AFRICA/ZIMBABWE - Christian churches in Zimbabwe unite to respond to criticism: “it is our pastoral and Christian obligation to call for the immediate repeal of draconian unjust and repressive legislation”

Monday, 6 September 2004

Harare (Agenzia Fides) - Churches in Zimbabwe have united to reprimand government over state-orchestrated attacks against the church. Eight groups of different confessions signed the statement. “We, the ecumenical church group and church organisations from all over the country note with great concern the recent increase in attacks against representatives, members and organisations of the Christian churches in Zimbabwe by state media and representatives of the Commission for Justice and Peace” said the statement signed for the local Catholic Church by the Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace. “The calculated hateful and unjustified criticism of His Grace, the Catholic Archbishop of Bulawayo Pius Ncube, the subsequent efforts to split and defame legitimate church institutions like the Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace, the Catholic archdiocese of Harare and the Evangelical fellowship of Zimbabwe show disrespect and a culture of intolerance in the context of ongoing demonisation of civil society and churches by the government of Zimbabwe”.
The statement says “the Christian Churches of Zimbabwe have always been the country’s voice and conscience” expressing solidarity with the new Archbishop of Harare, Robert Ndlovu, harshly criticised by President Robert Mugabe.
The day he took possession of his cathedral in Harare, on 21 August, in his homily Cardinal Ndlovu recalled the duty of the Church to promote and protect human rights, such as the right to life and freedom of speech and association. President Mugabe accused the Archbishop and the Church of “interfering with politics”. The statement replies to these accusations: “When representatives of members of the Church raise their voice to recall prophetically respect for the God given rights of the people of Zimbabwe, they are expressing the deepest vocation of the Church and the Christian community. To accuse the Church in interfering in politics shows lack of understanding of the role and teh divine obligation and calling of the Church”.
Consequently the signers reject “efforts to distort our image and to divide the Christian churches and the members of the Christian community in our country. We expressively and strongly support the leaders of all Christian denominations when on behalf of the church they give voice to the voiceless and prophetically proclaim respect for justice, truth and peace in our country”.
In this sense “it is our pastoral and Christian obligation to call for the immediate repeal of draconian unjust and repressive legislation, responsible for the shrinking of people’s democratic space”.
Since 2000, in Zimbabwe President Mugabe fought with the Opposition, which accuses him of bad governance with the confiscation of land from white farmers and violation the people’s freedom. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 6/9/2004 righe 41 parole 485)


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