Free-Zim Youth confront Angolan ambassador in London

By Lance Guma
29 March 2007

The Free-Zim Youth (UK) movement on Thursday made their displeasure known to the Angolan ambassador in London over allegations that Angola is to send over 2500 police militia to help quell rising discontent in Zimbabwe. About 25 youths demonstrated at the embassy and presented a petition to the ambassador condemning the reported agreement. The youths entered the embassy and told security details they would not leave until the ambassador came out to receive their petition.

Newsreel captured the verbal interchange between the youths and the ambassador who was keen to deny the story, adding it was mere speculation. ‘We are not sending troops to Zimbabwe,’ he said. The response by the Angolan embassy is in stark contrast to the Zimbabwean ambassador to London, Gabriel Machinga, who has on two occasions sought the intervention of British police after MDC activists demonstrated at the embassy.

The Angolan government has issued strong denials they will be sending any militias to Zimbabwe. But it has not helped their cause that their Home Affairs Minister, General Roberto Monteiro, expressed support for the Zimbabwean police during a recent visit to Harare that saw a ‘public order and security agreement’ signed between the two countries. Officials in Zimbabwe have admitted the Angolans will come, but only as part of a training exchange between the police forces.

Mbawara was adamant that whatever the merits of the story were, their actions would serve to discourage Mugabe from exercising any such options. He also told the ambassador that if any more information on the story came out, suggesting the deployment would happen, they would continue to demonstrate at the Angolan embassy until the decision was reversed.