Movement for Democratic Change leader Morgan Tsvangirai called for the disbandment of the Green Bombers more than a decade ago describing them as a ZANU-PF private army specifically designed to terrorise the people and not to protect and serve them.
In a letter to then United States Secretary of State Collin Powell Tsvangirai wrote: “We strongly believe that the government should disband this group as soon as possible.
“As you may know, the youth militia (known as “Green Bombers”) are destabilizing the country as well as provoking the country’s official national security services.
“This private ZANU-PF army was designed specifically to terrorize not protect and serve the Zimbabwean people, particularly those not seen to be ardent supporters of the government.”
Tsvangirai wrote to Powell at the end of 2003 and described how President Robert Mugabe had avoided meeting him to find a solution to the crisis that the country was facing.
“As 2003 draws to a close, we find ourselves far from a solution to the catastrophe destroying our country. As you may well know, the hoped- for national dialogue between the MDC and the ZANU-PF has largely reached a deadlock…..
“As you know, I have personally agreed to meet with Mr. Mugabe to discuss the future of the country, but he has postponed our planned meeting several times.”
It was not clear how Tsvangirai expected Powell to know but the letter seemed to be giving ammunition to ZANU-PF to argue that the MDC was a Western funded opposition party.
“In closing, I also want to thank you for sending such a capable and committed team to our country. Ambassador Sullivan and others in his team have certainly demonstrated the best of what America stands for and we thank all of you again for your support during these very troubled times,” he wrote.
Below are the first 220 of 726 Wikileaks cables on Tsvangirai.
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