AFRICA/ZAMBIA - The opposition warns the ruling party: "dissolve the militia or we will be forced to defend ourselves"

Lusaka (Agenzia Fides) - Nevers Mumba, President of the Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD), the main opposition party in Zambia, has demanded the ruling party, the Patriotic Front (PF), to dissolve the youth militia immediately, responsible for the assault to a peaceful gathering of several civil society organizations, on May 31, 2013, within the church of the Bible Gospel Outreach Church in Africa (BIGOCA, see Fides 03/06/2013).
Mumba, who was pastor of the Victory Bible Church, described the attack as "an act of sacrilege" to places of worship and warned that if the violence on behalf of the PF youth militia were to continue, the other political parties would be forced to arm themselves to defend themselves. "The PF has formed a militia. We are not safe in our own Country. If this state of affairs continues, we will be forced as opposition to form groups to protect us because we cannot sit and watch while we are attacked, unless the PF does not denounce and dissolve this group," said Mumba.
Several civic and religious groups, including the Catholic Church, have protested the assault of 31 May. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 04/06/2013)