Zimbabwean trade unionists
Via John, innit, I came across Tabitha Kumalo’s speech at the TUC conference earlier this week. Tabitha, if you remember, is the Zimbabwean trade unionist that I heard speak earlier this year. She’s also now the most senior Zimbabwean trade unionist outside prison, as while she was in the UK, the rest of the leadership of the movement was beaten and imprisoned. I’d urge all my readers to write or fax the Zimbabwean embassy to demand their release. More details here.
It was the best speech of the TUC and an excellent antidote to Tony Blair the day before!
[...] Via Antonia, I now discover that she is the most senior Zimbabwean trade unionist at liberty. Why? Because while she’s been in the UK speaking at the TUC Congress, her brothers and sisters in Zimbabwe have been arrested, beaten up by the police and thrown in prison. [...]
I listened to her speech and this stood out to me:
“I had the opportunity, Madam President, to see the Prime Minister here and my heart was in my mouth because I was thinking, ‘Oh, my God. The police will just walk in with tear gas and all of us would be diving for cover because we had insulted the Prime Minister’, because we are not allowed to talk ill of the president of our country. It is an offence.”
It is shocking that while we sometimes very openly attack the PM in this country, it would be at the risk of detention in another, I intend also to lodge my formal protest and will encourage others to do the same.
Thanks Antonia! Next step is a demo on Friday. It’s a long way from Rose Hill sorry, but hopefully some of your London readers might like to come and share their lunch hour with me, the TUC (who are calling it), and others at 1pm in front of the Zimbabwean embassy. More information on the TUC site at https://www.tuc.org.uk/international/tuc-12433-f0.cfm