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Churches
in Zimbabwe: A call to lasting peace
Heads of
Christian Denominations in Zimbabwe (HOCD)
February 11,
2011
We, the Churches
in Zimbabwe, the Zimbabwe
Council of Churches (ZCC), the Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops'
Conference (ZCBC) and the Evangelical
Fellowship of Zimbabwe (EFZ) re-affirm our conviction that all
human beings are born with God given inalienable rights. It is therefore
the duty of every Government to ensure that a conducive environment
is created so that citizens are able to exercise these rights and
in the process to attain their potential. The church has a mandatory
call to be the voice of the voiceless, to offer pastoral services
to the nation and be part of the reconstruction process.
In pursuit of
its vision of justice, peace, prosperity and total salvation for
all, the Church acknowledges and appreciates the progress that has
been made so far by the Inclusive Government to bring about peace
and healing to the Nation. Cognizant of the responsibility that
we carry to ensure that we secure a peaceful future for our nation,
and desirous of preventing a repetition of the political violence
that rocked our nation in 2008, we call upon the Government and
the political parties to note the following concerns: -
Global
Political Agreement
All aspects
of the Global
Political Agreement should be fully implemented before an election
is held. We also call on the Southern Africa Development Community
(SADC), the guarantors of the GPA, to ensure that the agreement
is fully implemented accountably and timeously.
The Church is
ready and willing to facilitate and support dialogue between the
Principals and political parties to ensure the resolution of the
outstanding issues.
The
Constitution making process
This Constitution
making process should ensure that the views of the people are
respected. It should also take cognizance of some flaws in the outreach
process that might have subverted the views of the people in some
areas.
Elections
We implore
our political leaders in the coalition government to reflect deeply
on the timing of elections bearing in mind the unhealed state of
the nation and the fragile state of the economy. However, whenever
elections come, it is essential for government to implement the
SADC
guidelines in full if they are to be credible.
Peace
and Security
Churches are
concerned about reports of politically motivated violence in the
provinces of Mashonaland, Masvingo, Manicaland and Harare caused
by the revival of the structures that perpetrated
violence in the run-up to the 2008
Presidential Elections.
The Church
urges the political leadership to exercise restraint and avoid making
statements that can fuel political violence. Whilst the occasional
denunciation of violence by our political leaders is encouraging,
we believe that it must become more regular and translated into
reality.
The Church calls on the
security forces to maintain peace and security for all citizens.
They should exercise their duties in a non-partisan manner to fulfill
their constitutional mandate.
Also, the Church notes the strategic role of traditional leaders
in ensuring that peace is maintained within communities. The Church,
therefore, calls upon the chiefs to work in partnership with other
stakeholders to ensure that peace and security is maintained within
their communities.
The
Role of Mass Media
Aware of the power of
the media in shaping public opinion, the church is concerned about
the hate language published in the media and calls on journalists
to adhere to professional ethics and to exercise justice and fairness
in their reporting.
National
Healing
The Church is
concerned about lack of a clear national framework on the healing
and reconciliation process which is a critical component of
this transitional period.
In its absence,
the Church will continue with its Biblical mandate of reconciliation
through various forums, but notes the strategic importance of the
Organ for National Healing, Reconciliation and Integration, which
should facilitate the formation of an independent truth, justice
and reconciliation commission. The Organ for National Healing, Reconciliation
and Integration should also facilitate a comprehensive and inclusive
process of crafting the national framework that will deal with issues
of truth telling, acknowledgement of the past wrongs, reconciliation,
restorative and transitional justice issues.
Call
To The Churches
We urge the
Church community to organize prayer vigils and be part of the Campaign
for Peace as God leads our nation into a new, peaceful and prosperous
New Year.
We believe that
this is a God's time for our nation to progress into a new
era of peace and prosperity for all.
God Bless Zimbabwe!
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