wfn.org | Zimbabwe's Lutheran church concerned about violence ahead of

[FRANK.IMHOFF@ecunet.org]

elections

HARARE, Zimbabwe/GENEVA, 29 May 2000 (LWI) - Ahead of parliamentary
elections next month, the head of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in
Zimbabwe (ELCZ) has said that ongoing violence in the country is causing
serious concern.

In an interview with LWI on 26 May, Bishop Ambrose Moyo reiterated an
earlier appeal by the ELCZ church council, calling on all political leaders
in the southern African country "to desist from conducting their political
ambitions in a manner that endangers the lives of the people whom they
purport to serve."

In a press statement following its meeting from 26-27 March 2000, the ELCZ
governing body registered its "strongest and unreserved condemnation of the
lawless state of affairs" in Zimbabwe, saying such an atmosphere is not
conducive to elections. The polls are scheduled for 24-25 June.

In the statement, the council also expressed concern about the direct
consequences the state of violence has had on the Lutheran World Federation
(LWF) member church. The council stated that Bishop Moyo and one of the
church's schools, especially the headmaster and his teaching staff "have
been threatened with death."

At the end of its council meeting, the ELCZ affirmed its commitment to the
proclamation of peace, justice and reconciliation and said that in the
prevailing atmosphere in the country "it becomes very difficult if not
impossible for us to remain silent and watch the situation grow from bad to
worse."

Pointing out that intimidation and the murder of those who hold different
views will never win people's hearts the ELCZ council emphasized the need
for a situation in which there is a sign of maturity and respect for the
freedom to hold different opinions. The church body cautioned that whatever
gains have been made since independence (in 1980), are now being rapidly
eroded.

Recently, more than 20 people have been killed, hundreds beaten and evicted
from their homes in a wave of violence (in the former Rhodesia), following
what is believed to be government-sponsored occupation of white-owned farms
since last February.

President Robert Mugabe's ruling Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU)
Patriotic Front party has reportedly denied instigating the violence mainly
targeted at white farmers and supporters of the opposition Movement for
Democratic Change (MDC), and blamed it instead on the farmers themselves and
the president's political rivals.

Through and in solidarity with the Zimbabwe Council of Churches (ZCC),
churches in that country have openly condemned the ongoing violence and
intimidation and called upon all political party leaders and supporters to
desist from acts that may lead to any form of conflict. They have endorsed
the principle of free and fair elections saying that no one person in the
country should stand in the way of a democratic process.

On May 8, the World Council of Churches (WCC) and the LWF announced their
intention to send a joint pastoral team to Zimbabwe in an effort to provide
ethical and moral guidance for good governance there.

In a joint letter addressed to the ZCC general secretary, Mr. Densen
Mafinyani, the WCC and LWF general secretaries, Dr. Konrad Raiser and Dr.
Ishmael Noko respectively, referred to the critical time of decision making
for the nation in view of violence and political tension at that time and
assured the churches in Zimbabwe of "our prayers, solidarity and
accompaniment."

(The LWF is a global communion of 128 member churches in 70 countries
representing 58 million of the world's 61.5 million Lutherans. Its highest
decision making body is the Assembly, held every six or seven years. Between
Assemblies, the LWF is governed by a 49-member Council which meets annually,
and its Executive Committee. The LWF secretariat is located in Geneva,
Switzerland.)

[Lutheran World Information (LWI) is the information service of the Lutheran
World Federation (LWF). Unless specifically noted, material presented does
not represent positions or opinions of the LWF or of its various units.
Where the dateline of an article contains the notation (lwi), the material
may be freely reproduced with acknowledgment.]

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