Judith Todd – daughter of Sir Garfield Todd and campaigner for human rights in Zimbabwe is arriving in New Zealand later this week to join the campaign to stop the New Zealand Cricket Tour to Zimbabwe – scheduled for August. She is being brought to New Zealand by Global Peace and Justice Auckland.

Sir Garfield Todd was the New Zealander who was Prime Minister of Rhodesia and leading the country towards independence before he was ousted by the Ian Smith regime in 1965 which declared UDI (Unilateral Declaration of Independence) and cemented in place white minority rule.

As a young woman Judith toured New Zealand and around the world in the late 1960’s and spoke with passion and eloquence in opposition to white minority rule in Zimbabwe (then Rhodesia) and South Africa. On her visit here she helped campaign against the All Black tour to South Africa in 1970.

Like her father she became an outspoken opponent of Mugabe and was stripped of her Zimbabwean citizenship in 2001.

One aspect of her trip is to thank the people of New Zealand for providing her with a New Zealand passport through her father’s connection with New Zealand – otherwise she would now be a stateless citizen!

Now living in South Africa, Judith remains a passionate opponent of Mugabe’s policies and an eloquent advocate for human rights in Zimbabwe.

Her visit will include –

Media Conference on Friday morning – details to be advised

Public meeting this Friday Night – 15th July – speaking alongside Zimbabwean Cricketer Henry Olongo at the Aotea Chapel – 370 Queen Street (Opposite the Town Hall) at 8pm. This meeting is jointly organised by the Green Party and Global Peace and Justice Auckland.

Protest March – Saturday 16th July from 12 noon – Corner Queen and Customs Streets

She will also be having a range of meetings with politicians and sports officials – details to be advised – and will be pressing the government to take meaningful steps to stop this tour rather than say they are opposed to it and then make excuses for New Zealand’s national cricket team to go to Zimbabwe.

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