The ZIMBABWE Situation | Our
thoughts and prayers are with Zimbabwe - may peace, truth and justice prevail. |
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Roy
Bennett Released From
Prison HARARE: Roy Bennett was released from Chikurubi Prison this
morning after spending eight months of his 12 month sentence in custody. It is
standard prison procedure to commute a third of any sentence for good
behaviour. The former MDC
Member of Parliament emerged from his incarceration unbowed and undaunted in his
struggle for justice for all Zimbabweans. "I am more
determined than ever to continue to strive for a better Zimbabwe for all
Zimbabweans, the current oppression cannot continue for much longer and sooner,
rather than later, the people will assert their rights", he said. There were
emotional scenes outside the prison when Roy was reunited with his wife two
children and other family and friends. "Nothing that
I have ever read or seen prepared for the hell that are Zimbabweans prisons",
said Bennett. "The
inhumanity with which the prisoners are treated and their total lack of recourse
to any representation or justice combined with the filth and stench of daily
life is something I will never forget and I will not rest until their conditions
are improved," he added. He also stated
that if the opportunity arose and the people for Chimanimani asked him to, he
would stand as their representative again. Bennett was
sentenced to a year in jail by the Zanu-PF MPs after pushing the Minister of
Justice, Patrick Chinamasa, to the ground during a parliamentary debate.
Chinamasa had derided the court orders that Bennett had been awarded that should
have seen his property returned after it had been seized by the State and on top
of this he had insulted Roy's forefathers. The sentence
was condemned by local and international human rights organisations. Speaking after
the tearful reunion, Heather Bennett said she was proud of her husband and the
sacrifice he has made for the betterment of all Zimbabweans. "I knew Roy
would emerge from this ordeal strong, but I am shocked by exactly how determined
he to continue to struggle for a new Zimbabwe.", she said. "But first we
are going to spend some time together as a family".
Free Roy
Bennett Campaign
Campaign Update ~ 28 June
2005
FROM THE ZIMBABWE
VIGIL
The Vigil is supporting this initiative.
On Thursday morning 30th June
from 6 am to July 1st, 6 am , we at the Zimbabwe Central
London Forum have pledged to go without food in support of the hunger
strike that is taking place in UK Detention Centres.
Please join us and give your
support by doing the same.
Send this message on to 5 others who
may want to join in.
The
detainees hunger strike began at 6am
on Wednesday 23th June 2005. By Thursday the detained hunger strikers
will be in to their 9th day and will be becoming very weak. The Home Office is
now saying that 57 Zimbabwean detainees are on hunger strike. The figures we
have are 99 - spread out as follows:
Harmondsworth Detention centre
24 Hillingdon (MP)
Colnbrook 30
Hillingdon
Yarlswood Women's Detention
centre 30 Bedford (MP)
Campsfield House
6 Oxford (MP)
Dover
9 Dover (MP)
TOTAL 99
Charles Clarke, Minster for Home Affairs, has put
out a statement today stating that deportation of asylum seekers to Zimbabwe
will continue...........
Please join us and give your
support by doing the same.
Please write to your
MP (you can do a post code search on www.locata.co.uk/commons to find your MP) and let her/him know what you are
doing and why - a sample letter is
attached. Use it if you wish or write your own.
Anna Meryt
The Zimbabwe London
Forum
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