Despite ultimatums to president Robert Mugabe that he would pull out of negotiations if the government did not release abducted Movement for Democratic Change activists, MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai never planned to abandon talks and had mapped out a 60-day plan which included continued negotiations.
The plan included efforts to channel humanitarian assistance to the needy, diplomatic outreach, an information campaign, a “Friends of Zimbabwe” international summit, and MDC party building.
Although he was frustrated over the lack of progress in implementing the Global Political Agreement, Tsvangirai believed that the MDC needed to pursue a more pro-active transitional strategy.
Full cable:
Viewing cable 08HARARE1139, TSVANGIRAI BRIEFS ON MDC STRATEGY
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Reference ID |
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VZCZCXRO6644
OO RUEHDU RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHSB #1139 3650828
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 300828Z DEC 08
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3861
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE
RUEHAR/AMEMBASSY ACCRA 2515
RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA 2638
RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN 1131
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 1907
RUEHDK/AMEMBASSY DAKAR 2262
RUEHKM/AMEMBASSY KAMPALA 2687
RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 5115
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RUZEJAA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK
RHMFISS/EUCOM POLAD VAIHINGEN GE
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 1794
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC
C O N F I D E N T I A L HARARE 001139
SIPDIS
AF/S FOR B.WALCH
DRL FOR N. WILETT
ADDIS ABABA FOR USAU
ADDIS ABABA FOR ACSS
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR E. LOKEN AND L. DOBBINS
STATE PASS TO USAID/OTI FOR J. SHERMAN AND J. RIGBY
STATE PASS TO NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR B. PITTMAN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/30/2018
SUBJECT: TSVANGIRAI BRIEFS ON MDC STRATEGY
Classified By: CDA Katherine Dhanani for reason 1.4 (d)
¶1. (C) SUMMARY: MDC president Morgan Tsvangirai briefed
Embassy Harare representatives in Gabarone on December 18 and
December 20 on a 60-day strategic plan he hopes to launch in
early January. The plan will include continued negotiations
on power sharing, efforts to channel humanitarian assistance
to the needy, diplomatic outreach, an information campaign, a
“Friends of Zimbabwe” international summit, and MDC party
building. Tsvangirai said he would return to Zimbabwe after
receiving his passport (which he has since received). END
SUMMARY
¶2. (C) At Tsvangirai’s request, representatives of
USAID/Harare’s Democracy and Governance unit and
OTI/Washington met with Tsvangirai and senior MDC advisors in
Gabarone on December 18 and December 20 to discuss MDC plans
and how the USG can assist. Tsvangirai expressed his
frustration over the lack of progress in implementing the
Inter-Party Political Agreement signed on September 15 and
said he believed the MDC need to pursue a more pro-active
transitional strategy. The MDC leadership planned to meet in
South Africa on January 5 to finalize a 60-day plan that had
been conceptualized in meetings during the last two months.
¶3. (C) Outlining the plan, Tsvangirai said the MDC would
continue to participate in power-sharing negotiations and
would attempt to apply more pressure on SADC, the AU, and the
UN to in turn pressure ZANU-PF to equitably share power and
schedule timely and internationally supervised elections.
Additionally, the MDC would attempt to channel humanitarian
assistance to the needy and point out the ineffectiveness of
the GOZ in responding to the humanitarian crisis. The MDC
would speak out more forcefully on the government’s human
rights abuses and political prosecutions. Other components
of the strategy were MDC party strengthening and a “Friends
of Zimbabwe” international summit to discuss Zimbabwe’s
future and donor assistance.
¶4. (C) Tsvangirai stated the 60-day plan would require
significant resources that the MDC would seek from donors.
He planned to designate a senior MDC official to help
formulate proposals and serve as a liaison with donors. He
added he hoped to discuss the overall plan as soon as
possible with Ambassador McGee.
¶5. (C) Regarding his return to Zimbabwe, Tsvangirai said
Mugabe had recently (through intermediaries) invited him to
return to Zimbabwe to resume power-sharing discussions. He
said he wished to return but only after receiving his
passport (which he has since received) and assurances of his
safety and that of other MDC leaders.
¶6. (C) COMMENT. The MDC has lacked an overall strategy
apart from its participation in negotiations with ZANU-PF,
and we await with interest the specifics of the strategy to
be discussed next week in South Africa. The cornerstone of
any strategy will be the presence of Tsvangirai in Harare to
speak out on humanitarian and human rights issues, and to
provide leadership to his party and supporters. END COMMENT.
DHANANI
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