Zimbabweans in the UK to demonstrate against MDC arrests

By Tererai Karimakwenda
15 March 2006

MDC supporters and sympathizers in the UK who have been following events back home have also said there is a pattern of harassment and intimidation. They believe the seemingly unrelated arrests are all part of a campaign to disrupt the pending congress. In response to what they are calling a “government crackdown”, they have organized a demonstration to be held this Saturday outside the Zimbabwe Embassy.

The event will be hosted by members of the Zimbabwe Vigil, a group that has held Saturday demos every week for over 3 years, come rain or shine. Rose Benton, an organizer with The Zimbabwe Vigil, said the group wanted to host the MDC demo in solidarity with the innocent people who are being arrested on trumped up charges in Zimbabwe. She said ZANU-PF is nervous about this weekend’s congress because it will show where people stand in regard to opposition politics in Zimbabwe. She said: “The government’s plan is to remove key people and cause problems for the MDC.”
Rose said The Vigil has been growing quite a bit in terms of the number of supporters who come on Saturdays. An average of about 70 regulars has been turning up weekly. Combined with members of the MDC branches across the UK who are expected, she hopes this weekend will be the biggest MDC demonstration at the Zimbabwe Embassy so far.
Participants are being urged to bring posters and banners.