The Trades Union Congress of the UK last week called on trade unionists to send a photo to be included in a unique protest against the trial of two leaders of Zimbabwe’s embattled trade union movement. The trial is set for today (June 23). The poster can be seen at http://www.tuc.org.uk/international/tuc-14995-f0.cfm .
As Eric Lee of LabourStart Lee web site reports, Lovemore Matombo and Wellington Chibebe, the president and general secretary of the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions, were arrested a few weeks ago on charges of ‘spreading falsehoods prejudicial to the state’ – in other words, telling the truth.
On Monday, June 23, the two are going back to court to face charges. Unions around the world are organizing protests that day at Zimbabwe embassies, and if you can attend or organize such an event that’s great. In Ottawa, we are rallying outside the embassy at 11 a.m. on Saturday, June 21.
But as Lee says there’s something you can do right now without getting up out of your chair.
The Trades Union Congress in London, UK, is making a giant photo mosaic of Lovemore and Wellington, using pictures of hundreds of their supporters from around the world – and they want to use your photo as one tiny part of it.
They’ll get this printed on a large banner in time for the London demonstration on June 23, and they’ll make the image available to other international demonstrations and to the media. So please email a photo of your face to zim@tuc.org.uk .
Read more about this creative protest campaign here. It’s a last minute campaign, so they need your photos right away.