The choice is simple: Fist or Palm

The Zimbabwe Independent said the choice for Zimbabweans in the 2002 presidential elections was simple. It was between the fist and the outstretched palm.

It was a choice between violence and peace.

“This is a choice between two diametrically opposed systems. Between a blind and malignant nationalism rooted in the past, and a future full of promise based on democracy and respect for human rights,” the paper said.

Full cable:

Viewing cable 02HARARE617, MEDIA REACTION ZIM PRESIDENTIAL POLL; HARARE

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

081123Z Mar 02

UNCLASSIFIED     PTQ8329

PAGE 01       HARARE 00617 082343Z

ACTION INR-00

INFO LOG-00   AF-00   AID-00   CIAE-00 DODE-00 SRPP-00 EB-00

EUR-00   UTED-00 VC-00   H-01     TEDE-00 IO-00   L-00

AC-01   NSAE-00 NSCE-00 OIC-02   OMB-01   PA-00   PM-00

PRS-00   ACE-00   P-00     SP-00   SS-00   STR-00   TEST-00

TRSE-00 T-00     USIE-00 PMB-00   PRM-00   DRL-02   G-00

SAS-00     /007W

——————71C7A0 082343Z /30

FM AMEMBASSY HARARE

TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1133

INFO NSC WASHDC

AMEMBASSY PRETORIA

AMEMBASSY LUSAKA

AMEMBASSY WINDHOEK

AMEMBASSY GABORONE

AMEMBASSY LILONGWE

AMEMBASSY LONDON

UNCLAS HARARE 000617

SIPDIS

AF/PD FOR COX AND ROBERTSON, AF/S FOR KRAFT AND

SCHLACHTER, AF/RA FOR SWANN, INR/R/MR, NSC FOR JENDAYI

FRAZER

E.O. 12958: N/A

TAGS: ZI PREL PHUM

SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION ZIM PRESIDENTIAL POLL; HARARE

UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 02       HARARE 00617 082343Z

¶1.   AS THE COUNTDOWN TO ZIMBABWE’S PRESIDENTIAL POLL

COMES TO A CLOSE, THIS ELECTION CONTINUES TO DOMINATE

EDITORIAL COLUMNS IN MOST MAINSTREAM NEWSPAPERS.

SAMPLES OF THE EDITORIALS FOLLOW:

¶2.   UNDER HEADLINE “THE CHOICE IS SIMPLE: BETWEEN A

FIST AND A PALM,” THE MARCH 8 EDITION OF THE

INDEPENDENT WEEKLY THE “ZIMBABWE INDEPENDENT” COMMENTS:

“THE CHOICE THIS WEEKEND COULDN’T BE MORE SIMPLE:

BETWEEN THE FIST ON THE ONE HAND AND THE OUTSTRETCHED

PALM ON THE OTHER. BETWEEN VIOLENCE AND PEACE. THIS

IS A CHOICE BETWEEN TWO DIAMETRICALLY OPPOSED SYSTEMS.

BETWEEN A BLIND AND MALIGNANT NATIONALISM ROOTED IN THE

PAST, AND A FUTURE FULL OF PROMISE BASED ON DEMOCRACY

AND RESPECT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS. MAKE NO MISTAKE, SHOULD

PRESIDENT ROBERT MUGABE WIN ANOTHER SIX-YEAR TERM

ZIMBABWEANS WILL BE DEPRIVED OF THEIR HOPE FOR

SOMETHING BETTER. . .”

¶3.   UNDER HEADLINE “REPORTS OF RIGGING MERE

FABRICATIONS,” THE MARCH 8 EDITION OF THE GOVERNMENT-

CONTROLLED DAILY “THE HERALD” COMMENTS:

“.ALREADY, THE OPPOSITION MDC AND ITS WESTERN MASTERS

HAVE LAUNCHED A MASSIVE PROPAGANDA BLITZ THAT THIS

WEEKEND’S PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION WILL BE A FRAUD. . .

THAT IS TO BE EXPECTED, FOR IT IS PART OF THEIR AGENDA

TO CRITICIZE ANYTHING THAT IS NOT IN THEIR FAVOR. . .

WE APPEAL TO ALL REGISTERED VOTERS TO TURN UP IN THEIR

UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 03       HARARE 00617 082343Z

THOUSANDS AND CAST THEIR VOTES TOMORROW AND SUNDAY.

THEY SHOULD IGNORE WHAT THE OTHER FORCES ARE SAYING.

THEY ARE ONLY BENT ON DISTURBING ZIMBABWE’S PEACE.

ZIMBABWEANS NEED TO GIVE AN EMPHATIC NO TO THOSE WHO

WANT TO REVERSE THE GAINS OF INDEPENDENCE AND TO RE-

COLONIZE THE COUNTRY. WE ARE SURE THAT WHEN ALL THIS

HULLABALOO IS OVER, ZIMBABWEANS WILL HAVE BEEN DECLARED

THE WINNER. WHAT ZIMBABWEANS DESPERATELY NEED IS PEACE

AND CALM.”

¶4.   AFTER RUNNING AN ARTICLE ACCUSING THE UNITED

STATES AND BRITAIN OF MASTERMINDING “A MAJOR MILITARY

OFFENSIVE” AGAINST THE MUGABE ADMINISTRATION IF IT

REMAINS IN POWER AFTER THE PRESIDENTIAL POLL, THE

BULAWAYO GOVERNMENT-CONTROLLED DAILY “CHRONICLE”

DEDICATED ITS MARCH 8 EDITORIAL TO CALLING ON

ZIMBABWEANS, ESPECIALLY THOSE LIVING IN MATABELELAND,

TO RESIST BEING PLUNGED INTO ANOTHER ARMED CONFLICT.

UNDER HEADLINE “SAY NO TO WAR,” THE PAPER COMMENTS:

“. . .FORMER COLONIAL MASTERS BRITAIN AND THEIR RACIST

COUSINS, THE UNITED STATES, ARE PREPARING A MILITARY

ATTACK ON ZIMBABWE. ONCE AGAIN MATABELELAND IS BEING

USED AS THE SCAPEGOAT. THE DISTURBANCES IN THE EARLY

1980S. . .ARE BEING USED AS THE ‘REASON’ FOR THE

INSURGENCY. TO PLAN MILITARY ACTION BASED ON FLIMSY

‘EVIDENCE’ AND A HISTORY THAT ALL CONCERNED ARE TRYING

TO RESOLVE AMICABLY IS HYPOCRISY AT ITS WORST. WE

DEMAND THAT BRITAIN AND THE U.S. COME CLEAN ON THIS ONE

FOR ZIMBABWEANS WILL NOT JUST LOOK WHILE THEY ATTACK

US. . . BRITAIN AND THE U.S. ARE BACK TO THEIR EVIL

UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 04       HARARE 00617 082343Z

WAYS. THEY ALWAYS GO FOR THE TRIBAL CARD. THEY HAVE

DONE SO IN BURUNDI, SOMALIA, ANGOLA AND RWANDA. THE

NEXT TARGET IS ZIMBABWE. . . THIS TIME THE PEOPLE OF

MATABELELAND SHOULD VOTE EN MASSE AGAINST ATTEMPTS TO

RETURN THEM TO WAR. THEY SHOULD SAY NO TO WAR.”

SULLIVAN

UNCLASSIFIED

>

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