Police and Zimbabwe African National Union- Patriotic Front militants blocked a Movement for Democratic Change rally at White City Stadium in Bulawayo on 20 January 2002 as violence intensified in the run-up to the presidential elections.
ZANU-PF supporters had occupied the stadium to prevent the rally from being held while police beat and fired teargas at between 8 000 and 1000 MDC supporters waiting to enter the stadium.
MDC spokesman Learnmnore Jongwe said the violence was widespread with three MDC supporters being killed in Zaka District.
Full cable:
Viewing cable 02HARARE211, MDC RALLY BROKEN UP BY POLICE AND ZANU-PF
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
231608Z Jan 02
CONFIDENTIAL PTQ3542
PAGE 01 HARARE 00211 01 OF 02 231638Z
ACTION AF-00
INFO LOG-00 AID-00 CIAE-00 DODE-00 WHA-00 SRPP-00 EAP-00
EB-00 EUR-00 VC-00 H-01 TEDE-00 INR-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 SSO-00 SS-00
STR-00 TRSE-00 T-00 USIE-00 SNIS-00 NISC-00 PMB-00
PRM-00 DRL-02 G-00 SAS-00 /007W
——————5BFDF1 231638Z /26
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0774
INFO SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY ABUJA PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY CANBERRA PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY KINGSTON PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY OTTAWA PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY NAIROBI PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA PRIORITY
NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 000211
SIPDIS
NSC FOR SENIOR DIRECTOR FRAZER
PARIS FOR NEARY
LONDON FOR GURNEY
NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/23/12
SUBJECT: MDC RALLY BROKEN UP BY POLICE AND ZANU-PF
MILITANTS, WHILE GOZ-PERPETRATED VIOLENCE SPREADS
REF: 1/22 KRAFT/HARRINGTON TELCON
CLASSIFIED BY POLITICAL SECTION CHIEF MATT HARRINGTON.
REASONS: 1.5 (B) AND (D).
SUMMARY
——-
¶1. (C) ON JANUARY 20, ZANU-PF MILITANTS WAITING IN
AMBUSH AND POLICE USING TEARGAS BLOCKED A PLANNED
MOVEMENT FOR DEMOCRATIC CHANGE (MDC) RALLY IN BULAWAYO.
AT LEAST 20 PEOPLE WERE INJURED IN THE MELEE, AND SEVEN
ARE REPORTED MISSING. THE DISRUPTION OCCURRED EVEN
THOUGH THE MDC HAD APPLIED FOR AND RECEIVED PERMITS
THREE WEEKS IN ADVANCE. IN OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY,
VIOLENCE CONTINUES TO SPREAD, MORE ROADBLOCKS ARE BEING
ERECTED, SAFEHOUSES FOR REFUGEES FROM POLITICAL
VIOLENCE ARE BEING RAIDED, AND THE GOZ IS PREPARING TO
SEIZE FIREARMS BELONGING TO COMMERCIAL FARMERS, THEREBY
REMOVING THEIR LAST LINE OF DEFENSE. END SUMMARY.
MDC RALLY BLOCKED
—————–
¶2. (U) POLICE AND ZANU-PF MILITANTS BLOCKED A PLANNED
MDC RALLY AT BULAWAYO’S WHITE CITY STADIUM ON JANUARY
¶20. MDC SECRETARY-GENERAL WELSHMAN NCUBE TOLD
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 03 HARARE 00211 01 OF 02 231638Z
JOURNALISTS ZANU-PF SUPPORTERS HAD OCCUPIED THE STADIUM
TO PREVENT THE RALLY FROM BEING HELD, WHILE POLICE BEAT
AND FIRED TEARGAS AT 8,000 – 10,000 MDC SUPPORTERS
WAITING TO ENTER THE STADIUM. ACCORDING TO PRESS
REPORTS, AT LEAST 20 MDC SUPPORTERS WERE INJURED IN THE
MELEE, AND ONE OF THE VICTIMS WAS ADMITTED TO AN
INTENSIVE CARE UNIT WITH A SERIOUS HEAD INJURY. SEVEN
MDC SUPPORTERS WENT MISSING, ACCORDING TO NCUBE. A
POLICE SPOKESMAN DENIED CHARGES OF PARTISANSHIP,
CLAIMING THAT THE POLICE HAD ACTED TO “STOP VIOLENCE
BETWEEN SUPPORTERS OF TWO PARTIES.”
¶3. (C) MDC VICE-PRESIDENT GIBSON SIBANDA, WHO WAS THE
SENIOR PARTY OFFICIAL SCHEDULED TO ADDRESS THE RALLY,
TOLD POLITICAL SECTION CHIEF THAT THE MDC HAD INFORMED
THE POLICE THREE WEEKS IN ADVANCE OF THE PLANNED RALLY
AND HAD OBTAINED PERMITS AUTHORIZING THE EVENT FROM
BOTH THE POLICE AND THE CITY COUNCIL. ACCORDING TO
SIBANDA, THE NIGHT BEFORE THE RALLY, SEVERAL HUNDRED
ZANU-PF SUPPORTERS CAMPED OUT INSIDE THE STADIUM IN A
CLEAR ATTEMPT TO DISRUPT THE FOLLOWING DAY’S RALLY.
SIBANDA CLAIMED GOVERNMENT VEHICLES TRANSPORTED THE
GROUP THERE AFTER ATTENDING A ZANU-PF RALLY ADDRESSED
BY VICE-PRESIDENT JOSEPH MSIKA AND RULING PARTY
COMMISSAR ELLIOTT MANYIKA IN INYATHI, 50 KM NORTHEAST
OF BULAWAYO. SIBANDA SAID THERE WAS NO QUESTION IN HIS
MIND THAT MSIKA AND MANYIKA HAD INSTRUCTED THEIR
SUPPORTERS TO BLOCK THE RALLY. AFTER HE AND MDC
SECRETARY-GENERAL WELSHMAN NCUBE FAILED TO CONVINCE THE
SIPDIS
SENIOR POLICE OFFICER PRESENT TO EVICT THE ZANU-PF
SUPPORTERS INSIDE SO THAT THE RALLY COULD TAKE PLACE, A
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 04 HARARE 00211 01 OF 02 231638Z
MELEE ENSUED BETWEEN THE IRATE MDC SUPPORTERS OUTSIDE
AND THE RIOT POLICE, WITH THE FORMER THROWING STONES
AND THE LATTER FIRING TEARGAS AND BEATING PEOPLE IN THE
CROWD. IN ADDITION TO THE PERSON ADMITTED TO THE
INTENSIVE CARE UNIT, SIBANDA SAID A NUMBER OF MDC
SUPPORTERS HAD BEEN STABBED.
VIOLENCE SPREADS
—————-
¶4. (C) MEANWHILE, WAR VETERANS AND THE RECENTLY-
INAUGURATED YOUTH BRIGADES HAVE CONTINUED TO EXPAND
THEIR CAMPAIGN EFFORTS ON BEHALF OF ZANU-PF. PHYSICAL
VIOLENCE CONTINUES TO BE THE PRIMARY TACTIC OF CHOICE.
ON JANUARY 13, MDC MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT WAS STABBED IN
THE ABDOMEN BY A GROUP OF ZANU-PF SUPPORTERS AFTER THEY
ABDUCTED HIM FROM LUPANE BUSINESS CENTER, ABOUT 160
KILOMETERS NORTHWEST OF BULAWAYO. HE WAS DUMPED SIX
KILOMETERS FROM THE BUSINESS CENTER, UNCONSCIOUS AND
BLEEDING. ACCORDING TO LEARNMORE JONGWE, THE MDC’S
SPOKESMAN, ZANU-PF MILITANTS KILLED THREE MDC MEMBERS
AND A FOURTH PASSERBY IN ZAKA DISTRICT, MASVINGO
PROVINCE, OVER THE PAST WEEK. AT THE CENTRAL BUS
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL PTQ3544
PAGE 01 HARARE 00211 02 OF 02 231639Z
ACTION AF-00
INFO LOG-00 AID-00 CIAE-00 DODE-00 WHA-00 SRPP-00 EAP-00
EB-00 EUR-00 VC-00 H-01 TEDE-00 INR-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 SSO-00 SS-00
STR-00 TRSE-00 T-00 USIE-00 SNIS-00 NISC-00 PMB-00
PRM-00 DRL-02 G-00 SAS-00 /007W
——————5BFE11 231639Z /26
O 231608Z JAN 02
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0775
INFO SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY ABUJA PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY CANBERRA PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY KINGSTON PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY OTTAWA PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY NAIROBI PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA PRIORITY
NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 02 HARARE 000211
SIPDIS
NSC FOR SENIOR DIRECTOR FRAZER
PARIS FOR NEARY
LONDON FOR GURNEY
NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/23/12
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 02 HARARE 00211 02 OF 02 231639Z
SUBJECT: MDC RALLY BROKEN UP BY POLICE AND ZANU-PF
MILITANTS, WHILE GOZ-PERPETRATED VIOLENCE SPREADS
TERMINAL IN RUSAPE, ABOUT 200 KM SOUTHEAST OF HARARE,
PEOPLE READING INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPERS AND THOSE UNABLE
TO PRODUCE ZANU-PF MEMBERSHIP CARDS HAVE BEEN BEATEN,
IN THE FULL VIEW OF POLICE, WHO IN MOST CASES
REPORTEDLY STOOD IDLY BY. ACCORDING TO NUMEROUS
ANECDOTAL REPORTS, SIMILAR INCIDENTS OF BEATINGS
PERPETRATED PREDOMINANTLY BY ZANU-PF SUPPORTERS —
INCLUDING INFLICTION OF SERIOUS PHYSICAL INJURY — ARE
HAPPENING NATIONWIDE. WE HAVE EVEN RECEIVED FIRST-
HAND REPORTS OF ZANU-PF SUPPORTERS BEATING RULING PARTY
MEMBERS WHO ARE NOT MILITANT ENOUGH OR HAVE THE GALL TO
MAINTAIN GOOD RELATIONS WITH PEOPLE ON THE OTHER SIDE
OF THE POLITICAL AISLE.
¶5. (C) IN ADDITION, WE RECEIVE REGULAR REPORTS OF
ROADBLOCKS BEING ERECTED AROUND THE COUNTRY, MOSTLY
AWAY FROM MAIN THOROUGHFARES IN MORE ISOLATED AREAS,
WHERE VEHICLE OCCUPANTS NOT IN POSSESSION OF ZANU-PF
CARDS ARE SUBJECTED TO PHYSICAL AND VERBAL ABUSE. IN
SOME CASES, THOSE MANNING THE ROADBLOCKS SEIZE NATIONAL
IDENTITY DOCUMENTS OF THOSE WHO CANNOT PRODUCE ZANU-PF
CARDS, MEANING THEY MAY BE UNABLE TO VOTE IN THE
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.
¶6. (C) IN ANOTHER RECENT DEVELOPMENT THAT HAS CAUSED
STRONG CONCERN AMONG HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVISTS, THE
GOVERNMENT OF ZIMBABWE HAS ZEROED IN ON SAFEHOUSES
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 03 HARARE 00211 02 OF 02 231639Z
OPERATED BY THE WELL-RESPECTED HUMAN RIGHTS
ORGANIZATION AMANI TRUST FOR VICTIMS OF POLITICAL
VIOLENCE. THE GOVERNMENT-CONTROLLED MEDIA HAVE RUN
VITRIOLIC FRONT-PAGE STORIES DURING THE PAST WEEK
DESCRIBING THE SAFEHOUSES AS “KILLER HOUSES” INTENDED
TO HIDE MDC MURDERERS AND PERPETRATORS OF VIOLENCE
WANTED BY THE POLICE. AMANI TRUST DIRECTOR TONY REELER
TOLD US THAT “THE GUYS IN DARK GLASSES” HAVE SHOWN UP
AT MANY OF THE SAFEHOUSES ASKING QUESTIONS AND
DEMANDING WRITTEN RECORDS. GIVEN THE INFLAMMATORY TONE
OF THE RECENT PRESS ARTICLES, REELER FULLY EXPECTS THE
WAR VETERANS OR YOUTH BRIGADES TO ATTACK THE OCCUPANTS
SOON. TO TRY TO PREEMPT SUCH AN ATTACK, AMANI TRUST IS
DIVIDING THE OCCUPANTS — MANY OF WHOM HAVE BEEN BADLY
INJURED OR SEVERELY TRAUMATIZED — INTO SMALLER GROUPS
AND MOVING THEM TO NEW LOCATIONS.
¶7. (C) COMMERCIAL FARMERS WHOSE PROPERTIES HAVE BEEN
DESIGNATED RECEIVED LETTERS FROM THEIR RESPECTIVE
REGIONAL POLICE COMMANDERS ON JANUARY 18 ORDERING THEM
TO SURRENDER ALL OF THEIR FIREARMS, LICENSED OR NOT, BY
FEBRUARY 4. THE LEGAL PROVISION ON WHICH THE GOZ HAS
BASED THIS MOVE IS APPARENTLY FULL OF HOLES, BUT WE
UNDERSTAND THE GOZ PLANS TO ISSUE A STATUTORY
INSTRUMENT (DECREE) LEGALIZING THE SEIZURES. (NOTE: WE
HAVE ALSO RECEIVED AN UNCONFIRMED REPORT THAT THE CIO
HAS CONFISCATED SOME WEAPONS AND LICENSES, WITHOUT
ISSUING RECEIPTS, IN THE FEATHERSTONE AREA 100 KM SOUTH
OF HARARE, ALTHOUGH THIS REPORTEDLY IS NOT YET GOZ
POLICY. END NOTE.) IAN COCHRAN, A COMMERCIAL FARMER
IN KAROI, WHICH HAS BEEN PARTICULARLY BADLY AFFECTED BY
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 04 HARARE 00211 02 OF 02 231639Z
THE LAND INVASIONS, TOLD POLITICAL SECTION CHIEF HE WAS
EXTREMELY DISTURBED BY THIS NEW REQUIREMENT, AS HIS
FIREARMS PROVIDED HIS FAMILY’S ONLY PROTECTION IN THE
CHAOTIC ENVIRONMENT PREVAILING IN HIS REGION. IF
FORCED TO COMPLY, HE SAID HE AND HIS FAMILY WOULD LEAVE
THE COUNTRY. IN THE MEANTIME, COCHRAN AND A NUMBER OF
OTHER FARMERS ARE ENCOURAGING THE COMMERCIAL FARMERS
UNION TO CHALLENGE THE POLICE ACTION IN COURT.
SULLIVAN
CONFIDENTIAL
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