HARARE, Zimbabwe (CNS): Zimbabwe’s Council of Churches has apologised to the people of that country for not doing enough to stop the suffering and deaths caused by political violence and food shortages.
“While we have continued to pray, we have not been moved to action,” the Church leaders said in a statement, noting that they have “watched as violence, rape, intimidation, harassment and various forms of torture have ravaged the nation”.
They said, “Yet some perpetrators have been set free.”
After their annual meeting in the capital Harare earlier this month, council members said, “We as a council apologise to the people of Zimbabwe for not having done enough at a time when the nation looked to us for guidance”.
The Council of Churches has 20 member Churches including the Anglican, Methodist and Presbyterian Churches. The Zimbabwe Catholic bishops’ conference has observer status on the council.
The Church leaders said they have “been witness to and buried our people who have starved to death due to food shortages” and have seen poverty increase, “leaving more and more children on our streets”.
The council said it would lobby the government to make available affordable fuel and other basic commodities, as well as to remove barriers to the importation of food aid by Churhces.
