Harlem meeting says: ‘Hands off Zimbabwe’

A standing-room-only crowd of several hundred attended a Black History Month forum held at the National Black Theater in Harlem Feb. 8 entitled “Zimbabwe: Pan-Africanism or Imperialism.” The meeting was organized by the Brooklyn-based December 12th Movement and Friends of Zimbabwe.

WW photo: Lal Roohk

The meeting explored the historical and present-day issues facing this once colonized country in southern Africa. British and U.S. imperialism are once again targeting Zimbabwe for defending its sovereignty and especially for redistributing the land to its people. Economic sanctions continue to plague the people of Zimbabwe with dire poverty, malnutrition and erosion of their infrastructure, despite the implementation of a national unity government, set now for Feb. 13.

Forum speakers explained why sanctions are an act of war, defended President Robert Mugabe against racist demonization and linked Zimbabwe with the struggle against wars abroad and with the struggle against war at home.

From left to right the speakers are Omowale Clay, D 12; Chaka Cousins, All African People’s Revolutionary Party; professor Dr. Leonard Jefferies, City College CUNY; Pan-Africanist professor and author, Dr. Molefi Asante; Viola Plummer, D 12; Dr. James McIntosh, Committee to Eliminate Media Offensive to African People; Monica Moorehead, International Action Center; and attorney Malik Zulu Shabazz, New Black Panther Party. Videotaped remarks were shown of renowned playwright and poet, Amiri Baraka. Workers World will report more on this historic forum in a future issue.