRO4118
PP RUEHDU RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHSB #0870/01 2641036
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 211036Z SEP 07
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1924
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
RUEHUJA/AMEMBASSY ABUJA 1715
RUEHAR/AMEMBASSY ACCRA 1589
RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA 1719
RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN 0356
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 0985
RUEHDK/AMEMBASSY DAKAR 1348
RUEHKM/AMEMBASSY KAMPALA 1776
RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 4194
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 1547
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 2209
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 0840
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC//DHO-7//
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
RHMFISS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 1936
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
RUFOADA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK//DOOC/ECMO/CC/DAO/DOB/DOI//
RUEPGBA/CDR USEUCOM INTEL VAIHINGEN GE//ECJ23-CH/ECJ5M//
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 000870
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR B. PITTMAN
USAID FOR L.DOBBINS AND E. LOKEN
ADDIS ABABA FOR USAU
ADDIS ABABA FOR ACSS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/21/2017
SUBJECT: PRO-DEMOCRCAY GROUPS STILL UNDER ATTACK
REF: A. HARARE 00858
¶B. HARARE 00869
¶C. HARARE 00671
Classified By: Poloff Scott Higgins, reason: 1.4 d
——-
SUMMARY
——-
¶1. (C) Zimbabwe security forces have intensified repression
against labor and pro-democracy groups despite recent reports
that the government has agreed to positive concessions in
ongoing SADC mediation talks. Within the last week, security
forces arrested labor leaders and intimidated workers,
disrupted funeral services and arrested 55 mourners, and
arrested and assaulted two student leaders. These actions
raise legitimate questions as to whether positive change will
emerge from the SADC talks. Additionally, a pro-democracy
activist severely assaulted by police in July died as a
result of complications related to her injuries. As one
political observer noted, nothing will change until the
government puts an end to the poisonous atmosphere of
violence and fear. End Summary.
——————————-
Actions Speak Louder than Words
——————————-
¶2. (U) In surprise news last week from the SADC mediation
talks between the ruling ZANU-PF party and the opposition MDC
factions, negotiators reportedly agreed, among other things,
that the government would amend the notorious Public Order
and Security Act (POSA) to remove sections that prohibit
public gatherings without prior police notification (reftel
A). The law has long been used to prevent political and
civic groups considered critical of the government from
holding meetings or public gatherings. However, in stark
contrast to this seemingly conciliatory move, security forces
have intensified repression against labor and pro-democracy
groups.
¶3. (U) During the past week, security agents intimidated
workers and arrested and assaulted labor leaders and
organizers to quash a general strike organized by Zimbabwe
Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) for September 19 and 20
(reftel B).
¶4. (C) On September 15, police in Harare arrested 55 mourners
and assaulted at least two of them at funeral services for
Memory Jenaguru, a woman rendered homeless during the 2005
government-sponsored Operation Murambatsvina (“drive out the
filth”) campaign. A USAID officer was on a tour of the
high-density suburb of Mbare with Combined Harare Residents
Association (CHRA), a local victim’s assistance group, when
Jenaguru’s body was discovered. Jenaguru had died two days
before; however, relatives could not afford the burial and
had not reported the case to police for fear of
victimization. CHRA stepped-in to arrange a Murambatsvina
solidarity service for Jenaguru.
¶5. (U) Police released all arrestees the same day after
forcing them to pay admission of guilt fines for
“participating in a demonstration without prior warning to
police.” The government reportedly confiscated and buried
Jenaguru’s body.
HARARE 00000870 002 OF 002
¶6. (U) On September 18, university security arrested and
assaulted two University of Zimbabwe (UZ) student leaders,
Lovemore Chinoputsa and Fortune Chamba, after they delivered
speeches at a student gathering called to address high
tuition fees and concerns over the ongoing accommodation
crisis at campus. Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR)
lawyers told us that the two were beaten with sticks and
interrogated by university security and intelligence officers
before being taken to the Avondale Police Station where they
were made to pay an admission of guilt fine and released.
¶7. (U) More than 4,000 students were evicted from campus
housing in July following protests. Zimbabwe National
Students’ Union (ZINASU) reported that an estimated
two-thirds of UZ students did not resume their studies when
the semester began on September 10 due to the lack of housing
and high fees.
¶8. (C) In another death related to government abuse, National
Constitutional Assembly (NCA) officials reported that
Bronislawa Kwinjo died on September 14 as a result of
complications related to injuries sustained during an assault
by police in July. Kwinjo was one of the more than 200
activists arrested and severely beaten for participating in
an NCA demonstration in Harare on July 25 (reftel C).
Frances Lovemore, director of Counselling Services Unit
(CSU), a local NGO that provides medical assistance to
victims of state violence, confirmed to us that Kwinjo’s
injuries contributed to her death.
————————————–
Comment — The Proof is in the Pudding
————————————–
¶9. (C) The government’s continued repression of labor and
pro-democracy groups can only fuel doubts among skeptics that
the SADC mediation talks will lead to positive change. Iden
Wetherell, group projects editor of the weekly newspaper The
Standard, said it best yesterday when he told poloff that
“they can amend all the laws they want, but nothing will
change until the government puts an end to the poisonous
atmosphere of violence and fear it perpetuates”. End Comment.
RAYNOR
(22 VIEWS)
