October 11, 2001

MDC Tour Success, despite CHOGM postponement

Funds still needed to cover costs

Dear Friend,

The MDC Tour in late September and early October has been a resounding success in isolating the Mugabe regime among Australia’s politicians, media and the public, and in helping to demonstrate that MDC is a government-in-waiting.

The tour costs to ZIC were $12,800, and there is a shortfall of $6,600, of which we can confidently expect $2,000. Therefore we are asking for a further $4,600 from supporters like you. If you have already contributed to our earlier appeal, a receipt has been posted, with our sincere thanks.

MDC President Morgan Tsvangirai and MP Mzila Ndlovu (Shadow Environment Minister) visited Canberra for the last two days or the parliament, September 26-27, concentrating on government and other politicians, and also meeting ATSIC, the australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies, and the National Farmers Federation, plus some radio and print media. The meetings with the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade, and the Australia - Zimbabwe Parliamentary Friendship Group were very positive, because senior government figures formed a very positive assessment of Morgan and of MDC, and were sharply focussed on the election timetable and the character of the ZANU-PF strategy of violence. This was confirmed in the meeting with the Acting Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Mark Vaile, and the Shadow Foreign Affairs Spokesperson, Mr Laurie Brereton. Individual meetings with other politicians - Joe Hockey, Andrew Murray, Anthony Albanese, and Aden Ridgeway were similarly very positive.

The meetings with Geoff Scott and Mick Dodson were mutually educational, and gave the visitors a much better insight into Australian politics.

The NFF was very supportive of the MDC’s call for free and fair elections and for fair and sustainable land redistribution in Zimbabwe, and offered to take this to their contacts in the government.

In the second part of the tour, Sekai Holland, Roy Bennet MP and Nelson Chamisa visited Melbourne and Sydney, addressing union, student, women’s, Aboriginal, church and political groups, and doing media interviews, mainly radio. Roy Bennet also visited Orange to address a farmers’ meeting, at which 40 people attended.

Lucia Matibenga, ZCTU Vice President and MDC Chair for Women visited Melbourne for union and academic functions, particularly meeting with ACTU President Sharan Burrow and other ACTU officers.

Despite the postponement of CHOGM announced on September 28, the tour continued to Brisbane, where a similar range of organisations and individuals were met.

In Brisbane, the MDC delegation also addressed a forum of legal workers attended by 40 people. They attended the ACFOA National Conference, which carried a resolution calling for free and fair elections in Zimbabwe. The Zimbabwe High Commissioner Mrs Florence Chitauro confronted Sekai Holland at the CHOGM Peoples Festival, where she complained that ZIC had made her job very difficult!

The highlight of the Brisbane segment was Sekai Holland speaking at the Peace Rally on Saturday October 6 at Musgrave Park, where 1,000 people joined in waving the red cards, blowing whistles and calling Chinja Maitiro!

Key work to undertake:

• Fundraising to support farmworkers facing starvation on occupied commercial farms
• Mobilising Observers to go to the presidential elections early
• Messages of support for the Zimbabwean judges who have maintained their integrity

In solidarity for a democratic Zimbabwe,

Peter Murphy

Secretary

Support MDC National Tour - Melbourne, Canberra, Sydney, Orange, Brisbane

FINANCIAL APPEAL - $4,600

Name:

Address:

Ph:

Email:

[ ] I enclose $_________ by cheque / money order (payable to ZIC Inc)

or please debit my credit card for $ ____________

for the $4,600 Appeal for the MDC Tour for CHOGM

[ ] Bankcard [ ] Mastercard [ ] Visa [ ] American Express

Card No: ________ ________ ________ ________

Expiry Date: _____ / _____