wfn.org | WCC NEWS: Zimbabwe: international community must protect Zimbabwean people

["WCC Media" <Media@wcc-coe.org>]

World Council of Churches - News Release

Contact: +41 22 791 6153 +41 79 507 6363 media@wcc-coe.org

>For immediate release - 18/06/2008 17:04:38

WCC CALLS ON THE UN TO END VIOLENCE IN ZIMBABWE, ENSURE FREE AND FAIR  ELECTION

In a letter to the UN secretary general, Ban Ki-moon, the World Council of  Churches (WCC) has expressed continued concern about the situation in  Zimbabwe and asked the world body to utilize its resources to assure an  end to pre-election violence in the southern African country and a free  and fair election on 27 June.

The letter, which comes from the WCC general secretary, Rev. Dr Samuel  Kobia, states the dismay of the council and its member churches "at the  news of the brutality meted out by police and other government forces in  Zimbabwe."

Referring to President Robert Mugabe's statement last week that he would  "go to war" rather than acknowledge an election victory by the opposition,  Kobia affirms: "This attitude on the part of the president undermines the  integrity of elections and belittles the Zimbabwean electorate."

"Where the Mugabe government fails in its responsibility to protect the  Zimbabwean people, the international community must assume that burden; in  this endeavour, the United Nations should assume a leading role", the WCC  letter adds.

>Churches in the region report on atrocities

Accompanying the letter is an extensive dossier compiled by the Dutch  Reformed Church in South Africa about the situation in Zimbabwe. The  dossier was prepared under the leadership of Dr Allan Boesak of the  Uniting Reformed Church in Southern Africa and presents graphic details of  violence as well as a review of materials already released through the  media and other sources.

Kobia says in his letter that "in light of the reports we have received"  the WCC is calling for a number of steps to be taken including an end to  the atrocities as reported in the dossier. The council appeals to the  government of Zimbabwe to assure free and fair elections, allowing for  election monitors and the distribution of food and other humanitarian aid  and calls on the churches in southern Africa to initiate a healing and  reconciliation process immediately following the elections.

The WCC has invited its member churches ( http://www.oikoumene.org/en/news/ news-management/eng/a/article/1722/pray-for-zimbabwe-wcc-in.html )to pray  for Zimbabwe on Sunday, 22 June, as the beginning of a season of prayer  for the people and government of the country.

The WCC sent the letter to the UN secretary general on Wednesday, 18 June  from its offices in Geneva.

>Full text of the letter:
>http://www.oikoumene.org/?id=6044

>ENI featured article on Zimbabwe:
>http://eni.ch/featured/article.php?id=1995

>WCC member churches in Zimbabwe:
>http://www.oikoumene.org/?id=4654

Additional information:Juan Michel,+41 22 791 6153 +41 79 507 6363media@wcc -coe.org

The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness  and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of  churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 349 Protestant,  Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 560 million  Christians in over 110 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman  Catholic Church. The WCC general secretary is Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia, from  the Methodist Church in Kenya. Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland.