Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Johannesburg (Agenzia Fides) - The Catholic Bishops of Southern African have condemned a police raid on Johannesburg's Central Methodist Church which was providing shelter for refugees from Zimbabwe. Cardinal Wilfrid Napier, Archbishop of Durban and president of the Southern African Catholic Bishops Conference, which comprises the Catholic Bishops of South Africa, Botswana and Swaziland, affirms in a statement sent to Fides:
“The Southern African Catholic Bishops Conference condemns the actions of the South African Police Service in its midnight raid of Johannesburg's Central Methodist Church (January 31 2008). We join Bishop Paul Verryn of the Methodist Church in decrying the violation of the status of the Church as a place of sanctuary. By providing shelter to the homeless, the stranger and the refugee the Church was carrying out the injunction of Jesus Christ. Zimbabweans should be regarded as prima facie refugees because, under the terms of the OAU Refugee Convention, they have left their home because of ‘events seriously disturbing public order ‘(OAU Refugee Convention Article 1 paragraph 2: 1969) (Pastoral Statement on Zimbabwe Refugees - 14 Dec 2007) Last night's police action was entirely inappropriate, uncalled for and an unwelcome manifestation of xenophobia. It is not how refugees should be treated. Indeed, it is not how any human being should be treated by officials of a state committed to upholding human dignity.”. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 4/2/2008 righe 21 parole 246)
