Pretoria (Fides Service) - "The Zimbabwean crisis requires urgent and direct intervention by the South African government, in the same way that the government has played a leading role in the resolution of other political conflicts on the African continent" the Southern African Bishops' Conference, SABC, said in a statement at the conclusion of their plenary meeting in Pretoria on 6 February. The statement continued: "There are deeply disturbing signs that Zimbabwe is on the brink of total breakdown into civil war with massive food and fuel shortages, and increasing levels of organised state terror," said Archbishop Buti Tlhagale, SACBC spokesperson. However, the South African government has consistently snubbed calls on it to play a more active role in exposing the abuses that now characterise Zimbabwe's political life and to take action to avert a further catastrophe in our neighbouring country. The greatest concern must be over the role of the youth militia known as the 'green bombers'. Increasing numbers of young men are undergoing rigorous training and political orientation programmes under the auspices of national service. The trainers are generally drawn from the Zimbabwe Defence Forces and the War Veterans Association. Whilst the youths are not fully trained soldiers, they receive basic military training, turning them into potential instruments of greater terror." See full statement at www.fides.org LM (Fides Service 5/2/2003 EM lines 40 Words: 220)