Gukurahundi Unclassified
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GUKURAHUNDI UNCLASSIFIED CONFIDENTIAL UNCLASSIFIED U.S DIPLOMATIC CABLES MNANGAGWA ROLE AND VIEWS SUBJECT 1: MNANGAGWA SAYS RSA HAS STOPPED BANDIT INCURSIONS SUBJECT 2: BANDITS POINT THE WAY TO BODIES OF FARMERS SUBJECT 3: CALL ON MNANGAGWA SUBJECT 4: MUNANGAGWA FINDS SECRET ZIPRA BASES SUBJECT 5: MATABELELAND SITUATION: MEETING WITH MNANGAGWA SUBJECT 6: MATABELELAND SITUATION: MEETING WITH MNANGAGWA SUBJECT 7: MINISTER SPEAKS ON SECURITY SITUATION, RELATIONS WITH BOTSWANA, SOUTH AFRICA SUBJECT 8: MATABELELAND: MNANGAGWA SAYS DISSIDENTS ARE ON THE RUN, DENYS FOOD DISTRIBUTION BEING HINDERED SUBJECT 9: MATABELELAND: MNANGAGWA SAYS DISSIDENTS ARE ON THE RUN, DENYS FOOD DISTRIBUTION BEING HINDERED SUBJECT 10: MATABELELAND: MNANGAGWA SAYS DISSIDENTS ARE ON THE RUN, DENYS FOOD DISTRIBUTION BEING HINDERED SUBJECT 11: MINISTER SPEAKS ON SECURITY SITUATION, RELATIONS WITH BOTSWANA, SOUTH AFRICA SUBJECT 12: WELFARE/WHEREABOUTS: ABDUCTION OF AMCITS IN - ZIMBABWE SUBJECT 13: SECURITY MINISTER SAYS THREE SOUTH AFRICAN SPIES CAUGHT MUGABE ROLE AND VIEWS SUBJECT 1: AMCITS ABDUCTED IN ZIMBABWE: MUGABE "ENCOURAGED" BY NKOMO'S EFFORTS SUBJECT 2: MUGABE AND BANANA COMMENT ON SECURITY SITUATION - AND ALLEGATIONS OF ATROCITIES SUBJECT 3: MUGABE ANNOUNCES CABINET CHANGES; NKOMO OUT SUBJECT 4: MEETING WITH MUGABE SUBJECT 5: MEETING WITH THE PRIME MINISTER SUBJECT 6: PRESS ACCOUNT OF MUGABE NEW DELHI INTERVIEW SUBJECT 7: MUGABE ON FIVE BRIGADE ACTIVITIES SUBJECT 8: MUGABE REPLIES TO QUESTIONS IN PARLIAMENT SUBJECT 9: MUGABE VISITS FIVE BRIGADE, CALLS FOR DISCIPLINE SUBJECT 10: MUGABE VISITS MATABELELAND SUBJECT 11: MUGABE VISITS MATABELELAND; APPEALS FOR UNITY SUBJECT 12: MUGABE'S NEW YEAR'S MESSAGE: GENERALLY UPBEAT UNCLASSIFIED U.S. Department of State Case No. F-2012-29009 Doc No. C05256847 Date: 09/24/2013 RELEASED IN FULL UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 01 HARARE 04288 271158Z ACTION AF-00 INFO OCT-00 COPY-01 ADS-00 AID-00 INR-10 EUR-00 SS-00 CIAE-00 H-01 NSC-01 NSAE-00 SY-06 HA-08 L-03 PM-10 PA-02 MCT-03 OMB-01 A-02 SYE-00 USIE-00 SP-02 SNP-01 PRS-01 /052 W 321071 271216Z/52 P 271136Z JUL 84 FM AMEMBASSY HARARE TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4714 AMEMBASSY PRETORIA PRIORITY INFO AMEMBASSY DAR ES SALAAM AMEMBASSY GABORONE AMEMBASSY LILONGWE AMEMBASSY LONDON AMEMBASSY LUSAKA AMEMBASSY MAPUTO DIA WASHDC USCINCEUR VAIHINGEN GE//ECJ-2// UNCLAS HARARE 04288 LONDON FOR FRASURE CINCEUR ALSO FOR POLAD E.O. 12356: N/A TAGS: PREL, PTER, PINS, ZI, SF, MZ SUBJECT: MNANGAGWA SAYS RSA HAS STOPPED BANDIT INCURSIONS 1. MINISTER OF STATE FOR SECURITY EMMERSON MNANGAGWA TOLD REUTERS ON WEDNESDAY THAT THERE HAVE BEEN NO FRESH BANDIT INCURSIONS INTO ZIMBABWE FROM SOUTH AFRICA SINCE THE SIGNING OF THE NKOMATI AGREEMENT, ACCORDING TO A FRONT-PAGE STORY IN THE HERALD JULY 27. THE GOZ BELIEVES THAT THE SAG MIGHT HAVE LESSENED ITS SUPPORT FOR DISSI- DENTS WITHIN ZIMBABWE BECAUSE OF RECENT POLITICAL EVENTS UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 02 HARARE 04288 271158Z IN THE REGION, MNANGAGWA SAID. HE ADDED, HOWEVER, THAT IT IS TOO EARLY TO TELL WHETHER THIS IS A CHANGE OF POLICY BY THE SAG, OR MERELY A "POLITICAL PLOY" TO IMPROVE THEIR IMAGE WORLDWIDE. 2. THE MINISTER WAS ASKED TO COMMENT ON THE POSSIBILITY THAT THE SAG MIGHT "REDIRECT" THE RENAMO GUERRILLAS FROM ATTACKING MOZAMBICAN TARGETS TO CONCENTRATE THEIR EFFORTS IN ZIMBABWE, AS REPORTED IN AN AMERICAN MAGAZINE. HE REPLIED THAT THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE THAT RENAMO HAD ANY REVIEW AUTHORITY: Charles Daris, Senior Reviewer UNCLASSIFIED U.S. Department of State Case No. F-2012-29009 Doc No. C05256847 Date: 09/24/2013 UNCLASSIFIED U.S. Department of State Case No. F-2012-29009 Doc No. C05256847 Date: 09/24/2013 SUCH PLANS, ALTHOUGH THERE HAD BEEN SEVERAL INCIDENTS OF CROSS-BORDER ACTIVITY, PRIMARILY ROBBERY, THEFT, ASSAULT, AND CATTLE RUSTLING. HE NOTED THAT THERE HAD IN THE PAST BEEN ATTACKS BY RENAMO ON THE BEIRA-MUTARE PIPELINE AND OTHER ZIMBABWEAN LINES OF COMMUNICATION INSIDE MOZAMBIQUE. ATTACKS, SUCH AS THOSE ON TRUCK CONVOYS CARRYING MAIZE OR OTHER GOODS FROM MALAWI, DO HAVE A DIRECT BEARING ON THE ZIMBABWEAN ECONOMY, MNANGAGWA SAID. 3. SPEAKING ABOUT THE INTERNAL SECURITY SITUATION, THE MINISTER REPORTEDLY TOLD REUTERS THAT THERE ARE INDICATIONS THAT "BANDITRY" IS ON THE DECREASE AND PREDICTED THAT IF THE DISSIDENTS DO NOT RECEIVE EXTERNAL HELP THE GOZ WOULD BE ON TOP OF THE SITUATION BY THE TIME OF THE GENERAL ELECTION. GOZ TROOPS HAD KILLED 116 BANDITS AND CAPTURED "A NUMBER OF OTHERS" SINCE THE CURFEW WAS IMPOSED IN MATABELELAND SOUTH THIS YEAR. HE ESTIMATED THAT BETWEEN 100-200 BANDITS WERE OPERATING IN THE COUNTRY AT PRESENT, ESPECIALLY IN THE COMMUNAL FARMING AREAS, BUT NO MORE THAT 50 ARE BELIEVED TO BE STILL WITHIN THE CURFEW AREA. RECENT INTELLIGENCE INDICATED THAT ZAPU ELEMENTS WERE STILL RECRUITING FORMER ZIPRA PERSONNEL FOR TRAINING IN SOUTH AFRICA, THE MINISTER SAID. UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 03 HARARE 04288 271158Z 4. MNANGAGWA SAID THE CURFEW HAD LED TO AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE GENERAL SECURITY SITUATION, AND SOME ASPECTS OF THE CURFEW HAVE BEEN RELAXED. THE CURFEW ALSO GAVE THE GOZ THE CHANCE TO EXPLAIN ITS POLICIES TO THE PEOPLE, MANY OF WHOM ARE NOW WILLING TO COOPERATE. "ONCE IT IS CLEAR THAT THE PEOPLE HAVE REJECTED BANDITRY COMPLETELY, BANDITRY WILL DISAPPEAR, AS WILL THE CURFEW," HE STATED. "IT IS OUR EARNEST DESIRE TO ENSURE THAT THE PEOPLE OF MATABELELAND AND CONTIGUOUS AREAS WHERE BANDITRY HAS OCCURRED SHOULD BE PERMITTED TO CAST THEIR VOTES FREELY AND WITHOUT FEAR," MNANGAGWA SAID. 5. COMMENT: THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THE LOCAL PRESS HAS REPORTED A GOZ MINISTER AS SAYING THAT SOUTH AFRICA HAS BACKED OFF. END COMMENT MILLER UNCLASSIFIED U.S. Department of State Case No. F-2012-29009 Doc No. C05256847 Date: 09/24/2013 UNCLASSIFIED U.S. Department of State Case No. F-2012-29009 Doc No. C05256847 Date: 09/24/2013 UNCLASSIFIED NNN UNCLASSIFIED U.S. Department of State Case No. F-2012-29009 Doc No. C05256847 Date: 09/24/2013 UNCLASSIFIED U.S. Department of State Case No. F-2012-29009 Doc No. C05256711 Date: 09/24/2013 RELEASED IN FULL UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 01 HARARE 05784 061317Z ACTION AF-10 INFO OCT-00 COPY-01 ADS-00 INR-10 EUR-12 SS-10 CIAE-00 DODE-00 H-01 NSC-01 NSAE-00 SY-06 HA-08 L-03 PM-08 PA-02 MCT-02 OMB-01 OCS-06 CA-01 ACDA-12 USIE-00 SP-02 SNP-01 PRS-01 /098 W 331251 061323Z /51 P 061303Z SEP 83 FM AMEMBASSY HARARE TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1117 INFO AMEMBASSY CANBERRA AMCONSUL CAPE TOWN AMEMBASSY DAR ES SALAAM AMEMBASSY GABORONE AMEMBASSY LILONGWE AMEMBASSY LONDON AMEMBASSY LUSAKA AMEMBASSY MAPUTO AMEMBASSY PRETORIA UNCLAS HARARE 05784 DEPT FOR AF/S, ALSO FOR CA/OCS/EMR E.O. 12356: N/A TAGS: PINS, PGOV, ZI SUBJECT: BANDITS POINT THE WAY TO BODIES OF FARMERS 1. THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR SECURITY, EMMERSON MNANGAGWA, DISCLOSED ON SEPT. 4 THAT SECURITY FORCES, ACTING ON INFORMATION OBTAINED FROM CAPTURED BANDITS, HAVE DISCOVERED WHAT APPEAR TO BE THE REMAINS OF TWO FARMERS KIDNAPPED IN MATABELELAND. THE BODIES ARE "APPARENTLY IDENTICAL" TO ROBERT DYER-SMITH, 77, WHO WAS ABDUCTED ON MARCH 16, AND DAVID BILANG, 24, WHO WAS CAPTURED ON NEW YEAR'S EVE. IN ADDITION, THE MINISTER SAID, THE BANDITS HAD ADMITTED COMPLICITY IN UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 02 HARARE 05784 061317Z THE MURDER OF THE STRATFORD FAMILY, AN ELDERLY COUPLE AND THEIR TWO GRANDDAUGHTERS WHO WERE MURDERED ON MARCH 18. 2. MR. DYER-SMITH HAD BEEN ABDUCTED WHEN HE AND TWO WORKERS DROVE OUT TO HIS FARM TO INVESTIGATE REPORTS OF A DEAD COW. HE WAS TAKEN BY A GROUP OF SIX DISSI- DENTS AND THE WORKERS WERE FREED AFTER BEING HANDED A RANSOM NOTE DEMANDING THE RELEASE OF THE FORMER ZIPRA COMMANDERS LOOKOUT MASUKU AND DUMISO DABENGWA. REVIEW AUTHORITY: Charles Daris, Senior Reviewer UNCLASSIFIED U.S. Department of State Case No. F-2012-29009 Doc No. C05256711 Date: 09/24/2013 UNCLASSIFIED U.S. Department of State Case No. F-2012-29009 Doc No. C05256711 Date: 09/24/2013 MR. BILANG WAS TAKEN WITH HIS GRANDFATHER, MR. BENJY WILLIAMS, BY A GROUP OF 18 ARMED MEN. MR. WILLIAMS' BODY WAS FOUND ABOUT SIX KILOMETERS FROM THE SCENE OF THE ABDUCTION. THE FAMILIES OF BOTH DYER-SMITH AND BILANG HAD OFFERED SUBSTANTIAL REWARDS FOR INFORMATION, BUT NONE WAS FORTHCOMING. THE STRATFORD FAMILY WERE KILLED WITH A SINGLE BULLET EACH FROM MR. STRATFORD'S REVOLVER BY MEMBERS OF A SIX-MAN GANG. 3. THE MINISTER SAID THE CAPTURED BANDITS HAD ALSO ADMITTED COMPLICITY IN OTHER ACTS OF BANDITRY IN MATABELELAND, BUT HE GAVE NO FURTHER DETAILS. KEELEY UNCLASSIFIED NNN UNCLASSIFIED U.S. Department of State Case No. F-2012-29009 Doc No. C05256711 Date: 09/24/2013 UNCLASSIFIED U.S. Department of State Case No. F-2012-29009 Doc No. C05256834 Date: 09/24/2013 RELEASED IN FULL CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 01 HARARE 03481 01 OF 02 190955Z ACTION SS-25 INFO OCT-00 COPY-01 ADS-00 SSO-00 /026 W 373477 191800Z /44 R 190939Z JUN 84 FM AMEMBASSY HARARE TO SECSTATE WASHDC 4315 CONFIDENTIAL SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 03481 EXDIS DECAPTIONED E.O. 12356: DECL: OADR TAGS: PREL, ZI, US SUBJECT: CALL ON MNANGAGWA 1. C - ENTIRE TEXT. 2. SUMMARY. DURING A CORDIAL ONE-HOUR COURTESY CALL BY AMBASSADOR MILLER ON MINISTER OF STATE (SECURITY) EMMERSON MNANGAGWA ON JUNE 18, MNANGAGWA VOLUNTEERED TO BE INFORMAL CHANNEL ON IMPORTANT FOREIGN AFFAIRS QUESTIONS. HE ALSO CASTIGATED ZAPU OFFICIALS FOR PUBLICLY DECRYING DISSIDENT ACTIONS, BUT PRIVATELY CONTINUING THEIR SUPPORT TO DISSIDENTS, IMPLYING THAT THE GOVERNMENT WOULD CONTINUE AND POSSIBLY EXTEND ITS ANTI-ZAPU ACTIVITIES. MNANGAGWA AGREED TO AMBASSADOR'S REQUEST THAT HOSTAGE PARENT(S) TRAVEL TO ZIMBABWE TO MEET PERSONALLY WITH DETAINEE "ESKIMO" WHO CLAIMS TO HAVE KNOWLEDGE OF HOSTAGES.