We join in particular the call from the heads of Christian denominations in Zimbabwe and our brother Archbishop of Cape Town, the Most Revd Thabo Makgoba, for the government of South Africa, the SADC region and the United Nations to act effectively. There must be an immediate arms embargo and any ships carrying arms must be recalled.
A year ago we committed ourselves, with the Anglican Archbishop of the province, to work with the bishops of Zimbabwe to support those who spoke on behalf of the poor and marginalised in that country and to denounce those that would not leave ministers of the gospel free to serve them. As we have just heard one bishop say, “It is Zimbabweans who are suffering at the hands of Zimbabweans. The political parties must protect the people who are voting.”
The current climate of political intimidation, violence, vote rigging and delay has left the presidential election process without credibility. Now the people of Zimbabwe are left even more vulnerable to conflict heaped upon poverty and the threat of national disintegration. It is therefore crucial that the international community act in support of regional efforts to bring a mediated settlement to this political crisis so that the social and economic and spiritual crisis of the country can be addressed. We commend the efforts of governments and agencies actively seeking to end the crisis and pray that those whose efforts have seemed lacklustre to renew their commitment as fellow Christians, Africans and members of the human family and international community.
Churches across England have been praying for Zimbabwe before, during and after the polls. Agencies and dioceses from the UK have worked ably to support partners and parishes. We join with those now calling for an international day of prayer for Zimbabwe this Sunday (April 28) as part of a search for increased solidarity and justice for the people of Zimbabwe at home and in the UK. Ecumenically, and as part of a broad based coalition, we must work to build a civil society movement that both creates political will and gives voice to those who demand an end to the mayhem that grows out of injustice, poverty, exclusion and violence.
“The current climate of political intimidation, violence, vote rigging and delay has left the presidential election process without credibility.”
I’m sorry, but is this a critique of the American HOB meeting in March or the orchestration of the Lambeth Conference – in addition to its obvious political reference? One might have a bit of sympathy for the complaint on a political basis only if there had been not the same things occurring internally in the AC. That whole stones and glass houses thingy, you know.
Zimbabwe needs our prayers and South Africa needs a spine.
This statement by the Archbishops is timely and welcome leadership.
#2
I’m afraid it’n not for want of a spine that South Africa coddles Mugabe, rather it’s because the ANC is sympathetic towards him. Nelson Mandela was a wonderful anomaly, while many of the ANC leadership are cut from the same cloth as Mugabe. That’s why their “criticism” of him is muted and grudging.
Good for them.
#4
I don’t think you are correct.
[url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/apr/15/anc.zimbabwe?gusrc=rss&feed=networkfront]The ANC[/url] is actually holding Mbeki to the fire for his continued support. Broadbrushing the ANC might ideologically useful, but it is not accurate.
John Wilkins: Whom do you consider the ANC? Jacob Zuma, ANC leader, in today’s New York Times, denounced the arms embargo, despite beatings, jailings, and murdering of opposition figures. The white farmers have been kicked off their land, the country is starving, and still the ANC refuses to denounce it. You’re right, perhaps there’s an ANC janitor that is hold Mugabe’s feet to the fire, but if you are looking for moral rectitude in the ANC leadership you won’t find it.
-A South African.
A few words by a few ANC members are nice, but they are fiddling while the fire burns, in a way they would not have done during Apartheid. Evan Miller is right. It’s okay to have a thug, so long as the thug the correct credentials and also the same skin color and as the oppressed.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/25/world/africa/25zimbabwe.html?hp
This is so sad.
Really, really sad.
African democracy in action: one man, one vote, one time.
Robert Mugabe has taken a once-prosperous nation, able to feed itself, and taken it to the lowest imaginable status. He has corrupted thousands of sycophants into following his brutal and corrupt policies. He has done great and irreparable harm to millions of persons, none of whom deserved such treatment.
And this is the best that the Archbishops of York and Canterbury can come up with?
Depending on the UN and South Africa?
They may as well have called on the Easter Bunny and the tooth fairy.
Quoting from any of the prophets from the OT would have been better than what I see here. Oh, I forgot. To prophesy one must believe in God and also believe that He is against evil. My bad.
No. 9 – Surely you don’t believe that the Archbishops don’t believe in God or that He is against evil.
Zuma also said “”We resolved on the crisis in Zimbabwe to redouble our efforts to secure early publication of election results,”
“We call for an end to any violence and intimidation and stress the importance of respect for the sovereign people of Zimbabwe and the choice they have made at the ballot box.”
He opposed the arms embargo – but Evan’s blanket comment about being “cut from the same cloth” ends up trivializing how monst rous Mugabe really is.
During a brief period in the early 1970s Robert Mugabe was released from prison (having been put there by Ian Smith and co) to participate in renewed efforts to find a political solution under the aegis of the UK Government. Before he jumped the border to start his own ZANLA group of guerillas, he was interviewed by a friend of mine.
“Who is your main political hero?†asked this interviewer, among other things.
Mugabe: “Pol Pot!â€
Organized, State violence was the creed of one Vladimir Lenin, whose words I have myself heard trumpeted from Mugabe’s mouth. Pol Pot applied this creed even more ruthlessly to his own Cambodia. And it took both a Vietnamese army and then the International Community’s concerted efforts to address the chaos. Zimbabwe is pivoting on that point right now, of disintegrating into real chaos. Now is not the time for any form of appeasement.
Sadly, ordinary voters of Western liberal democracies have very little grasp of the way this man, Robert Gabriel Mugabe, thinks and so functions … Kyrie eleison! Not least, so that leaders of democracies will summon the will to act, and to act immediately and to act forthrightly. And if they will not, the people who put them there must make them do it.
Mr. Wilkins, I stand by my earlier statement. The ANC and ZAPU-NF are kindred spirits. Mugabe was hailed as a moderate when he first came to power, just as Mbeki & Co. are now. Just wait.
I have no idea if you are right or not, Evan. But given that Zuma has recently met with poor whites and the ANC is in discussions with Solidarity, and that whites are joining the ANC, I’ll gladly wait to see the changes.
I admint some confusion to what we are comparing. Mugabe is a dictator. Mbeki’s successor seems to think differently. The evidence of different factions in the ANC seems to illustrate a major difference between ZAPU-NF, which can also be explained by other historical differences. But perhaps you mean they are both predominantly black organizations.
I think the ANC should have a long time ago held Zapu-nf to the fire, however. No doubt they were misled.