This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
190722Z Dec 01
UNCLASSIFIED PTQ5769
PAGE 01 HARARE 03785 190821Z
ACTION BBG-00
INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AF-00 AMAD-00 A-00 ACQ-00 CIAE-00
INL-00 USNW-00 DODE-00 SRPP-00 DS-00 EUR-00 UTED-00
VC-00 H-01 TEDE-00 INR-00 LAB-01 L-00 VCE-00
AC-01 NEA-00 NSAE-00 OMB-01 PA-00 PC-01 PM-00
PRS-00 ACE-00 P-00 SP-00 TEST-00 TRSE-00 T-00
USIE-00 SA-00 IIP-00 PMB-00 DSCC-00 DRL-02 G-00
NFAT-00 SAS-00 /007W
------------------4D8CF2 190822Z /38
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0580
INFO NSC WASHDC
AMEMBASSY PRETORIA
AMEMBASSY LUSAKA
AMEMBASSY WINDHOEK
AMEMBASSY GABORONE
AMEMBASSY LILONGWE
AMEMBASSY LONDON
UNCLAS HARARE 003785
SIPDIS
AF/PD FOR COX, ROBERTSON, AF/S FOR KRAFT, IBB FOR DIANE
BUTTS, AF/RA FOR SWANN, NSC FOR JENDAYI FRAZER
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ZI PREL
SUBJECT: MEDIA REPORT AFRICA JOURNAL FEEDBACK; HARARE
1. THE DECEMBER 13 AFRICA JOURNAL ON "ZIMBABWE AT THE
CROSSROADS" ATTRACTED ALL THE MAINSTREAM GOVERNMENT-
CONTROLLED MEDIA IN HARARE - ZIMBABWE BROADCASTING
CORPORATION (ZBC) TELEVISION, "THE HERALD," AND THE
ZIMBABWE INTER-AFRICA NEWS AGENCY (ZIANA) - AND THE
COUNTRY'S ONLY INDEPENDENT DAILY "THE DAILY NEWS." THE
JOURNALISTS WERE IMPRESSED WITH MAIMONA MILLS' SKILLS.
"SHE WAS GREAT. SHE WAS IN FULL CONTROL OF THE INTERVIEW
AND WAS HIGHLY ASTUTE TO THE SOCIOPOLITICAL AND ECONOMIC
SITUATION IN ZIMBABWE," REMARKED MASIMBA KARIKOGA FROM "THE
HERALD." THE JOURNALISTS AND AUDIENCE DRAWN FROM THE
PARLIAMENT OF ZIMBABWE AND THE POLITICAL SCIENCE DEPARTMENT
AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ZIMBABWE FOUND THE PROGRAM "REFRESHING
AND VERY INFORMATIVE." THE AUDIENCE APPRECIATED THE
CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE WASHINGTON PANELISTS AND DIVERSE
CALLERS FROM ALL OVER AFRICA, BUT WERE QUICK TO QUERY SOME
OF THE FOOTAGE THAT AIRED IN THE OPENING REPORT, SAYING IT
WAS "ALIEN" TO ZIMBABWE.
2. THE GOVERNMENT-CONTROLLED DAILY CARRIED AN ARTICLE
ABOUT THE AFRICA JOURNAL PROGRAM ON PAGE ONE UNDER HEADLINE
"YOUTHS DEMONSTRATE AGAINST SANCTIONS BILL." THE ARTICLE
WAS PART OF A STORY THAT REPORTED ON A PEACEFUL
DEMONSTRATION AGAINST THE ZIMBABWE DEMOCRACY AND ECONOMIC
RECOVERY ACT OF 2001 BY PEOPLE FROM THE RECENTLY FORMED
PATRIOTIC YOUTHS OF ZIMBABWE ORGANIZATION. THE YOUTHS,
ACCORDING TO THE ARTICLE, WIELDED PLACARDS DENOUNCING THE
U.S. CONGRESS' DECISION TO MOBILIZE INTERNATIONAL OPINION
AGAINST ZIMBABWE. THE ARTICLE THEN FOCUSED ON THE AFRICA
JOURNAL PROGRAM, QUOTING EXTENSIVELY FROM ZIMBABWE'S
UNCLASSIFIED
PAGE 03 HARARE 03785 190821Z
AMBASSADOR IN WASHINGTON DR. SIMBI MUBAKO DISMISSING THE
ACT AS "UNWARRANTED INTERFERENCE IN THE INTERNAL AFFAIRS OF
ZIMBABWE," ADDING THAT "THERE WAS NO JUSTIFICATION
WHATSOEVER FOR THE ACTION TAKEN BY THE U.S. CONGRESS." THE
ARTICLE ALSO GAVE PLAY TO CONTRIBUTIONS BY MDC SECRETARY-
GENERAL PROFESSOR WELSHMAN NCUBE, VOA REPORTER JOSEPHINE
KAMARA AND THE REGIONAL DIRECTOR OF SOUTHERN AND EAST
AFRICA NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTE OF INTERNATIONAL
RELATIONS, MS. SHARI BRYAN.
3. THE DECEMBER 18 EDITION OF THE INDEPENDENT DAILY "THE
DAILY NEWS," CARRIED AN ARTICLE ABOUT THE PROGRAM UNDER
HEADLINE "U.S. BILL SET TO BECOME LAW THIS WEEK."
4. POST WISHES TO CONGRATULATE THE AFRICA JOURNAL CREW
FOR THIS VERY TOPICAL PROGRAM. WE HOPE THERE WILL BE MORE
ZIMBABWE-FOCUSED PROGRAMS IN THE MONTHS LEADING UP TO THE
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION EXPECTED IN MARCH 2002. WE ALSO HOPE
THAT A ZIMBABWEAN GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL WILL, NEXT TIME
AROUND, BE AB