The editor of the Zimbabwe Independent Iden Wetherell said although there was gap in New York’s landscape following the 11 September bombing of the twin towers, the resilience that the people had shown would see an urban renewal.
“That will include an edifice that matches the one they have lost. It will be a memorial to the 5 000 dead and a statement that America’s beacon city will not be eclipsed by evil”, he said in his editor’s memo.
Full cable:
Viewing cable 01HARARE2813, MEDIA REPORT LETTERS TO THE EDITOR ON U. S.
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UNCLASSIFIED PTQ2461
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FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9798
INFO NSC WASHDC
AMEMBASSY PRETORIA
AMEMBASSY LUSAKA
AMEMBASSY WINDHOEK
AMEMBASSY GABORONE
AMEMBASSY LILONGWE
AMEMBASSY LONDON
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 HARARE 002813
SIPDIS
AF/PD FOR COX, ROBERTSON, AF/S FOR KRAFT, AF/P, INR/R/MR,
NSC FOR JENDAYI FRAZER
E.O. 12958: N/A
SUBJECT: MEDIA REPORT LETTERS TO THE EDITOR ON U. S.
BOMBINGS; HARARE
¶1. THERE HAS BEEN AN UNPRECEDENTED OUTPOURING OF LETTERS
TO THE EDITOR, PUBLISHED IN THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA,
CENTERING ON THE RECENT TERRORIST ATTACKS AT THE WORLD
TRADE CENTER AND THE PENTAGON. SAMPLES OF THE LETTERS
FOLLOW:
¶2. UNDER HEADLINE “INJUSTICE SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED” THE
SEPTEMBER 22 EDITION OF THE GOVERNMENT-CONTROLLED DAILY
“THE HERALD” PUBLISHED THE FOLLOWING LETTER SIGNED BY
“ALUTA CONTINUA FOR JUSTICE, UZ”:
“I SYMPATHIZE WITH THE VICTIMS OF THE RECENT BOMBING IN
AMERICA, ESPECIALLY THE FAMILIES WHO LOST THEIR BELOVED
ONES. IT IS ONLY JUSTIFIED THAT THE AMERICAN
GOVERNMENT BRINGS TO JUSTICE THOSE WHO CARRIED OUT SUCH
A BRUTAL ACT. WHENEVER AN INJUSTICE IS DONE AGAINST A
NATION, JUSTICE SHOULD FOLLOW. . . .”
¶3. UNDER HEADLINE “TOWERS, CASTLES AND COMMITTEES,” IDEN
WETHERELL, EDITOR OF THE “ZIMBABWE INDEPENDENT” WROTE
THE FOLLOWING ON HIS WEEKLY COLUMN “EDITOR’S MEMO”:
“. . .FOLLOWING THE EVENTS OF LAST WEEK THE NEW YORK
SKYLINE WILL NEVER BE THE SAME AGAIN. NEW YORKERS ARE
OF COURSE ACUTELY AWARE OF THAT, NOT LEAST BECAUSE OF
THE MANY PERSONAL TRAGEDIES THE GAP IN THEIR CITY’S
LANDSCAPE HAS LEFT. BUT I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT THE
RESILIENCE THEY HAVE SHOWN IN ADVERSITY THROUGHOUT THE
CRISIS OF THE PAST WEEK WILL SEE AN URBAN RENEWAL.
THAT WILL INCLUDE AN EDIFICE THAT MATCHES THE ONE THEY
HAVE LOST. IT WILL BE A MEMORIAL TO THE 5,000 DEAD AND
A STATEMENT THAT AMERICA’S BEACON CITY WILL NOT BE
UNCLASSIFIED
PAGE 03 HARARE 02813 01 OF 03 250544Z
ECLIPSED BY EVIL. . .”
¶4. UNDER HEADLINE “ACT TOGETHER ON TERRORISM,” THE
NEWSPAPER PUBLISHED THE FOLLOWING LETTER SIGNED RES
COOK:
“THE HORRENDOUS TERRORIST ACTS PERPETRATED AGAINST THE
¶U. S. HAVE RIGHTLY BEEN CONDEMNED BY ALMOST THE ENTIRE
WORLD. UNDOUBTEDLY SUCH A HIGH PROFILE AND DEADLY ACT
AGAINST THE WORLD’S MOST POWERFUL COUNTRY WILL RESULT
IN MASSIVE RETRIBUTION. HOWEVER, I CAN’T HELP BUT
THINK OF ALL THE OTHER ACTS OF TERRORISM THAT HAVE BEEN
AND STILL ARE BEING COMMITTED ON A DAILY BASIS BY
VARIOUS INDIVIDUALS, ORGANIZATIONS AND GOVERNMENTS
WHICH BELIEVE IN VIOLENCE AS A LEGITIMATE MEANS OF
DEALING WITH THOSE WHO OPPOSE OR DISAGREE WITH THEM.
ALL TERRORISM SHOULD BE FOUGHT VIGOROUSLY WHEREVER IT
OCCURS – AND BY WHOEVER IT IS BEING PERPETRATED ON.
THE FORCES FOR GOOD IN THE WORLD MUST STAND UP AND BE
COUNTED WHEREVER EVIL AND TERROR ARE BEING FOUGHT. . .
THE INDISCRIMINATE USE OF VIOLENCE AS A POLITICAL
WEAPON SHOULD BE CONDEMNED AND COUNTERED VIGOROUSLY AND
EFFECTIVELY, NOT JUST WHEN IT OCCURS IN NEW YORK BUT
ALSO WHEN IT OCCURS IN REMOTE RURAL COMMUNITIES FAR
FROM THE WORLD CENTERS OF FINANCIAL, POLITICAL AND
MILITARY POWER. NOT JUST WHEN IT OCCURS ACROSS
INTERNATIONAL BORDERS, BUT ALSO WHEN IT OCCURS WITHIN A
COUNTRY. ONLY IF THIS TERRIBLE TRAGEDY IN THE U. S.
RESULTS IN A MORE COMMITTED INTERNATIONAL APPROACH TO
COMBATING TERRORISM – BOTH NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL –
WILL SOME GOOD COME OUT OF THIS BARBARIC ACT. . . .”
UNCLASSIFIED
PAGE 04 HARARE 02813 01 OF 03 250544Z
¶5. UNDER HEADLINE “CONDEMN ALL ACTS OF TERRORISM,” THE
SAME NEWSPAPER PUBLISHED THE FOLLOWING LETTER SIGNED
LEARNMORE NDHLOVU:
“I WOULD LIKE TO EXPRESS MY HEARTFELT SYMPATHY TO ALL
THOSE PEOPLE AFFECTED BY THE RECENT TERRORIST ATTACKS
IN THE U. S. . .THE MAJORITY OF ZIMBABWEANS WOULD
EXPECT THEIR PRESIDENT TO DO AS HE DID, THAT IS EXPRESS
ON THEIR BEHALF THEIR SYMPATHY AND OUTRAGE OVER THE
TRAGEDY IN THE U. S. AND EXPRESS SOLIDARITY WITH THE
WORLD’S NEW FOUND DESIRE TO BE RID OF TERRORISM. BUT
IT HAS TO BE HYPOCRITICAL FOR PRESIDENT MUGABE TO
EXPRESS HIS OUTRAGE AT THE TERRORISM, WHICH STRUCK
AMERICA SO DRAMATICALLY WHILE HE ACCEPTS TERRORISM AS A
POLITICAL TOOL AT HOME. FOR IT IS TERRORISM THAT IS
BEING USED AS POLITICAL WEAPON AGAINST THE PEOPLE OF
ZIMBABWE IN AN EFFORT TO CONVINCE US THAT WE HAVE NO
CHOICE BUT TO SUPPORT AND VOTE FOR MUGABE. . .IT CAN
NOT BE ANY MORE ACCEPTABLE FOR ONE PERSON TO BE
SLAUGHTERED IN ZIMBABWE FOR THEIR POLITICAL BELIEF,
UNCLASSIFIED
UNCLASSIFIED PTQ2462
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P 250524Z SEP 01
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9799
INFO NSC WASHDC
AMEMBASSY PRETORIA
AMEMBASSY LUSAKA
AMEMBASSY WINDHOEK
AMEMBASSY GABORONE
AMEMBASSY LILONGWE
AMEMBASSY LONDON
UNCLAS SECTION 02 OF 03 HARARE 002813
SIPDIS
AF/PD FOR COX, ROBERTSON, AF/S FOR KRAFT, AF/P, INR/R/MR,
NSC FOR JENDAYI FRAZER
E.O. 12958: N/A
SUBJECT: MEDIA REPORT LETTERS TO THE EDITOR ON U. S.
BOMBINGS; HARARE
THAN IT IS FOR THOUSANDS TO BE SLAUGHTERED IN THE U. S.
UNCLASSIFIED
PAGE 02 HARARE 02813 02 OF 03 250544Z
FOR WHATEVER REASON. IT CAN NOT BE ANY MORE ACCEPTABLE
TO KILL INNOCENT CIVILIANS AND CREATE UNNECESSARY
ECONOMIC HAVOC AND DESTRUCTION IN ZIMBABWE THAN IT IS
TO KILL INNOCENT CIVILIANS, AND CREATE UNNECESSARY
ECONOMIC HAVOC AND DESTRUCTION IN THE U. S. THE
QUESTION OF SCALE, NUMBERS AND LOCATION DOES NOT ALTER
THE UNACCEPTABILITY OF TERRORISM BY ANYONE AGAINST ANY
PERSON OR PEOPLE ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD. . .I CAN ONLY
HOPE THAT THE GOOD TO COME OUT OF THE TRAGEDY WILL BE
THAT THE WORLD’S NEWLY FOUND CONSCIENCE AND CONSENSUS
OF REJECTING AND DENOUNCING TERRORISM WILL BE
IMPLEMENTED ON A GLOBAL SCALE WHEREVER TERRORISM EXISTS
IN ANY FORM TO THE BENEFIT OF ALL PEOPLE.”
¶6. UNDER HEADLINE “TIME FOR INTROSPECTION,” THE SAME
NEWSPAPER CARRIED THE FOLLOWING LETTER SIGNED MARCH
ESTRIN, U. S. A.:
“AS HORRIFYING AS THE RECENT DEATH AND DESTRUCTION IN
THE U. S. IS, THERE WILL BE NO SOLUTION UNTIL EVERY
AMERICAN REALIZES AND ADMITS THAT FOR MANY PEOPLE IN
THE WORLD – PERHAPS THE MAJORITY – THE PENTAGON AND THE
WORLD TRADE CENTER SYMBOLIZE THE GREATEST HARBINGERS OF
DEATH AND DESTRUCTION IN THEIR LIVES. THE BUSH
ADMINISTRATION WANTS ‘TO GET TO THE BOTTOM’ OF THE
TERRORISM. BUT TO GET TO THE BOTTOM OF IT, IT MUST
ASK: WHAT IS IT ABOUT THE U. S. AND AMERICA BEHAVIOR
THAT CREATES SUCH DESPERATE HATRED AROUND THE WORLD?
COULD IT BE THAT OUR OWN BOMBING OF CITIES AND CROPS
AND INNOCENT CIVILIANS MIGHT BE INVOLVED? MIGHT OUR
SUPPORT OF DICTATORS, OUR ECONOMIC STRANGULATIONS AND
UNCLASSIFIED
PAGE 03 HARARE 02813 02 OF 03 250544Z
OUR DEATH-DEALING EMBARGOES HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH
IT? MIGHT OUR SCORN FOR INTERNATIONAL TREATIES AGAINST
GLOBAL WARMING, OR BIOLOGICAL WARFARE, OR WEAPONS IN
SPACE, OR LANDMINES ON EARTH, OR RACISM, OR THE FIGHT
FOR THE RIGHTS OF CHILDREN PROMPT JUSTIFIABLE
HOSTILITY. MEDIA AND GOVERNMENT ARE WHIPPING UP CALLS
FOR REVENGE. A LARGE PART OF OUR VIOLENCE WILL NO
DOUBT FALL UPON THE INNOCENT INITIALLY AND IN ITS LONG-
TERM CONSEQUENCES. THUS THE VICIOUS CYCLE WILL
CONTINUE UNTIL WE FIND OURSELVES SO ‘PROTECTED AGAINST
EVER-GROWING HATRED THAT WE PROUDLY LOSE THE EVERY
IDEALS AMERICA IS SUPPOSED TO STAND FOR. THERE IS NO
ALTERNATIVE: THE ONLY SOLUTION IS TO RETHINK AND REFORM
OUR RELATIONSHIP TO THE PEOPLES OF THE WORLD WE HAVE SO
BADLY HURT. OTHERWISE WE WILL PLUNGE THE PLANET INTO
SIEGE OF ALL AGAINST ALL.”
¶7. UNDER HEADLINE “AMERICA MUST SEEK DIALOGUE” THE
SEPTEMBER 21 EDITION OF THE GOVERNMENT-CONTROLLED DAILY
“THE CHRONICLE” PUBLISHED THE FOLLOWING LETTER SIGNED
DANFORD MUPFUDZE, BULAWAYO:
“. . .THOUGH I DO NOT CONDONE ACTS OF VIOLENCE,
TERRORISM, AND MERCILESS KILLINGS OF INNOCENT CIVILIANS
BOTH IN NEW YORK AND WASHINGTON LAST WEEK, I STILL
REITERATE MY STANCE ON AMERICA’S ACTS OF AGGRESSION AND
USE OF EXCESSIVE FORCE ON WEAKER NATIONS. THIS IS NOT
THE ONLY WAY OF SETTLING DISPUTES. ALREADY THE
AMERICANS HAVE DECLARED WAR ON AFGHANISTAN BY ITS
REFUSAL TO CO-OPERATE AND EXTRADITE OSAMA BIN LADEN,
THE MAN AMERICANS BELIEVE MASTERMINDED THE RECENT
UNCLASSIFIED
PAGE 04 HARARE 02813 02 OF 03 250544Z
ATTACKS. NOW WITH THE HELP OF ITS ALLIES WHO IT HAS
FORCED TO CO-OPERATE, ANOTHER WEAK AND POOR NATION IS
ON THE THRESHOLD OF BEING PULVERIZED WITH POWERFUL
AMERICAN BOMBS AND HEAVY ARTILLERY, LEFT, RIGHT AND
CENTER. MY QUESTION NOW IS WHO IS GOING TO BEAR THE
BRUNT OF THIS UNCALLED FOR WAR? IS IT GOING TO BE
OSAMA BIN LADEN OR THE INNOCENT CITIZENS? THE
AMERICANS DO NOT GIVE A DAMN AS LONG AS THEY ARE
SATISFIED THEY HAVE REVENGED. THIS IS WHERE I ALWAYS
HATE THE AMERICANS AND HAVE BRANDED THEM THE MOST
VICIOUS BULLIES ON THIS PLANET. THE ONLY PRUDENT THING
FOR THEM TO DO IS TO SEEK DIALOGUE WITH THE AFGHAN
GOVERNMENT AND OTHER ARAB STATES TO TRY TO FIND AN
AMICABLE WAY OF STOPPING THESE TERRORISTS ACTIVITIES
RATHER THAN RESORTING TO WAR. . . .”
¶8. UNDER HEADLINE “PLEA FOR REASONED RESPONSE TO U. S.
BOMBING,” THE SEPTEMBER 21 EDITION OF THE INDEPENDENT
WEEKLY “THE ZIMBABWE MIRROR” PUBLISHED THE FOLLOWING
LETTER SIGNED DOUGLAS MACHIRIDZA, PUBLICITY SECRETARY,
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SOCIAL WORKERS OF ZIMBABWE
UNCLASSIFIED
UNCLASSIFIED PTQ2463
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P 250524Z SEP 01
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9800
INFO NSC WASHDC
AMEMBASSY PRETORIA
AMEMBASSY LUSAKA
AMEMBASSY WINDHOEK
AMEMBASSY GABORONE
AMEMBASSY LILONGWE
AMEMBASSY LONDON
UNCLAS SECTION 03 OF 03 HARARE 002813
SIPDIS
AF/PD FOR COX, ROBERTSON, AF/S FOR KRAFT, AF/P, INR/R/MR,
NSC FOR JENDAYI FRAZER
E.O. 12958: N/A
SUBJECT: MEDIA REPORT LETTERS TO THE EDITOR ON U. S.
BOMBINGS; HARARE
(NASWZ):
UNCLASSIFIED
PAGE 02 HARARE 02813 03 OF 03 250545Z
“THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SOCIAL WORKERS OF ZIMBABWE
(NASWZ) EXPRESSES ITS PROFOUND SHOCK AND HORROR AT THE
EVENTS IN NEW YORK, WASHINGTON AND PENNSYLVANIA. . .
TOGETHER WITH THE INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF SOCIAL
WORKER’S (IFSW), AS A COMMUNITY OF SOCIAL WORKERS, WE
EXPRESS OUR SINCERE GRIEF FOR THE VICTIMS AND OUR
DEEPEST SYMPATHY TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE AND OTHER
NATIONALS WHO HAVE LOST THEIR DEAR ONES. OUR THOUGHTS
GO TO OUR COLLEAGUES IN THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF
SOCIAL WORKERS AND IN PARTICULAR ITS NEW YORK CITY
CHAPTER, THEIR FAMILIES AND LOVED ONES. WHAT WE HAVE
WITNESSED IS A TRAGIC CULMINATION OF A WORLDWIDE
ESCALATION IN TENSION OVER A NUMBER OF MONTHS AND
INDEED YEARS. THE POSITIVE WORK TOWARDS AN EFFECTIVE
PEACE PROCESS IN A NUMBER OF REGIONS HAS BEEN PLACED AT
EVEN GREATER RISK. ACTS OF TERRORISM CAN NEVER BE
CONDONED, AND THOSE RESPONSIBLE CARRY WITH THEM A MORAL
RESPONSIBILITY THAT NEVER CAN BE ERADICATED. HOWEVER,
SOCIAL WORKERS WORLDWIDE WILL JOIN IN A PLEA FOR A
REASONED AND NON-VIOLENT RESPONSE TO SUCH AN ATROCITY,
AND THAT THE ACTIONS AHEAD SEEK JUSTICE BUT NOT
REVENGE. IT IS CRITICAL THAT IN RESPONDING TO THESE
BARBARIC ACTS, THE AMERICAN GOVERNMENT DOES NOT LEAD TO
A SIMILAR LOSS OF INNOCENT LIVES ELSEWHERE IN THE
WORLD. ABOVE ALL WE APPEAL TO INDIVIDUALS, GROUPS AND
GOVERNMENTS, NOT TO EXERCISE ANY JUDGEMENT ON ANY
PARTICULAR NATION, ETHNIC GROUP OR CULTURE. TERRORISM
AND WARS ARE THE PRODUCTS OF INDIVIDUALS AND GROUPINGS
WITH A DISTORTED VIEW OF POWER AND ITS USE. THEIR
BEHAVIOR CANNOT AND MUST NOT BE ATTRIBUTED TO ENTIRE
UNCLASSIFIED
PAGE 03 HARARE 02813 03 OF 03 250545Z
COMMUNITIES WHO SHARE A COMMON BACKGROUND. WE CONDEMN
VIOLENCE IN ALL ITS FORMS AND IN ALL PLACES. . . AS
OUR COLLEAGUES, ALONG WITH OTHER PROFESSIONS IN THE U.
¶S. PLAY A VITAL ROLE IN THE RECOVERY PROCESS, WE STAND
READY TO ASSIST IN WHATEVER WAY POSSIBLE.”
¶9. UNDER HEADLINE “U. S. SOLIDARITY MESSAGE,” THE SAME
NEWSPAPER PUBLISHED THE FOLLOWING LETTER SIGNED M.
BIDI, NATIONAL DIRECTOR, ZIMRIGHTS:
“ZIMRIGHTS HAS LEARNT WITH DEEP SHOCK AND DISBELIEF OF
THE ‘ORCHESTRATED’ HORRENDOUS TERRORIST ATTACKS ON THE
NATION OF THE U. S. ON TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11. WE
BELIEVE THAT IN ANY CONFLICT SITUATION, A DELIBERATE
INFLICTION OF SUFFERING AND PAIN ON UNSUSPECTING
CITIZENS TO DERIVE SOME POLITICAL RESPONSE CAN NEVER BE
JUSTIFIED. AS A HUMAN RIGHTS ORGANIZATION, WE BELIEVE
SUCH AN ATTACK ON DEFENSELESS AND INNOCENT CITIZENS IS
A CRIME AGAINST HUMANITY. IT IS ON THIS FIRM BELIEF
THAT WE JOIN YOU IN MORNING THOUSANDS OF LIVES LOST AND
THOUSANDS INJURED. WE WISH YOU COURAGE AND WISDOM FROM
GOD TO STAND AND FACE UP EVEN THE FUTURE CHALLENGES OF
A WORLD THAT IN INCREASINGLY WITNESSING UNTOLD LEVELS
OF HATRED. WE WOULD ALSO WANT TO EXTEND OUR HEARTFELT
CONDOLENCES TO THE BEREAVED FAMILIES AND THE ENTIRE
PEOPLE OF THE U. S.”
ROTH
UNCLASSIFIED
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