wfn.org | WCC NEWS: Zimbabwe: Six global ecumenical groupings plead for life, dignity & democracy

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World Council of Churches - News Release

Contact: +41 22 791 6153 +41 79 507 6363 media@wcc-coe.org
For immediate release - 14/11/2008 17:39:30

GLOBAL ECUMENICAL ORGANIZATIONS PLEAD FOR LIFE, DIGNITY AND DEMOCRACY IN ZIMBABWE

Six global ecumenical organizations have called for an effective protection  of the right to life, dignity and democracy of the people of Zimbabwe and  criticized the stance of the Southern African Development Community on the  political deadlock in the country.

Jointly issued on 14 November by the general secretaries of the World  Council of Churches, the Lutheran World Federation, the World Alliance of  Reformed Churches, the World YWCA, the World Student Christian Federation  and the World Alliance of YMCAs, the statement calls "for an urgent  affirmation and protection of the right to life and dignity for all  Zimbabweans," as well as "for adherence to democratic principles and  processes in the mediation process and a return of the rule of law inside  Zimbabwe".

On 9 November the Southern African Development Community (SADC) organized  a summit of Southern African heads of state to help the two Zimbabwean  parties - President Robert Mugabe's Zanu-PF and opposition leader Morgan  Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) - to reach a power deal.

"We are deeply disappointed and saddened that the SADC leadership and  Zimbabwe's political leaders have once again squandered an opportunity to  take decisive, credible and transformative action" regarding the crisis in  the country, the statement says. "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."

The ecumenical organizations have called for the inclusion of civil  society and churches in future talks sponsored by the SADC and the African  Union. They have also called "on the United Nations, the European Union  and especially the President-elect of the United States of America, Barack  Obama to mobilize and increase direct humanitarian support for the  long-suffering people of Zimbabwe."

Full text of the joint ecumenical statement about Zimbabwe:
http://www.oikoumene.org/?id=6420

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