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This article participates on the following special index pages:
Inclusive government - Index of articles
Press
statement by the Heads of Christian Denominations on the current
political situation
February 26,
2009
We the Zimbabwe
Catholic Bishop's Conference (ZCBC), Evangelical
Fellowship of Zimbabwe (EFZ) and the Zimbabwe Council Churches
(ZCC), warmly welcome the promulgation of the all-inclusive Government
of Zimbabwe. As the nation of Zimbabwe enters this new dispensation,
we wish to assure our new Government that we will assist where possible
for Zimbabwe to be fully restored to its rightful place among the
nations of the world.
New
government as a lot to do
We wish to remind
the new Government that it is taking office at a very special time
and under very special circumstances in our history. The special
circumstances include a clearly defined and limited lifespan of
the Government during which it must present to the nation some specific
deliverables which include the following:
- facilitating
the development and promulgation of a people-driven national constitution
as a foundation for democratic governance;
- opening
up space for people's democratic participation, freedom of expression
and personal freedoms;
- enacting
legislation and mechanisms for people's free participation in
the national elections . .. that will mark the end of the life
of the current all-inclusive Government;
- re-vamping
the national economy in order to create jobs, reduce hunger, poverty,
disease and restoring public and social services, particularly
those related to health and education;
- addressing
all outstanding issues that include the release of persons detained
on political grounds, fair distribution of land and equitable
distribution of relief and aid to those who
need it.
Stop
the violence
In addition,
political party leaders should work to ensure that the unity they
have achieved at their level cascades down to their supporters.
The resurgence of politically-motivated acts of violence that the
country is witnessing following the inauguration of the new Government,
whatever its cause, is morally wrong, unacceptable and should be
condemned and stopped.
Country
needs reconciliation and healing
The country
needs reconciliation and healing. The Church in Zimbabwe has made
plans to partner with other stakeholders and work towards national
reconciliation and the healing of persons and communities at all
levels as an important and essential first step into our new dispensation.
This will be a process to address past hurts and permit a climate
for reconstruction.
For national
reconciliation and healing to take place, however, we need to break
the culture of violence that has come to characterize how we resolve
conflicts in our communities. We urge Church leaders, political
leaders and opinion leaders to go back to communities and address
national (not political party) rallies to promote the message of
unity, to repeat again and again that timeless message from Scripture:
"Behold how good and pleasant it is when brethren live together
in unity."
Media
has an important role to play
The media should
join other sectors in promoting unity in our new dispensation by
dropping hate language and biased reporting, encouraging diversity
and free flow of opinions and vigilantly and constructively probing
issues of national importance.
Time
for all of us to look forward
We believe this
is the moment in our history when we must all be forward-looking
and doing all we can from our various and diverse vantage points
to restore our nation.
May the Almighty
God guide and bless Zimbabwe
We remain God's
humble servants
Zimbabwe Catholic
Bishops' Conference (ZCBC)
Evangelical Fellowship of Zimbabwe (EFZ)
Zimbabwe Council of Churches (ZCC)
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