A statement on 29 May from Lambeth Palace, the seat of the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, said that he and the Archbishop of Cape Town, Thabo Makgoba, had spoken earlier to Ban Ki-moon, the secretary general of the United Nations, concerning the worsening situation in Zimbabwe.
They expressed their “grave concern about the increasing violence of what appears to be a sustained campaign against the Anglican Church in Zimbabwe” the statement said.
On 18 May there was a sharp escalation of violence against the Anglican community when Sunday services at many of the denominations’ churches were disrupted by security forces and militant young supporters of the ruling Zanu (PF) party. Some congregants in Harare were taken into police custody for a time after trying to enter church to worship, witnesses said.
Some worshippers said they were beaten by members of the ruling party’s “Green Bombers”, militant member of the ruling party who wear green uniforms. The Anglican opponents claim that leaders of the Anglican Church in Zimbabwe are siding with the opposition Movement for Democratic Change and a dwindling number of white farmers to defeat the “economic reforms” of 84-year old Robert Mugabe.
The two Anglican leaders told Ban, “Harassment and intimidation is their daily bread and there is a continuing failure to enforce court orders permitting Anglicans to worship in their Cathedral church (St Mary’s) in Harare and other parishes.”
They said that the actions by Mugabe’s supporters were a clear violation of Article 18 of the UN Charter on Human rights which gives people the right to worship and freedom of thought – quite apart from the other fundamental human rights, the right to assembly and speak and take part in free and fair elections, which are daily denied Zimbabweans.
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