1970s

Labour MP Joan Lestor with the AAM’s Chair Bob Hughes MP and Hon. Secretary Abdul Minty at the Commonwealth Conference in Lusaka, September 1979. They presented a Declaration signed by British organisations representing over 7 million people appealing to the Commonwealth to reaffirm its commitment to genuine independence for the people of Zimbabwe.

Leafleting publicising a teach-in on the conditions that must be met for the Lancaster House talks to reach an acceptable settlement.

Talks on a settlement in Zimbabwe opened at Lancaster House in London in September 1979. This leaflet argued that only a genuine transfer of power could bring peace and an end to the guerrilla war. It called for the maintenance of sanctions and for no recognition of the ‘internal settlement’ agreed in March 1978.

Poster for a seminar organised by the AAM and the UN Special Committee Against Apartheid, 2–4 November 1979. The seminar planned internationally co-ordinated campaigns against corporations that exported arms and oil to South Africa and against banks and financial institutions.

Leaflet publicising a demonstration on 11 November 1979 during the Lancaster House talks on Zimbabwe, organised by the Zimbabwe Emergency Coordinating Committee (ZECC). ZECC warned that the British government was siding with the Muzorewa government set up by the internal agreement in Zimbabwe. It called for support for the Patriotic Front, an alliance of ZANU and ZAPU. ZECC was a broad coalition of British organisations brought together by the AAM.

Thousands of people marched through central London on 11 November 1979 to demand that Britain should not agree to any settlement on Zimbabwe that fell short of genuine majority rule. After lengthy negotiations, elections were held in February 1980. They were won by the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front under the leadership of Robert Mugabe.

Thousands of people marched through central London on 11 November 1979 to demand that Britain should not agree to any settlement on Zimbabwe that fell short of genuine majority rule. After lengthy negotiations, elections were held in February 1980. They were won by the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front under the leadership of Robert Mugabe.

At the head of a march through central London on 11 November 1979 to demand there should be no agreement on Zimbabwe that fell short of genuine majority rule. In the photograph are Labour MPs Clare Short, Alex Lyon and AAM Chair Bob Hughes with Edson Zvobgo, Publicity Secretary of Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front. After lengthy negotiations, elections were held in February 1980. They were won by the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front under the leadership of Robert Mugabe.