Wednesday 3 February 2010
Nikki meets prominent Zimbabwe rights campaigners Okay Machisa and Basilton Peta

Nikki "We British are acutely aware of the appalling sufferings of the people of Zimbabwe - indeed many Britons have close family ties with that nation."

As a member of the Human Rights Committee, I was honoured to have the chance to meet two prominent rights campaigners, Okay Machisa and Basilton Peta. They brought to my attention the fact that the EU looks set to relax travel restrictions, and unfreeze the assets, of certain members of the political elite of Zimbabwe, a move that they as campaigners are very anxious to avoid.

The Mugabe regime is evil: even under the new power sharing agreement political and racial violence continues, and any concessions given by the EU will only serve to reward the elite repression of students and trade unionists, forced labour for children, and murder of dissenters are all features of life in Mugabe's Zimbabwe.

The Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) has fought hard to win a foothold in government in this troubled part of southern Africa, and we must do all we can in their battle for the democratisation and freedom of their people. We must not ignore the repressions, Britain must take a lead by insisting that restrictions on the dictator and his entourage remain in place."