Nairobi — Catholic bishops in three Southern African countries have joined other Christian churches to support a campaign against corruption.

The Southern African Catholic Bishops' Conference (SACBC -a conference constituted by the bishops of Botswana, South Africa and Swaziland) together with eight different Christian denominations has joined hands with a powerful group of business people to launch the campaign 'Churches Against Corruption' (CH-A-CO).

The campaign aims at bringing Christ's spirit of unselfish service back into business and public offices.

"The Church is concerned that our young democracy runs the risk of allowing corruption to become part of culture. Corruption threatens the integrity of young minds, and forms the basis for a new form of oppression," said a February 4, 2004 media statement sent to CISA from SACBC's Communications Office in Pretoria.

"The Church condemns the misappropriation of public resources by legal practitioners, politicians, government leaders, religious leaders and public servants, and the misuse of public office," SACBC said, while commending the media for telling the truth fearlessly.

The bishops urged all people to "stand firm" and resist "the temptation of corruption and easy money", and, rather, to "blow the whistle" against it."