The General Secretary of the South African Council of Churches (SACC) has expressed grave concern over the growing wave of repression and human rights violations in Zimbabwe and called for immediate action to halt the persecution of Zimbabweans at home and abroad.
The call follows a state crackdown on church leaders who have now become targets of police harassment in Zimbabwe. Last week, there was international outcry when a number of church leaders, civil society activists, human rights campaigners and opposition leaders were detained and beaten by police for participating in public prayer meetings.
Opposition party leaders from the Movement for Democratic Change were among those arrested at the rally and later beaten. They publicly revealed their injuries following their release.
Mr Eddie Makue, the General Secretary of the SACC said, "We notice, with deep concern that Zimbabwean authorities are attempting to create and exploit divisions within the Zimbabwean church. Authoritarian regimes commonly make use of such 'divide and rule' tactics to discredit and stifle genuine opposition.
"History has shown that the truth will set us free. No matter how harsh the repression, a people who seek peace with justice can not be deterred," Makue warned.
The SACC said that the inhuman actions of the Zimbabwean security forces were “rapidly closing the options open to the people of Zimbabwe” in terms of finding amicable solutions to the many challenges confronting the troubled nation.
"The people of Zimbabwe need the space to express peacefully their aspirations and their dissatisfaction with the hyperinflation, unemployment and shortages of basic commodities that are making life intolerable for the vast majority of citizens," Makue observed.
by Maria Mackay
