Catholic Information Service for Africa (Nairobi)
23 March 2007
Harare — Outspoken Catholic prelate Archbishop Pius Ncube has urged Zimbabweans to fill the streets in a protest against state-orchestrated violence.
Independent Catholic News reports that the Archbishop of Bulawayo said he was willing to lead a campaign of peaceful resistance to force the despotic President Robert Mugabe out of office.
Archbishop Ncube told a gathering of clerics, pro-democracy activists and mostly Western diplomats in Harare on Thursday that: "We must be ready to stand, even in front of blazing guns."
He said: "We have to stand up against this oppression. The time for radicalism is now. If we gather a crowd of 20,000, the government will not use its guns."
Malawian church leaders and human rights activists held a candlelit vigil and prayers yesterday, "to beseech God to intercede in the deteriorating human rights and political situation" in Zimbabwe.
A similar coalition in Botswana staged a demonstration to urge both the government and the Southern African Development Community to take a tougher stand.
At least one person was killed and more than 46 were seriously injured earlier this month when police broke up a prayer meeting organized by the Christian Alliance of Zimbabwe, head of a grouping of church, civic and opposition groups. The violence has prompted a world outcry.
Sekai Holland and Grace Kwinje, who were among the victims, were arrested at Harare airport when they tried to leave the country for urgent medical treatment. They have since managed to get out the country and admitted to hospital in South Africa.
Pray for Zimbabwe
Meanwhile, a Zimbabwean priest has appealed to all Catholics to pray for his country whose political situation is "reaching a boiling point."
In a message to the Germany-based Catholic charity, Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), the priest, who requested anonymity, said "the brutality caused by a government which claims to be serving the interests of the people of Zimbabwe makes us very ashamed before the global family."
"In this age and time," he continued, "nobody would have expected such barbarism in a country which claims to be a democratic nation, but this is the true reality in our sad and beloved country, Zimbabwe."
"Like before, I am kindly asking for your prayers," the priest said. "Actually, Zimbabwe needs your prayers more than ever before; for the people are experiencing a multitude of problems ranging from high inflation, unemployment, food shortages, and political violence."
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