Zimbabwe Vigil tenth anniversary - no cause for celebration

As Zimbabwe prepares for fateful elections in the next nine months, the Zimbabwe Vigil marks its tenth anniversary, demonstrating outside the Zimbabwe Embassy in London in support of democracy and human rights on 14 October.

Exiled Zimbabweans, together with supporters and representatives from church J&P groups, have been meeting every Saturday outside the Embassy near Trafalgar Square since 12 October 2002 demanding free and fair elections and an end to human rights abuses.

The protest has been described by the Observer newspaper as the largest regular demonstration in London. Attendance has ranged from a handful to more than 300. Petitions signed by hundreds of thousands of passers-by have been submitted to the UK government, the UN, the EU, the African Union, the Southern African Development Community etc.

Vigil Co-ordinator Rose Benton said: "Our purpose is to draw the attention of the world to the catastrophe in our homeland. Our most immediate concern is that international election monitors must be in place before the next elections to deter Mugabe's violence which enabled him to steal the last elections.

"Despite an abundance of natural resources our people live in desperate poverty. The wealth of Zimbabwe is looted and the environment trashed. If it is not stopped the region as a whole will be endangered.

"The deadline for elections is next June but no serious steps have been implemented to honour the agreement under which Mugabe's Zanu PF party bought off the former opposition MDC party. For instance the current voters' roll still lists the late Rhodesian leader Ian Smith and 16,800 voters born on 01/01/1901."

Timetable for the day

. 2 - 6 pm: meet outside the Zimbabwe Embassy, 429 Strand, London WC2R 0JR for the regular Vigil. Nearest station: Charing Cross.

6-30 - 9.30 pm: 10th Anniversary gathering to discuss the way forward. Venue: Strand Continental Hotel (first floor lounge), 143 Strand, London WC2R 1JA. Nearest station: Temple (District and Circle lines). For more detailed directions, check Events and Notices here: www.zimvigil.co.uk.