Zimbabwe Vigil Diary – 3rd December 2005

Africa via the writer Geoff Hill, Africa Correspondent of the Washington Times and a Zimbabwean himself. Geoff is a great supporter of the Vigil and addressed the London Zimbabwe Forum on Monday. He is very keen to see the Vigil spread its activities to Brussels, headquarters of the European Union. Anyone there who may be reading this, please contact us. Our hands were blue even without the gloves. A downpour coincided with the opening of the Vigil and we balanced unmusically on our slippery drums to tie a string between our lampposts to support the tarpaulin. We were grateful for the help of, Mkhululi, from Rotherham making his first visit to the Vigil. The rain didnt dampen his spirits at all  nor the rest of us, especially when we got a supporter all the way from New Zealand. Crowds along the Strand are building up with the approach of Christmas. Though our news boards giving the latest information from Zimbabwe draw lots of attention, it sometimes seems as if we get as many enquiries about the way to Covent Garden as we do about Zimbabwe. A group of young girls had a go at the drumming and for them Covent Garden will always be associated with Zimbabwe. Next week we plan to mark the UNs International Human Rights Day by focusing on the human rights abuses in Zimbabwe such as Operation Murambatsvina and the denial of basic freedoms. FOR THE RECORD: about 30 supporters came today. FOR YOUR DIARY: Monday, 12th December, 7.30 pm, Zimbabwe Forum, Upstairs at the Theodore Bullfrog pub, 28 John Adam Street, London WC2 (cross the Strand from the Zimbabwe Embassy, go down a passageway to John Adam Street, turn right and you will see the pub  nearest stations: Charing Cross and Embankment).