What kind of democracy is this?

That was the question that The Herald asked when Zimbabwe was suspended from the Commonwealth. The paper said the British had achieved what they had been fighting for.

“We know, too, that this is not the end of the anti-Zimbabwe government campaign by the British and its western allies. While the Commonwealth suspension is largely symbolic, it nevertheless opens the way for rabid western racists to act against Zimbabwe on the basis of this censure,” the paper said.

“Solidarity from the African continent and the unity of all Zimbabweans will certainly see us through this suspension and the sanctions being solicited by the former colonial West.”

Full cable:

Viewing cable 02HARARE751, MEDIA REACTION ZIM’S SUSPENSION FROM

If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs

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

220811Z Mar 02

UNCLASSIFIED     PTO0866

PAGE 01       HARARE 00751 220828Z

ACTION INR-00

INFO LOG-00   NP-00   AF-00   A-00     ACQ-00   CIAE-00 USNW-00

DODE-00 DS-00   EUR-00   UTED-00 VC-00   TEDE-00 LAB-01

VCE-00   NSAE-00 TEST-00 USIE-00 IIP-00   DSCC-00 DRL-02

NFAT-00 SAS-00     /003W

——————78F374 220828Z /38

FM AMEMBASSY HARARE

TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1295

INFO NSC WASHDC

AMEMBASSY PRETORIA

AMEMBASSY LUSAKA

AMEMBASSY WINDHOEK

AMEMBASSY GABORONE

AMEMBASSY LILONGWE

AMEMBASSY LONDON

UNCLAS HARARE 000751

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’S SUSPENSION FROM

COMMONWEALTH HARARE

¶1.   MARCH 22 EDITORIALS IN TWO MAINSTREAM NEWSPAPERS

DISCUSS AT LENGTH ZIMBABWE’S 12-MONTH SUSPENSION FROM

THE COMMONWEALTH. EXCERPTS FOLLOW:

¶2.   “WHAT KIND OF DEMOCRACY IS THIS?” THE GOVERNMENT-

CONTROLLED DAILY “THE HERALD” (03/22) COMMENTS:

“THE BRITISH AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE SO-CALLED

WHITE COMMONWEALTH HAVE ACHIEVED WHAT THEY HAVE

BEEN FIGHTING FOR – SUSPENSION OF ZIMBABWE FROM THE

54-MEMBER ORGANIZATION. . . WE KNOW, TOO, THAT

THIS IS NOT THE END OF THE ANTI-ZIMBABWE GOVERNMENT

CAMPAIGN BY THE BRITISH AND ITS WESTERN ALLIES. . .

WHILE THE COMMONWEALTH SUSPENSION IS LARGELY

SYMBOLIC, IT NEVERTHELESS OPENS THE WAY FOR RABID

WESTERN RACISTS TO ACT AGAINST ZIMBABWE ON THE

BASIS OF THIS CENSURE. . . SOLIDARITY FROM THE

AFRICAN CONTINENT AND THE UNITY OF ALL ZIMBABWEANS

WILL CERTAINLY SEE US THROUGH THIS SUSPENSION AND

THE SANCTIONS BEING SOLICITED BY THE FORMER

COLONIAL WEST.”

¶3.   “DANKIE SUID-AFRIKA, SIYABONGA, RE A LEBOGA,”

THE

INDEPENDENT WEEKLY “ZIMBABWE INDEPENDENT” (03/22)

COMMENTS:

“. . .ON MONDAY PRESIDENT THABO MBEKI, ACCOMPANIED

BY HIS NIGERIAN COUNTERPART OLUSEGUN OBASANJO,

TRIED TO INTEREST ZIMBABWE’S LEADERSHIP IN

SOMETHING DEAR TO THE HEARTS OF SOUTH AFRICAN

UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 03       HARARE 00751 220828Z

POLITICIANS, A GOVERNMENT OF NATIONAL UNITY. . .

BOTH LEADERS ARE CONCERNED ABOUT NEPAD, THEIR NEW

PARTNERSHIP FOR AFRICA’S DEVELOPMENT PROJECT WHICH

STANDS NO CHANCE OF SUCCESS IF PRESIDENT MUGABE

CONTINUES TO BEHAVE AS DELINQUENT RULER WITH LITTLE

REGARD FOR THE LIVES OR WELFARE OF HIS CITIZENS. .

. MBEKI AND OBASANJO SAID IN LONDON THEY INTEND TO

REMAIN ‘ENGAGED’ IN THE SEARCH FOR A SOLUTION TO

ZIMBABWE’S CRISIS. THIS SAYS A GREAT DEAL ABOUT

MUGABE’S CLAIMS TO LEGITIMACY BASED ON HIS ELECTION

‘WIN.’ . . .(IN THE) SPACE OF LITTLE UNDER A WEEK,

SOUTH AFRICA’S ATTEMPT TO RECOGNIZE THE ELECTION

OUTCOME AND PERSUADE THE VICTOR TO BE ACCOMMODATING

HAS BEEN TRANSFORMED INTO A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT

BALLGAME IN WHICH THE RESTORATION OF DEMOCRACY HAS

BECOME THE CHIEF GOAL, BACKED BY THE INTERNATIONAL

COMMUNITY. THIS WILL COME AS A SHOCK TO THE SOUTH

AFRICANS. BUT WE ARE GRATEFUL TO THEM FOR THE WAY

THINGS HAVE TURNED OUT!”

SULLIVAN

UNCLASSIFIED

>

(23 VIEWS)