Zimbabwe is a sovereign state that does not need foster parents

Zimbabwe was a sovereign state that did not need foster parents to tell it what to do at every turn, the Bulawayo daily, the Chronicle, said in an editorial soon after the passing of the Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Act.

The act imposed sanctions on President Robert Mugabe and his lieutenants who were accused of stifling democracy and economic recovery in Zimbabwe.

It also barred international financial institutions from granting loans to Zimbabwe unless this was approved by the United States president.

The Chronicle said the United States did not qualify to lecture Zimbabwe on democracy because the incumbent President George Bush was in power following an intervention by the courts.

“Is this what you call democracy?” the paper queried. “Failures like the Americans do not qualify to lecture Zimbabwe on democracy.”

Full cable:

Viewing cable 01HARARE3666, MEDIA REPORT ZDERA; HARARE

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

110700Z Dec 01

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——————49AD5A 110756Z /38

FM AMEMBASSY HARARE

TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0493

INFO NSC WASHDC

AMEMBASSY PRETORIA

AMEMBASSY LUSAKA

AMEMBASSY WINDHOEK

AMEMBASSY GABORONE

AMEMBASSY LILONGWE

AMEMBASSY LONDON

UNCLAS HARARE 003666

SIPDIS

AF/PD FOR COX, ROBERTSON, AF/S FOR KRAFT, AF/RA FOR

SWANN, INR/R/MR, NSC FOR JENDAYI FRAZER

E.O. 12958: N/A

TAGS: ZI PREL PHUM

SUBJECT: MEDIA REPORT ZDERA; HARARE

¶1.   THE GOVERNMENT-CONTROLLED DAILY “CHRONICLE”

DEDICATED ITS DECEMBER 8 EDITORIAL TO CONDEMN THE

ZIMBABWE DEMOCRACY AND ECONOMIC RECOVERY ACT (ZDERA) OF

¶2001. UNDER HEADLINE “DEMOCRACY BILL, A BULLYING

TACTIC,” THE PAPER COMMENTS:

¶2.   “. . .IT IS STRANGE THAT THERE SHOULD BE

ZIMBABWEANS CELEBRATING AMERICA’S PASSING OF A SO-

CALLED DEMOCRACY BILL THAT IN FACT SEEKS TO CURTAIL

DEMOCRACY. IT IS AN OPEN SECRET THAT THE WORLD’S

FORMER COLONIAL POWERS ALREADY HAVE A CANDIDATE IN MIND

AND THEY ARE ONLY WAITING FOR THE CONFIRMATION OF

RESULTS AT THE PRESIDENTIAL PLEBISCITE. WE ARE TOLD

THAT THE PURPOSE OF THE SO-CALLED ZDERA IS TO PRESSURE

PRESIDENT MUGABE INTO HOLDING FREE AND FAIR ELECTIONS

AND ESTABLISH LAND OWNERSHIP PROTECTION. THERE IS AN

INSINUATION HERE THAT IT IS A FOREGONE CONCLUSION THAT

THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS WILL NOT BE FREE AND FAIR.

WE SYMPATHIZE WITH THE IGNORANCE AND NAIVETY (SIC) OF

THE AMERICANS. IF THEY EVER BOTHERED TO READ

ZIMBABWE’S HISTORY, THEY WOULD KNOW THAT THIS COUNTRY

HAS HELD SEVERAL ELECTIONS THAT WERE FREE AND FAIR.

ANYWAY, WHO ARE THE AMERICANS TO TEACH US ABOUT

CONDUCTING FREE AND FAIR ELECTIONS WHEN THEY THEMSELVES

FAILED DISMALLY TO CONDUCT PROPER PRESIDENTIAL

ELECTIONS EARLY THIS YEAR. FOR ALL WE KNOW THE

INCUMBENT PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH IS IN POWER

FOLLOWING THE INTERVENTION OF THE COURTS IN THAT

COUNTRY. IS THIS WHAT YOU CALL DEMOCRACY? FAILURES

LIKE THE AMERICANS DO NOT QUALIFY TO LECTURE ZIMBABWE

ON DEMOCRACY. . . THE AMERICAN EVIL BILL IS AN ATTEMPT

TO RUN ZIMBABWE BY REMOTE CONTROL, AND WE SAY NO TO

THIS. WE ARE A SOVEREIGN STATE WHICH DOES NOT NEED

UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 03       HARARE 03666 110756Z

‘FOSTER PARENTS’ TO TELL US WHAT TO DO AT EVERY TURN. .

. .”

SULLIVAN

UNCLASSIFIED

(100 VIEWS)