Militant youth group get audience with SA embassy in the UK

By Lance Guma
21 September 2006

The militant Free-Zim Youth group have been granted an audience with the South African embassy in the United Kingdom on Friday after announcing they would be demonstrating there on the 14th October this year. According to Alois Mbawara the co-ordinator of the pressure group the purpose of the meeting is to ‘create a mutual understanding between the two nations and to enlist the support of the South African government at a time when the liberty and safety of youth activists inside Zimbabwe is under renewed threat.’ The meeting has been set for 11:00am at the embassy offices in London.

Free-Zim Youth is seeking a statement from Thabo Mbeki’s government on what their policy is towards Zimbabwe and to get a clear condemnation of the crackdown on trade union and youth activists in Zimbabwe. Mbawara told Newsreel that; ‘Free-ZimYouth align themselves with the concerns of other African counterparts in the AU and SADC countries who have expressed solidarity with those engaged in the struggle for freedom in Zimbabwe.’ Whether the group can influence South African government policy is a remote possibility but Mbawara says at least they will convey the concerns of Zimbabwean youth given growing repression at home.

Composed mainly of Zimbabwean youths in the United Kingdom, Free-Zim Youth has held demonstrations at the offices of the British Prime Minister in Downing Street in July, protesting the appointment of former Tanzanian President Benjamin Mkapa to mediate in Zimbabwe’s crisis. In September the group held a solidarity march at the Zimbabwean embassy in London to show solidarity with students from the national student body (ZINASU). Mbawara says they are currently embarking on a ‘road show’ in the African diplomatic community to raise awareness on the situation in Zimbabwe.