Catholic Information Service for Africa (Nairobi)
18 November 2008
Geneva — Leaders of world church movements have criticised the Southern African Development Community (SADC) for failing to effectively address the crisis in Zimbabwe.
The leaders of the World Council of Churches, Lutheran World Federation, World Alliance of Reformed Churches, World YWCA and the World Student Christian Federation said they were deeply disappointed and saddened that the SADC leadership and Zimbabwe's political leaders had squandered an opportunity to take decisive, credible and transformative action in the interests of the right to life, dignity and democracy in Zimbabwe.
"By failing to fully address the growing humanitarian catastrophe and question of illegitimacy of the current government, SADC leaders have let down the people of Zimbabwe who dutifully went to vote for a new government on March 29, 2008 and are today still waiting for a government of their choice," the organisations said in a statement.
"It is time to give priority to the people through servant leadership instead of self-serving power politics. It is also time for Africa's leaders to face up to each other with honesty and truth and take firm decisions that will provide a foundation for a durable solution to the protracted crisis in Zimbabwe."
Since August, a severe cholera outbreak has claimed hundreds of lives and more are dying everyday across the country, the church leaders noted. People living with HIV/AIDS have no access to life-saving drugs or food. Schools and hospitals are closing daily because there are no teachers, doctors, nurses or medicines. Millions of Zimbabweans are starving despite the best efforts of aid agencies.
"Yet amidst all this suffering the state finds itself guilty of misappropriating funds mobilized to buy life saving drugs for the sick as well as providing jobs for at least 50,000 Zimbabweans in the health sector," the organisations said.
Up to 4 million Zimbabweans are refugees, unable to return home in the absence of a credible resolution of the political and economic meltdown.
The leaders called for an urgent protection of the right to life and dignity for all Zimbabweans and adherence to democratic principles and processes in the mediation process and a return of the rule of law.
They also called on the SADC and the African Union to enhance transparency and broaden the talks to include civil society and churches.
The ZANU PF party and the opposition Movement for Democratic Change should form a government based on the will of the voters, true equity and in the interest of real and durable political progress, socio-economic transformation and national healing.
"We also call upon Zimbabwe's uniformed forces to treat their fellow citizens humanely and with respect. To politicians that have lost their conscience and seek to profit from the misery of fellow Zimbabweans, the world is watching. Justice as we have witnessed elsewhere in the world, will one day be served."
The leaders further asked the UN, the European Union and American President-elect, Barack Obama to mobilize and increase direct humanitarian support for Zimbabweans.
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