Zimbabweans in the UK to petition Kofi Annan

LONDON – THE Zimbabwe Vigil, which brings together Zimbabweans living in the United Kingdom to protest against human rights abuses and related ills every Saturday here, celebrates its fourth birthday this week with a petition to the United Nations Secretary General, Kofi Annan.

Started in October 2002 with a pledge to continue meeting outside Zimbabwe House in London every Saturday until internationally-monitored, free and fair elections are held in Zimbabwe, the vigil will present the petition to Labour MP Kate Hoey. 

Hoey, the chair of the all-parliamentary group on Zimbabwe and an avid campaigner against human rights abuses in Zimbabwe, will accept the petition outside the House of Commons Thursday afternoon and pass it on to the appropriate UN representative.

Saluting Hoey’s courage in visiting Zimbabwe secretly last week, a vigil spokesperson said protesters will meet outside Zimbabwe House lunchtime and walk to the Houses of Parliament where the petition would be presented.

Part of the petition to Annan reads:  “We are deeply disturbed at the deteriorating situation in Zimbabwe.  It seems as if the international community does not care that a rogue government can hold its people hostage.”

“In the past six years up to a quarter of the population have fled the country.  Half of those remaining face starvation.  Any dissent is stamped on.  The UN’s special envoys have seen this for themselves and condemned the regime.  We urge the UN Security Council to take measures to help free the suffering people of Zimbabwe.” 
Hoey was recently in Zimbabwe on a visit that has been criticised in the harshest of terms by Didymus Mutasa, the state security minister who called the MP “sneaky”. The Vauxhall MP met with the leaders of the trade unions who were severely beaten up by the police last month during a workers’ protest. She also met other pro-democracy leaders in the country.

“We will be marking the 4th anniversary of the Zimbabwe Vigil on 14th October by mourning the death of freedom and democracy in Zimbabwe.  We will be wearing black armbands,” the vigil said.

 The MDC UK, a member of the Zimbabwe Vigil Coalition, will on the same day celebrate their party’s seventh year of existence.
 
Meanwhile there will be a youth protest outside the South African embassy in Trafalgar Square on Saturday against the country’s softly approach towards the Zimbabwe government. Free ZimYouth leader, Alois Phiri Mbawara says it is time the youth from Zimbabwe got together and got involved in the politics of their country. He adds there is need for the youth to express their feelings towards African governments they feel should be doing more to help the Zimbabwean cause.