Zimbabwe: Will Anybody Help?

Britain is faced with a choice. We have a unique opportunity to stand alongside the people of Zimbabwe as they attempt to reclaim their democratic rights, and we can make a difference.

EU sanctions are beginning to bite on key people in the Mugabe regime, people who are not prepared to back the President if this will damage their own financial interests. However, by using "sleeping partners" in EU countries and transferring assets into the names of other members of their family, the targets are able to avoid sanctions. It is vital that the EU moves to close this loophole by expanding the measures to include relatives and business associates of the Mugabe government, but at present there are no moves to do this.

The highly respected International Crisis Group, which has been monitoring the situation in Zimbabwe, has devised a specific set of recommendations for EU countries. You can play your part by writing to your MP and MEPs, pressing for the adoption of these measures, in your own words or using our sample letter. Please also sign The Difference petition, which will be sent to the Prime Minister, the Minister for International Development, and Peter Mandelson, the EU's Commissioner for External Trade, calling for Britain to use its influence to bring about these changes.

Campaign resources:

• Sign the online petition
• Download a sample letter to send to your MP and MEPs
• A website to find your MP's address
• Another to find your MEPs' addresses
• The ICG policy document, including their recommendations

Thank you in advance for helping us to make a difference in Zimbabwe. As Amnesty International pointed out yesterday in their annual report on human rights, "Marches, petitions, virals, blogs, t-shirts and armbands may not seem much by themselves, but by bringing people together they unleash an energy for change that should not be underestimated ... People power will change the face of human rights in the 21st century."