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Archive for August 23rd, 2008

SDLP Youth: Show Mugabe A Red Card - Sign The Petition

Saturday, August 23rd, 2008

SDLP Youth have today urged people to sign a petition calling for ex-President of Zimbabwe Robert Mugabe to resign from his autocratic post.

It is four and a half months since Morgan Tsvangirai and the MDC won power, but they have been denied their seats by Robert Mugabe who controls the army.

Most of the country is starving, but the media can’t see the real situation while they are banned. Humanitarian agencies are not allowed to distribute food themselves, and must give it to the government to distribute. Inflation has gone up by 40,000,000% and probably more while you read this.

Zanu PF and its army operate torture camps in former primary schools, and 12 opposition MPs are currently in jail on false charges.

Once Mugabe is removed, the EU, US and UK have pledged $1.9 billion in finance to support Zimbabwe’s economy and feed it’s starving citizens.

This weekend in S Africa, Mugabe meets with 15 other African leaders to discuss the progress of talks with the opposition. A massive group of trade unionists will march through Johannesburg calling for Mugabe to resign, supported by 100,000 people who have signed the Avaaz petition. The trade unionists are also threatening to stop handling any Zimbabwean goods, therefore cutting off trade to the country, if the talks do not have a satisfactory result.

Please take a moment to sign these petition:

Call for Red Card for Mugabe - during this weekend’s talks in South Africa

Call for No Guns for Zimbabwe - stop countries like China from supplying weapons.

38 Years of Civil Rights - Happy Birthday SDLP

Saturday, August 23rd, 2008

On the 21st August 1970 the Social Democratic and Labour Party was created. Six MPs and one Senator got together to change the country, to promote civil rights, to represent the people, to stop the IRA war, to campaign for a new Ireland and supporting a principle of consent.

The seven men had worked together since the 1969 elections. They were John Hume MP elected in Foyle, Paddy O’Hanlon MP in South Armagh, Ivan Cooper MP in Mid Londonderry, and Austin Currie MP re-elected in East Tyrone, Paddy Devlin MP in Falls, Gerry Fitt MP in Dock, and Senator Paddy Wilson (who was brutally murdered in 1973 by the UFF).

Please read more on The Belfast Stoop blog. Also, here are the SDLP’s founding principles: